Department staff:

Mrs S McAtominey: Faculty Leader

Mrs N Elvidge: Subject Leader

Miss L Pinkney

Miss L Ross

Key Stage 4: GCSE Business Studies

Overview of the course

The course runs over two years and acts as a great introduction to the world of business. It looks at differing functional areas such as marketing, finance, production and human resources.  Everyone will end up working in some sort of business, so this subject will also give an insight in to how businesses operate.  It will equip all students with the necessary enterprise skills to enter the ever changing world of work. It is ideal for anyone thinking of starting their own business or going on to study Business in the future.

Year 10 – Setting up a business – This unit explores the activities of a business and the reasons for success or failure. It encourages students to appreciate that businesses must operate within society and that this involves businesses engaging with a wide range of stakeholders who will hold differing perspectives.

Year 11 – Growing as a business – This unit builds upon the content of the first unit, allowing students to study businesses as they grow and the issues that expansion raises.

Investigating businesses – This unit is a controlled assessment unit. It addresses a current business issue and the student must research and develop an idea over a number of weeks.

Assessment details

Setting up a business – 40% Examination

Growing as a business – 35% Examination

Investigating businesses – 25% Controlled Assessment

Examination board: AQA: GCSE Business Studies