Business

Miss C Miller - Social Sciences Area Coordinator
Mrs D Last - Social Sciences Curriculum Assistant

Business is a constantly evolving, exciting subject to study. It is hugely applicable to the world around us. In this modern era most of us will have to understand and work with the different functions of business when we go into employment. The Business department aims to give students an insight into this real world around us.

The Business course gives students a thorough understanding of the dynamic environment in which businesses operate and the factors that influence business activity and behaviour. Throughout all of the Business course students will develop a range of transferrable skills.  As well as an ability to apply theory to the real world, students will also develop skills in analysing numerical information and drawing conclusions from it. Students will develop communication skills, both written and verbal as well as problem solving skills. Some lessons  will require the group to be able to work both in a team and individually and also to see other people’s points of view. A key area is the development of organisational skills and an understanding of the importance of meeting deadlines in the business world.

Year 9

In Year 9 students undertake a foundation year where the focus is on developing subject specific vocabulary and an overview of how businesses operate. This is taught through a variety of business case studies, from small start-ups through to large plc's . Students will also develop some of the skills required for working within business in the 21st century.

Year 10

In Year 10 students will learn about the external environment that businesses operate within, thinking about issues such as how exchange rates and technology can have an impact on firms. Students will also develop an understanding of how businesses attract, retain and make the best use of their people to achieve the goals of the company. Finally, in Year 10 students will discover the different production processes that firms use, the systems used for maintaining quality, the role of procurement in organisations and how firms deliver good customer service.

Year 11

In Year 11 students will learn about why it is important to identify and satisfy customer needs and the marketing techniques that can be used, such as pricing and promotional strategies. The final topic in Year 11 is Finance: How do we source finance, account for all of the money being received and spent by the firm, meet a firm's financial reporting obligations and analyse its financial performance.

At the end of Year 11 the GCSE Business course is assessed through 2 exams of 1 hour 45 minutes. The exam board is AQA and the course code is 8132.