GCSE Business Studies
Brief Summary of the syllabus:
GCSE Business Studies is an interesting and relevant course concentrating on the understanding of how businesses are organised and the way in which they are influences by local pressures, the government and international bodies.
Subject Content
- External environment and business
- How the business effects the community and its environment
- External factors affecting business
- An understanding of the role of the entrepreneur
- The ownership and control of business
- What factors distinguish different types of businesses
- The extent and nature of the growth of business
- The aims and objectives of business
- The management of people within a business
- Leadership and motivation of workers
- The functions of Human Resources Departments
- Marketing
- Market research
- The marketing mix
- Legal and ethical restraints
- Finance
- Sources of finance
- Business planning
- Financial Accounts and Analysis
- Production
- How a business uses and organises its resources
- Location of business
- Methods of Production
What skills/attributes are being developed and examined?
Business Studies requires logical, analytical thinking. The ability to evaluate cause and effect is important in Business Studies. The world of business is constantly changing, and events reported in the news will have an impact on business; it is therefore important that the student keeps up to date with current affairs, and can apply this to the business world.
Students will take part in discussions, debates, case studies and in studying newspaper articles. We will use IT to solve practical business problems such as break-even analysis and cash-flow forecasts. Students may also use databases for market research. The emphasis will be on the application of the subject to the real world.
What can parents expect to see in classwork and homework specifically?
Homework will be set on a weekly basis and will either be case study work or research projects into various aspects of business. In addition, students are required to select business-related articles from the quality press and comment upon those articles. Class work will include case studies and various individual and group activities. During Year 10 two marketing projects will be undertaken which may be entered for The Young DMA Award and The Patent Office Competitions. In Year 11 students will complete their own business plans.
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What can parents do to help in this subject at this stage?
Encourage your son to watch business-related programmes on television and to read the business section of the quality press. It is also important that your son keeps up to date with all homework/class work, and if absent, catches up on any missed work.
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Setting and course schedule:
Students' sets may change following half-term tests and examinations during Year 10. There will be no change of sets in Year 11.
The course schedule
Term 1 Business culture, enterprise and ownership, roles within an organisation.
Term 2 Motivation at work, business communication, human resources management, trade unions, employment law and market research.
Term 3 Pricing, promotion, branding, international marketing, competition, ethics, pressure groups, impact of technology.
Term 4 Finance, sources of finance, break-even analysis, balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and ratio analysis, production, job, batch, flow, lean production, quality and total quality management.
Term 5 New technology in manufacturing, business growth, the economy and business, society and business, the European Union, business planning.
Term 6 Examination preparation.
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Final examination:
Course Details: Business Studies, AQA Syllabus 3133B
Assessment
Paper 1 Structured questions based on a case study of a business situation - 37.5% of the total mark
Paper 3 Structured questions set on two or more business case studies - 37.5% of the total mark
Paper 2 A case study problem-solving paper requiring a written report based on a study of evidence - 25% of the total mark.
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Tests:
Each half-term, the students will be tested. The subject matter tested will be cumulative, thus giving the students considerable practice in examination techniques. The examinations will be in the format of case studies, which is the format of the GCSE examination.
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Revision:
Students will be prepared for each half-term test, reminding them of previous areas covered in the course. The syllabus will have been covered by the end of February of Year 11. All lessons following that date will be spent, practising examination technique and revising more challenging areas of the Business Studies syllabus. In addition, weekly revision clinics are held between March and May of Year 11 for those students requiring additional support.
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Pupil Target Setting:
Students will review their performance in each of the tests and will identify action points to improve their performance; this will then be monitored in subsequent tests.
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Upper band grade descriptor:
To gain the highest grade in Business Studies the student is required to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the specified subject content
- Apply knowledge and understanding using appropriate terms, concepts, theories and methods effectively to address problems and issues
- Select, organise, interpret and use information from various sources to analyse problems and issues
- Evaluate evidence, make reasoned judgements and present conclusions accurately and appropriately.
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Progression Beyond GCSE:
This course is an important, but not essential, foundation for the study of Business Studies or Economics at A-Level.
Recommendations to take A Level Business Studies are based on assessment in examinations and half-term tests, together with two evaluative pieces of work set in Year 11.
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