Curriculum

Business Studies provides students with knowledge of how the world of business operates.  In addition to knowing how to deal with finance, marketing, production and the human resource functions, students also look at how business operates with regard to central and local government, the EU and the importance of international trade.  Business Studies is a subject that requires imagination, together with a creative and inquisitive mind.  Business decisions are often open-ended; there may be more than one way of approaching problems.  Students investigate, analyse and interpret results in order to draw balanced conclusions. 

At GCSE Business KS4, the students will be taught in two themes. Theme 1 concentrates on key business concepts and skills involved in starting and running a successful small business. It enables students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur. Theme 2 focuses on how the business develops beyond the start-up phase. It examines the key business concepts as well as the rewards a business gains from growth, with emphasis on marketing, operations, finance and human resources. Theme 2 also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows. 

At BTEC Tech Awards in Enterprise KS4, students will acquire knowledge and skills through this vocational course by studying knowledge, behaviours and skills related to enterprise. The qualification will enable students to develop their technical skills such as planning, promotional and financial skills using real-world business scenarios.  

At Business BTEC Extended National Diploma KS5 students will study a number of units where each qualification will have its own purpose. Learners will be performing vocational tasks that encourage the development of appropriate vocational and transferable skills. Transferable skills are those such as communication, teamwork, research and analysis, which are valued in both higher education and the workplace.

The Business Studies Department offers GCSE Business Studies and BTEC Tech Awards in Enterprise at KS4, and the Business BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma at Sixth Form. 

Grouping and Setting

Business is taught in mixed ability classes at KS4 and KS5.  Business is an option subject for GCSE.

Assessment

Students complete an interim and landmark assessment every half term.  Students are given feedback on their work based on both of these assessments and complete improvement prompts based on these, ensuring that they know how to improve their work.

Extra-curricular

The Business Studies Department ensures that students gain practical experience of the business world, through industrial visits.  Visits in the past have included Coca Cola and Thorpe Park.  In the Sixth Form we offer a variety of clubs introducing the Student Investor Challenge.