Head of department: Mrs P Cullen

Teaching staff:          Mrs D Roberts, Miss W Gray

Aims and objectives of the department
Business Studies is an option subject, which pupils may choose prior to entry to Year 10. It concerns the business aspects of organisations within their economic, political and social contexts. Our aims are

• To see our pupils develop their business acumen
• To improve their opportunities to be our entrepreneurs of the future
• To ensure that the performance of business is studied from a range of perspectives
• To use a variety of methods to analyse and evaluate evidence and thus make reasoned judgements in the context of real business scenarios.
• To enable pupils to apply their knowledge and critical understanding to current issues and problems in a wide range of appropriate contexts
• To enable them to understand the dynamics of business activity. The understanding must be rooted in current business theory and practice and must reflect the integrated nature of organisations and their decision-making processes.

Why study Business Studies?

Business Studies is the study of how businesses are set up, financed, organised and controlled, how people are employed, managed and paid, how goods are developed, produced and sold, how goods and services are priced, and of how local, national and international governments  and organisations help or hinder business.

Key skills have been incorporated into the specification at all levels. The core key skills being:

• Information Technology
• Application of Number
• Communication

Business Studies also contributes to an understanding of Citizenship issues and aids development of the skills of enquiry necessary for this.

Particular topics include:

• Enterprise
• Ownership
• Management of people within a business
• Finance
• Production
• Marketing
• External environment and business.

Resources within the department
All business studies lessons are taught in an ICT suite. Every suite contains enough computers to enable every pupil to work independently. The department has one interactive white board and all suites have AB Tutor control that allows the user to view teacher demonstrations on their screens.

A huge variety of methods are used to deliver the subject, to ensure that it appeals to all pupils. These include using a virtual share dealing portfolio, where each pupil has an allocated amount of finance. This enables pupils to actively follow the stock market. Many pupils become involved in Proshare - The Student Investor, where the top prize is an all expenses paid trip to New York.

Role play is used extensively, particularly in the Recruitment and Selection unit, as are games such as Blockbuster, which regularly tests the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key terms and concepts.

Trips are organised, when appropriate, and these have included a visit to the
Enterprise Road Show, at Warner Village Cinema in Birkenhead. This allowed pupils the opportunity to

• Come face to face with cutting edge entrepreneurs in a stimulating environment
• Understand how entrepreneurs set up their businesses
• See the benefits of running a business
• Increase their knowledge of business and enterprise

Miss Gray has responsibility for organizing next year’s trip which will be to visit Cadbury World in Birmingham, to investigate Production and Marketing.

Business Studies at Key Stage 4 - Year 10 Topics

Enterprise

• the qualities required of an entrepreneur;
• encouraging motivation;
• the nature and rewards of risk taking;
• government and other support for risk taking;
• Reasons for the success and failure of enterprises.

Ownership
The main forms within the private and public sector including:

• sole proprietors;
• partnerships;
• private and public limited liability companies;
• co-operatives;
• publicly owned organisations;
• Franchise operations.

                          
Management of people within a business
The main aspect of work covered by the Personnel department should be considered including:

• assessing labour requirements;
• recruitment and selection of people;
• training;
• industrial relations;
• Application of legislation.

Year 11 Topics
Finance
The sources need to be considered in terms of why the finance is needed, its cost, availability and the likely time period for the finance.
Uses of finance to include:

• purchase of fixed assets using owner’s funds, retained profits, bank loans, hire purchase, leasing;
• purchase of current assets using supplier’s credit, overdraft;
• Financing of short-term needs including use of working capital.

Production
Production is a process by which a product or service is created to meet the needs of the consumers. Consideration needs to be given to:

• resources required;
• stages passed in reaching the consumer and the added value created;
• Manufacturing methods.

Marketing
This section is concerned with the way in which consumers behave in the market place. This section includes:

• markets;
• market research;
• the marketing mix;
• Legal and ethical constraints.

External environment and business.
The main factors outside the business which may affect it need to be explored including:

• changes in rates of unemployment and inflation;
• changes in exchange rates and the move towards globalization;
• changes in taxation;
• changes in interest rates;
• competition;
• population trends;
• health and safety legislation;
• broad policies on education and training;

Coursework
Pupils will be set assignments based on a business problem or problems or a business-related hypothesis. These should permit pupils to investigate problems and propose solutions and will be designed to be rooted in the real business world. Pupils will be expected to work with real businesses and must draw knowledge, expertise and skills from all areas.

Progression
This qualification is a recognised part of the National Qualifications framework. As such, GCSE provides progression from Key Stage 4 to post -16 studies.

It lays an appropriate foundation for further study of Business Studies and/or related subjects at GCE Advanced Subsidiary or Advanced levels or Applied GCE Advanced Subsidiary or Advanced levels. It also enables pupils to progress to National Vocational Qualifications.

In addition, it provides a worthwhile course for pupils of various ages and from diverse backgrounds in terms of general education and lifelong learning.

Exam Board
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA www.aqa.org.uk) is the largest of the three English exam boards. AQA has a leading reputation for promoting education for the public benefit and draws on long experience of setting and marking public exams such as GCSEs. We are constantly reviewing exam boards to ensure that our pupils have the best possible opportunity for success in this subject.

Final Assessment

Written Paper 1 and Written Paper 3     37½% of total marks for each paper, Foundation and Higher Tiers

Coursework                                                 25% of total marks, Coursework consists of a problem solving assignment.