Business

Why study this course?

If you are interested in what makes a business and/or Entrepreneur successful.  Studying Business, use the skills you already have in Maths and English, gives you a chance to learn new skills including to research, plan and deliver a successful business.  GCSE Business also teaches real life skills such as leadership, financial literacy, teamwork and the confidence to present and justify ideas through group and project work.

What will I learn?

There are six topic headings that are studied over the two years:

  1. Business in the real world – entrepreneurship, the different types of business structure, goal setting, location and business planning
  2. Influences on business – the external factors that influence a business such as technology, economic climate, globalisation and the law
  3. Business operations – the different ways businesses produce goods and services, how they manage their stocks and supplies, and how they attempt to produce high quality products and provide excellent customer service
  4. Human resources – staffing structures, how businesses recruit new employees and how they train them once they start work
  5. Marketing – how businesses identify, understand and target their customers by using advertising and other methods to promote their products
  6. Finance – how businesses raise the finance they need to operate and how they manage their cash, calculate their profits and use data to judge their performance

How will I be assessed?

There will be two written exams, each one lasting 1 hour 45 minutes.  Both follow the same structure, with three sections: one section consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions; two sections using separate case studies and requiring longer, more developed written answers.

Where can this course lead to after Key Stage 4?

This course is an ideal preparation for a variety, Post 16 A Levels in Business with close links to Economics, Geography, History and Media and gaining an understanding of finance, law, psychology and sociology.

To find out more information:

For more information, please contact to Alison Freer,  afreer@wreake.bepschools.org or look on the AQA exam board website: www.aqa.org.uk