Business
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill
Why choose Business?
Business is about understanding the ideas and principles which make businesses successful. Business skills are needed in order to drive our economy forward and ensure that businesses survive in our rapidly changing world.
You’ll start by exploring the world of small businesses through the lens of an entrepreneur. How and why do business ideas come about? What makes a successful business? You’ll learn how to develop an idea, spot an opportunity and turn it into a successful business. You will understand how to make a business effective, manage money and see how the world around us affects small businesses and all the people involved. Then you’ll move on to investigating business growth. How does a business develop beyond the start-up phase? You’ll learn about key business concepts and issues and decisions you need to make when growing a business and working in a global business. You’ll learn about meeting customer needs, making marketing, operational, financial and human resourcing decisions and you’ll explore how the wider world impacts the business as it grows.
Is this the right subject for me?
If you enjoy the following then the GCSE Business course is the right subject for you.
communicating and explaining your ideas
thinking creatively and making decisions
working with numbers to solve business problems
learning about the world of business through real and relevant local and international brands
Welcome to GCSE Business
Lead Teacher - Ms R Campbell
After this qualification you’ll understand the world of business and have developed skills in:
developing persuasive arguments
creative and practical problem solving
understanding data, finance and communication.
You will also develop commercial awareness which is an understanding of what your company needs to do to be profitable, be successful, and serve its customers well; Decision making through gathering information, and assessing alternative solutions; Strategic thinking which uses critical thinking to solve complex problems and plan for the future. These skills are essential to accomplish business objectives, overcome obstacles, and address challenges. A GCSE Business course could help prepare you for an entrepreneurial role and help you to gain an understanding of what is involved in a business-related profession, like accountancy, law, marketing or the leisure and tourism industry.
Exam Board : Edexcel
Qualification Type: GCSE (9-1)
Assessment : There are two exams, each worth 50% of the final grade (there is no coursework). Each exam paper consists of multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions.
Exam Length :
Paper 1 - Written exam: 105 minutes, 90 marks. 50% of the total GCSE
Paper 2 - Written exam: 105 minutes, 90 marks, 50% of the total GCSE
What would help?
Anyone can choose this course, however you may find it easier to access if you like listening to the news as you need to be aware of what is going on in the local and national economy. You would benefit from an interest in marketing, finance and understanding customer behaviour. If you do not enjoy watching Dragon’s Den and/or the Apprentice then this is not the course for you.
Course Content
You will study 2 themes:
Theme 1: Investigating small business
1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
1.4 Making the business effective
1.5 Understanding external influences
Theme 2: Building a business
2.1 Growing the business
2.2 Making marketing decisions
2.3 Making operational decisions
2.4 Making financial decisions
2.5 Making human resources decisions
“Studying the Business and Enterprise not only inspired me to start a business, but it also had a significant impact on my perspective on sales and purchasing, teaching me to look beyond just price to find the best option for my needs” - Y11 student
Methods of Study
This course will involve both individual and group work. You will need to make notes, read case studies and answer questions applying your knowledge to the context of the case study. You will explore, develop and apply your knowledge, helping to develop key transferable skills such as research and data analysis to support your progression to further learning and the workplace. This course will encourage you to explore the world of business and what makes or breaks an enterprise.
“I chose Business because I've always wondered how businesses were run and became successful. Business has helped me understand that a lot more work goes into running a business than what you think, it has shown me how and what you would need to attract the attention of the customers or clients to a business.” - Y10 student
Assessment
Examining board: Edexcel. Linear Course with 2 written exams at the end of Year 11. No controlled assessment or coursework.
Paper 1 - Theme 1: Investigating small business.
Written exam: 105 minutes, 90 marks. 50% of the total GCSE
Paper 2 - Theme 2: Building a business.
Written exam: 105 minutes, 90 marks, 50% of the total GCSE
There are three sections in the paper A, B and C. Each section is ramped, starting with multiple choice questions, moving to short answer questions and ending with extended writing. Sections B and C are based on real life, relevant business contexts and examples.
Here are some examples of Business work produced by our students this year…