The new GCSE Business specification will give students the opportunity to explore real business issues and how businesses work. A relevant and diverse specification student will consider the practical application of business concepts. The units provide opportunities to explore theories and concepts in the most relevant way, through the context of events in the business and economic world. In Year 10 students will study and investigate the purpose of business activity, the role of business enterprise and entrepreneurship, the dynamic nature of business and human resources. Students will study the importance of external influences on business and how businesses change in response to these influences. In Year 11 Students will study the interdependent nature of business operations, marketing and finance.
Business
Intent
Enterprise is an important part of the business sector and plays a major role in the UK’s global economic status. The role of entrepreneurs is to help create wealth for the nation and its citizens through the creation of enterprises that innovate and grow the economy. There are nearly 5 million such businesses in the UK, employing around 14.4 million people. In 2015, small- and medium-sized enterprises contributed £24bn to the UK economy.
Students studying Enterprise in the department will gain an insight into the world of enterprise. They will be able to make more informed decisions in life, and will gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed for the world of work. The qualification encourages the student to think about how enterprises start up and encourages them to think if they might consider setting up their own enterprise. During their time on the course students will learn through vocational contexts by studying the knowledge, behaviours and skills related to researching, planning, pitching and reviewing an enterprise idea. They will develop their technical skills (such as market research skills), planning, promotional and financial skills by using realistic work scenarios, and personal skills, (such as monitoring own performance, time management and problem solving).
Names of staff, role & contact details
Mrs E Dawber
Subject Leader for Business and Computing
edr@baines.lancs.sch.uk
Mrs C Coulthard
Teacher of Business and Computer Science
cco@baines.lancs.sch.uk
Business Studies
| HT1 | HT2 | HT3 | HT4 | HT5 | HT6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | Business in the real world - Looking at why people start a business and the skills required. | Business in the real world | Influences on the real world | Influences on the real world | Human Resources | Human Resources |
| Different business types. | Stakeholders of a business | Looking at how things that are beyond the business control can affect them for example: | How new technology can affect business | |||
| How to plan a business and why it is so important | How businesses choose the best location | The economy | How a business can deal with competition | How businesses organise their staff | How to keep staff motivated | |
| How businesses grow | Globalisation | How the law effects business | How they recruit and train effective staff | Different types of contracts | ||
| CAREERS FOCUS Entrepreneur | Ethical Considerations in running a business | |||||
| CAREERS FOCUS Franchise | CAREERS FOCUS Website Designer | CAREERS FOCUS Recruitment Manager | CAREERS FOCUS Admin Assistant | |||
| Baseline test | CAREERS FOCUS International Marketer | |||||
| Numeracy test | End of unit test | End of unit test | Half term assessment | End of year test of everything covered during the year | ||
| Half term assessment | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Half term assessment | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | |
| Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | |||||
| Year 11 | Marketing | Marketing | Finance | Finance | Operations | |
| How businesses choose their target market | How businesses decide their prices | Calculating revenue, costs, profit and break even. | How to find out if a business is doing well financially or might run into trouble. | Business Operations | ||
| How businesses promote their products and services | Theory such as the product life cycle and Boston Matrix | The financial documents a business has to produce | Methods of producing goods and choosing the best method | |||
| The marketing mix (product, price place and promotion) | CAREERS FOCUS Bursar | Stock control | ||||
| CAREERS FOCUS Social Media Manager | Market Research | CAREERS FOCUS Accountant | Picking the best supplier | |||
| Logistics and supply chains | ||||||
| Half term assessment | CAREERS FOCUS Advertising Executive | Half term assessment | Mock exam | How to maintain good quality in the business. | ||
| Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Fortnightly testing of revision homework | Exam pack homework | ||||
| Exam pack homework | Pre lim exam | Exam pack homework | CAREERS FOCUS Logistics Manager | |||
| End of unit test | ||||||
| Exam pack homework | Exam pack homework | |||||
BTEC Enterprise
| HT1 | HT2 | HT3 | HT4 | HT5 | HT6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | C1 - Learning Aim A: examine the characteristics of enterprise | C1 - Learning Aim B: Explore how market research helps enterprises meet customer needs and understand competitor behaviour | C1 - Learning Aim B: Explore how market research helps enterprises meet customer needs and understand competitor behaviour | C1- Learning Aim C: Investigate he factors that contribute to the success of an enterprise | C3 - Learning Aim A: Promotion | C3 - Learning Aim C: Financial Planning and Forecasting |
