Business Studies

The Business department consists of a highly experienced, dedicated and successful group of teachers who are very enthusiastic about their subject. Their aim is to share their love for the subject and enable students to become successful entrepreneurs of the future.

The subject is very popular amongst students, as the combination of academic challenge and practical focus, along with obtaining lifelong skills and knowledge, makes the subject very real for them.

At Key Stage 4, we follow Edexcels GCSE in Business Studies. Students will study a range of topics over two years from Marketing to Human Resource Management and the course allows the students to link education and the world of work in engaging, relevant and practical ways. 

The assessment is in the form of two external examinations : 

Theme 1: Investigating small business (50%)

• Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
• Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
• Topic 1.4 Making the business effective
• Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business 

Theme 2: Building a business (50%)

• Topic 2.1 Growing the business
• Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions
• Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions
• Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions
• Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions

KS5

At Key Stage 5, we offer two pathways if you are interested in Business and Finance : 

• OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma Business specification
• LiBF - Financial Studies

OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma Business specification

This is a two year course and it is designed for students that want to gain a level 3 qualification, so that they can go on to study a business related programme at higher education.

The course will give students an understanding of the wider external contexts in which businesses operate and of internal business functions and their independencies.  This will allow them to appreciate how legal, financial, ethical and resource constraints can affect business behaviour, as well as understanding the influence that stakeholders can have and how businesses must respond.

The assessment is in the form of two examinations and three pieces of coursework.  The course, just like the real business world, places a high value on the ability to research, analyse and evaluate information, in order to make considered decisions and the students are given plenty of opportunities to gain these vital skills.  The students also get to develop practical employability skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with both internal and external stakeholders and to manage their time effectively.

KS5 - Finance

This course can help you decide if a job in insurance or banking, or as a financial advisor is for you. It is recognised by universities and ‘worth’ the same number of UCAS points as standard A Levels. In addition, it may help you make better-informed choices about your own finances. If you want a career in Financial Services or just want to learn how to make confident decisions about your finances, then this is the course for you!

The course covers topics such as saving and borrowing products, different types of bank account, investment products, dealing with long term risk, financial planning, consumer protection and ethics & sustainability in financial services.

Year 1

• Unit 1: Financial capability for the immediate and short term (FCIS)
• Unit 2: Financial Capability for the Medium and Long Term (FCML)

Year 2

• Unit 3: Sustainability of an Individual’s Finances (SIF)
• Unit 4: Sustainability of the Financial Services System (SFS)

How can you support your child?

• Encourage your child to watch the news
• Read newspapers in print or online - especially the broadsheets
• Discuss your experiences of dealing with businesses as an employee and customer