Business Studies
The aims and objectives of this course are to enable students to: know and understand business concepts, business terminology, business objectives, the integrated nature of business activity and the impact of business on individuals and wider society. They will apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts. They will develop as enterprising individuals with the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen and draw on evidence to make informed business decisions and solve business problems. Students will develop as effective and independent students, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds. They will use an enquiring, critical approach to make informed judgements as well as investigate and analyse real business opportunities and issues to construct well-argued, well- evidenced, balanced and structured arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of business. This will allow them to develop and apply quantitative skills relevant to business, including using and interpreting data.
They will develop an understanding of how different business contexts impact on business behaviour and use business terminology to identify and explain business activity as well as apply business concepts to familiar and unfamiliar contexts. It allows students to apply knowledge and understanding to business decision making, including: the interdependent nature of business activity, influences on business, business operations, finance, marketing and human resources; and how these interdependencies underpin business decision making. It develops problem-solving and decision-making skills relevant to business and enables students to investigate, analyse and evaluate business opportunities and issues allowing them to make justified decisions using both qualitative and quantitative data, including its selection, interpretation, analysis and evaluation, and the application of appropriate quantitative skills. This would lead to success in the Edexcel 9-1 Business exams.
This course is designed for students who wish to develop applied knowledge and practical skills in enterprise and marketing. It is designed with both practical and theoretical elements, which will prepare students for further study of qualifications in enterprise, marketing or business. All learners will study three mandatory topics as follows:
- Enterprise and marketing concepts
- Design a business proposal
- Market and pitch a business proposal
In year 10 students’ study for the exam element –Enterprise and marketing concepts and complete coursework for - Design a business proposal. Work is sent to the exam board for verification.
In year 11, students complete the third topic (Market and pitch a business proposal), where learners will develop the skills to create a brand identity and promotional plan for their specific business product proposal developed in the second topic. Students will be using knowledge from previous completed work as part of this topic. They will develop pitching skills in order to pitch their business proposal to an external audience. Finally, they will review their pitching skills and business proposal using their learning, self-assessment and feedback gathered. This will help to prepare them both for employment situations such as interviews and for starting up a business in the future, while also developing the transferable skill of presenting information to others in a clear and persuasive manner. The knowledge and skills developed by completing this topic will also be transferable to further, related learning in areas such as enterprise, marketing or business.
Completion of this course gives them a GCSE equivalent result from OCR.