Business makes the world go round, regardless of the career profession you choose it will involve some interaction with businesses. Lawyers, Dentists, Artists, Hairdressers will need to have an idea of how to run a successful business. In addition to specialist qualifications, having a in-depth understanding of the business world will be essential in achieving future success. This justifies the need to provide a robust and exhilarating business curriculum at GCSE and A level that is theoretically and practically apt for the global business environment.
Our Business Studies Curriculum opens a wealth of opportunities, developing skills that go beyond simply starting your own business. The courses and enrichment programs we offer at King Edwards VI Handsworth wood Girls’ Academy aim to develop our students’ understanding of how the local/national/global economy works through analysing business issues, problems and enterprises that affect the lives of individuals on a daily basis.
The department has access to two well equipped purposeful rooms in the Walker block.
Room W101 has 30 PCs, an interactive board, projector, speakers and whiteboard.
Room W103 has 25 PCs as well as desks in the middle for whole class teaching along with an interactive board, projector, speakers and whiteboards. The department is equipped with the latest learning material including a range of new course textbooks.
At KS4 students are given the opportunity to build a foundation of business knowledge, focussing on key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business. In their final year of the course, students will delve deeper by examining how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. The course focuses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with an emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
At KS5 students will embark on a entrepreneurial journey, where along the way they will develop their knowledge and practical skills needed to run a business. They will explore the role of finance in planning an enterprise, analysing and making financial decisions. In addition, to how business organisations use the human, physical and financial resources at their disposal to achieve their dynamic goals. Students will also uncover the importance of enterprising behaviour and how this can be personally utilised to best exploit entrepreneurial opportunities within specific market conditions. Furthermore, students will analyse techniques managers use to organise, motivate and lead employees through change to achieve business objectives. Students will apply their knowledge learnt throughout the course to develop, present and evaluate a business proposal. Students will also create a e-business proposal linked to a business idea of their choice. The course is very enjoyable and informative and most importantly equip students with the transferable and practical skills needed to run a business.
Exam Board: Edexcel GCSE Business 9-1
Exam Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Business/2017/specification-and-sample-assessments/GCSE_Business_Spec_2017.pdf
Overview of course structure:
| Theme 1: Investigating Small Business (50%) | Theme 2: Building a Business (50%) |
| Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship | Topic 2.1 Growing the business |
| Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity | Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions |
| Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice | Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions |
| Topic 1.4 Making the business effective | Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions |
| Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business | Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions |
| Overview of assessment Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes, 90 marks The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions | Overview of assessment Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes, 90 marks The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions. |
Exam Board: AQA Level 3 Extended Certificate in Applied Business
Exam Specification: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/business/specifications/AQA-1830-SP-2016.PDF
Overview of Applied Business course structure:
| Year 12 – 50% | Year 13 – 50% |
| Unit 1: Financial planning and analysis (External Examination) Financial issues enterprises need to consider. Learners explore ways enterprises can be owned and financed. Learners will need to understand the issues that enterprises face concerning cashflow and be able to calculate profit, break-even and cash-flow. They will use this information along with final accounts and market information to make business decisions. The examination will last 1 hour 30 minutes (60 Marks). Section A is worth 40 marks and consists of relatively short questions based on the whole of the specification for this unit. Section B is worth 20 marks and focuses on a single, larger question. | Unit 4: Managing and Leading People (External Examination) Learners explore how organisation operate in a changing environment and use managers and employees to achieve objectives. They study the importance of leadership, how employees and managers interact in the workplace and the impact of different organisational structures on managers and employees. The examination will last 1 hour 30 minutes (60 Marks). Section A is worth 40 marks and consists of relatively short questions based on the whole of the specification for this unit. Section B is worth 20 marks and focuses on a single, larger question. |
