Business Btec Extended Certificate

Aims of the course

The Business curriculum is inherently applied.  We seek to develop cultural capital through equipping students with business knowledge and skills, exposing students to opportunities and raising aspirations.  Students will be better able to understand their local, national and global economy, their role within that and choices available: whether as an entrepreneur and business owner, a leader or manager and/ or as a proactively contributing employee.  This in turn will lead to greater job satisfaction and personal fulfilment for the learner.  

BTEC Business gives you a sound understanding of the business economy, organisations and systems, marketing, human resources, production and economy and finance.The content you will learn will be applied in a practical and realistic way.Studying BTEC Business will develop your skill, knowledge and understanding applicable to the world of business.A BTEC qualification in Business is a well-recognised and highly effective pathway to university, the world of work, and also apprenticeships.

Course outline

In increasingly competitive markets and with customers becoming ever more informed and having growing expectations, it is ever more important that businesses strive to meet customer needs and wants.  To enable this, in this course students will study four units, assessed through a combination internally assessed coursework in year 12 and exams in year 13.

Through the ‘Exploring Business’ unit, students gain an overview of the key ingredients for business success, how businesses are organised, how they communicate, the characteristics of the environment in which they operate, and how this shapes them and their activities. Students also look at the importance of innovation and enterprise to the success and survival of businesses.

In the ‘Development of a Marketing Plan’ students discover the keys to promotion, examine the marketing aims and objectives for existing products/services and understand the importance of relevant, valid and appropriate research.  Students also have an opportunity to experience what it would be really like to be a marketing manager through devising your own marketing campaign.

The ‘Recruitment and Selection Processes’ unit  prepares students for the leadership role of making essential staffing choices, whilst complying with current regulations. In this unit students explore the various selection tools and the enhanced use of technology in this area. This unit gives an opportunity, through role play, for students to take part in selection interviews; allowing them to also hone their own interview skills and helping them to progress within their own chosen career.

And the ‘Personal and Business Finance’ unit helps students to develop a breadth of skills and knowledge needed to understand, analyse and prepare financial information.  Students learn about sources of finance and money management and planning tools such as cash flow forecasting, alongside how to measure the financial performance of a business such as through the preparation and analysis of statements of comprehensive income and statements of financial position.   Personal finance involves the understanding of why money is important and how managing money can help prevent future financial difficulties.  This will help not only the student’s financial management but also to prepare students for working in the financial industry. This course complements learning in LIBF Diploma of FInancial Services.

Assessment outline

Course work

Unit 1 Exploring Business - 90 GLH - 3 Assignments to be completed across terms 1,2, 3 and 4 in year 12

Unit 8 Selection and Recruitment Process - 60 GLH - 2 Assignments to be completed during terms 3 and 4 in year 13. Included a written report and experience evidence portfolio

Exams

January year 13

• Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance  - 120 GLH

  • 1 synoptic paper of duration of 2 hours 

  • Completed Term 5&6 in year 12 (with retake opportunity in Jan and June)

• Unit 2 Developing a Marketing Campaign - 90 GLH

  • 3 hours supervised research analysis. 3 hour written paper
    This unit is assessed under supervised conditions. Part A is released the afternoon before Part B is scheduled for learners to give students an opportunity to analyse research in a quiet environment. Learners will then take Part B in a supervised assessment in a single three-hour session timetabled by Pearson. You will use given market research data and other information to make recommendations about the type of marketing campaign that a business should undertake.

Careers links

By developing relevant business knowledge and understanding this course will afford students the competitive advantage when progressing into employment, vocational training and higher apprenticeships, or higher education. Students will also develop employability skills such as  problem-solving, critical thinking, intrapersonal skills, collaborative working, negotiating and influencing. 

Studying Business can complement every career although many students choose to specialise in business as a discipline. Careers followed include Business Management, Human Resources, Marketing, Events Management and Financial Services such as accountancy, being a financial advisor and wealth management.