GCSE Business
Contact: Mr. Birch, Faculty Leader for Business & Computing
Why study Business?
The Business course is suitable for students who wish to find out more about the world of business and those who want to investigate how businesses become successful. The course relies on students taking an interest in what happens in the real world and is meant to be relevant in every way. They will have an interest in the news and current affairs and be inquisitive about what happens in the commercial world.
Students will gain business knowledge, understanding and skills and begin to understand current events in local, national and global contexts. Students will develop as independent learners and will be encouraged to use an enquiring, critical approach to distinguish facts from opinions, form arguments and make informed judgements.
This subject in the future could lead to a career in finance, advertising or managing people. As with most GCSEs however it offers a foundation to build on and will help a student to be more commercially aware when entering the workplace.
What content is studied?
We study the EDUQAS Business GCSE syllabus where students learn such things as the organisation and structure of businesses, the importance of communication, people at work, government and trade, finance and marketing. This will provide a strong foundation for further study of Business and related subjects at A Level.
In Years 10 and 11, students will study in greater detail the core functional areas of Business. Looking in particular at:
- How and why businesses start.
- Marketing & the importance of customers.
- Business Operations, including production methods and distribution both locally and internationally.
- Human Resources – how best to manage and motivate staff.
- External influences – investigating ways to best deal with competition and;
- Finance – how it is raised, recorded and how the figures are analysed.
How are the students assessed?
This content is assessed in two examinations at the end of Year 11 which are worth 62.5% and 37.5% of the overall grade respectively. No part of the course is assessed through a controlled assessment:
- Component 1 – Business Dynamics:
Written examination: 2 hours
62.5% of the qualification
Total marks: 100
Paper assessed using multiple small case study material
Content from all 6 units of work can be assessed
- Component 2 – Business Considerations:
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
37.5% of the qualification
Total marks: 60
Paper assessed using 2 large case study resources issued on the day
Content from all 6 units of work can be assessed
This course cannot be taken with Business Enterprise & Marketing