| Unit 2: Business Dynamics (Internally Assessed) Human, physical and financial resources are essential for the success of business organisations. Learners will investigate factors contributing to the success of businesses, focussing on the role of managers, supervisors and employees. They will consider how businesses organise themselves and will develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of organisational structures. | Unit 5: Developing a Business Proposal (Internally Assessed) Learners investigate the processes required to develop, present and evaluate a business proposal. The business proposal will require human resources beyond those provided by the learner. Learners will develop a concise proposal and present this to funding providers. |
| Unit 3: Entrepreneurial opportunities (Externally Assessed) Learners develop an understanding of entrepreneurial opportunities and investigate how individuals can exploit these through personal enterprise, eg offering a service. They will consider opportunities for their own personal enterprise, a given context and propose marketing and operations activities to take advantage of the entrepreneurial opportunity. | Unit 8: Marketing Communications (Internally Assessed) Learners will investigate available technologies and how they are used internally and by their potential suppliers, customers and competitors. They will then test outline examples of their proposed e-business applications with their stakeholders and use the results to inform the development of an e-business proposal. Finally, they will recommend an e-business implementation plan and make appropriate adjustments to the business proposal’s outline marketing, operations and financial plans. |
Students will be set homework on a weekly basis which will be posted onto the VLE- Firefly for parents to track. Similar to the diverse range of learning activities complete during the lessons, a variety of tasks will also be set for homework and assessment to develop students’ knowledge of the subject, a range of exam techniques and skills essential useful for the work of world.
The Certificate in Financial Studies (CeFS) qualification is primarily designed for students aged 16–19 and provides a comprehensive introduction to personal finance. It is delivered in Year 12. The CeFS provides a solid basis for creating financial inclusion, by exploring social-economic trends and their relationship with an individual’s circumstances and attitudes. This qualification serves as an excellent grounding for undergraduate study within finance and business-related disciplines, with many students going on to study accounting, business, finance and banking. Students will gain UCAS credits on completion of this qualification.
Exam Board: London Institute of Banking and Finance
Exam Specification: https://www.libf.ac.uk/docs/default-source/financial-capability/qualification-specifications/cefs-qualification-specification.pdf?sfvrsn=c8cf418d_22
| Unit 1: Financial Capability for the Immediate and Short Term (15 credits) | Unit 2: Financial Capability for the Medium and Long Term (15 credits) |
| Topic 1: Purposes of money | Topic 1: Needs, wants and aspirations |
| Topic 2: The personal life cycle | Topic 2: Savings and investment products |
| Topic 3: Payment methods | Topic 3: Borrowing Products |
| Topic 4: Everyday Banking | Topic 4: Dealing with long-term risks |
| Topic 5: Savings products | Topic 5: Financial Planning |
| Topic 6: Borrowing products | Topic 6: Financial Planning and informed choices |
| Topic 7: Providers | Topic 7: Dealing with unforeseen events |
| Topic 8: Consumer Protection | Topic 8: Ethics and sustainability |
| Topic 9: Budgets and forecasts | Topic 9: Sources of information and advice |
| Topic 10: Dealing with unexpected events | Topic 10: Making an informed choice |
| Topic 11: Dealing with debt | |
| Topic 12: Earnings |
| Both units will be assessed by e-test / written paper made up of the following components: (Part A) multiple-choice questions: 35 x 1 mark for each correct answer (total marks: 35 / 100); (Part B) a written examination based on a pre-released case study requiring essay responses to 5 questions (total marks: 60 / 100); and spelling, punctuation and grammar to be marked through the essay responses (total mark 5 / 100). |
Educational visits are an integral part of any Business Studies course. They allow students to gain a real life experience of the concepts studied in the classroom. At KEVI HWGA, we endeavour to provide students with varied opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the broad range of topics explored. The purpose of these visits is to enable students to fully develop their application, analysis and evaluative skills: essential in all elements of written work and examination answers to achieve success at a high level.
Visits have included :-
Year 9 – Autumn 1 Study of local businesses
Year 10 – Summer 1 West Midlands Safari Park
Year 11 Spring 1 – Amazon Fulfilment Centre
Year 12/13 Autumn 2/Spring 1– City of London Financial District Walking Tour & Excursions
Educational visits to business districts in Europe & New York are currently being investigated for future consideration.