| - What is an enterprise? - Types and characteristics of small and medium enterprises - The purpose of enterprise - Entrpreneurs | - Customers needs - Using market research to understand customer needs - Understanding competitors | - Customers needs - Using market research to understand customer needs - Understanding competitors | - Internal / External factors - Situational analysis - Measuring success of SME | - Promotional mix - Targeting and segmenting the market - Factors influencing the choice of promotional methods | - Break-even analysis and break-even point - Sources of business finance |
|
| Component 1A | Component 1A and 1B | Component 1C | Component 1C | Exam | Exam | |
| Year 11 | C3 - Learning Aim B: Financial Records | C2 - Learning Aim A: Explore the ideas and plan for micro-enterprise activity | C2 - Learning Aim B: Pitch a micro-enterprise activity Revision and prep for exam | C2 - Learning Aim C: Review own pitch for a micro-enterprise activity | Revision and prep for exam (resit) | |
| - Financial documents - Payment methods - Sources of revenue and costs - Terminology in financial records - Profitability and liquidity - Using cash flow data - Financial forecasting -Suggesting improvements to flow problems | - Generate ideas for a micro-business activity - Plan for a micro-business activity | - Presenting a business pitch | - Using feedback and review to identify possible | - LA A: Promotion - LA B: Financial records - LA C: Financial planning and forecasting | ||
| Exam | Component 2A | Component 2B Exam | Component 2C | Exam |
How and when is my child assessed?
Year 10
Component 3: Promotion and Finance for Enterprise: Students will explore the different promotional methods used by enterprises and the factors that influence how enterprises identify and target their market. They will explore financial documents and how to use them to monitor and improve the performance of an enterprise in order to make decisions and recommend strategies for the success of an enterprise. This unit is assessed by an external examination.
Component 1: Exploring Enterprises: This component will give students an understanding of the factors that contribute to a successful enterprise. Students will examine different enterprises to develop their knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of enterprises and the skills needed by entrepreneurs. Students will have the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the different types of enterprise and their ownership looking at the characteristics of small and medium Enterprises (SMEs). This unit is assessed by a coursework assignment.
Year 11
Component 2: Planning for and Running an Enterprise: Students will select an enterprise idea to plan and pitch for. They will work as a small group to run a micro-enterprise activity, and will develop their skills in operating and reviewing the success of the enterprise. This unit is assessed by a coursework assignment.
| Name of course (s) offered | Exam board | Link to spec | Nature of assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA GCSE Business Studies | AQA | http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/business-subjects/gcse/business-8132 | 100% external written examination |
| Name of course(s) offered | Exam Board | Link to Spec | Nature of assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTEC Tech Award Enterprise | Pearson | https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-tech-awards/enterprise.html | Explore: Exploring Enterprise - internally assessed assignments 30% of total course |
| Develop: Planning for and Pitching an Enterprise Activity - internally assessed assignments 30% of total course | |||
| Apply: Promotion and Finance for Enterprise - externally assessed task 40% of total course |
Teaching Strategies
In GCSE Business and Enterprise, we learn through looking at real life businesses. In business we look at small case studies to apply our knowledge and in Enterprise we explore a small number of businesses in depth.
Students will be set homework each week. A range of homework types will be set including: quick quizzes to check understanding, end of topic revision using online resources such as GCSE Pod or Seneca Learning, preparation of revision notes and practice exam questions.
In GCSE Business we use Seneca Learning as our main online platform for revision. We use Google Classroom for both GCSE Business and Enterprise to provide students with everything they need to succeed. We signpost students to online resources such as GCSE Pod and GCSE Bitesize.
On Thursdays after school, the department run a cat-up clinic and revision sessions for students to attend. the GCSE students focus is on examination technique and students studying vocational subjects can attend to catch up on work.
Resources
AQA GCSE Business, Second Edition Andrew Gillespie, Malcolm Surridge is the text book that accompanies the course. It is always good for the students to have an interest in business outside the classroom and they can look at the BBC Business news as well as the BBC Bitesize revision website. There are also various other websites that can be used including www.tutor2U.co.uk.
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/business/gcse/business-8132
BTEC Enterprise –
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zpsvr82
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-tech-awards/enterprise.html
