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Business Studies

Subjects/Qualifications Offered

GCSE (9-1) Business Studies
GCSE Business Studies (Legacy specification: Current Year 11 only)

Pupils have the opportunity to study business at KS4 (years 10 and 11). GCSE Business Studies examines all
major areas of business activity and provides students with skills and knowledge that will assist them in their future careers. GCSE Business Studies also provides a launch pad for further study in Business, Economics, Commerce and Accounts. Topics covered include enterprise, business structures, marketing, human resources, finance, accounts and production. Some Business Studies lessons are taught in computer suites and students have the chance to develop their ICT, data analysis, research, presentational and entrepreneurial skills.

We have links with Birmingham City Football Club, Coca Cola, The Premier League, Cadbury, Rolls Royce and Mughal-e-Azam. Our students have participated in numerous regional enterprise competitions and a national investment competition with notable success. In 2017 and 2016 we were West Midlands “Coca Cola Real Business Challenge” winners and were runners up in 2015. As part of the 2016 competition, eight of our Year 10 pupils reached the grand final of this competition which was held in the Houses of Parliament, London. Other successes include first prize for one of our Year 11 pupils in the South Birmingham College Dragons Den competition, an event in which four more of our pupils also made the final.

Current Programme of Study

The reformed 9-1 GCSE has the following programme of study:

Year 10- Investigating small business.
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.

Year 11- Building a business.
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

The legacy GCSE (A*-G) has the following programme of study:

Unit 1 Introduction to Small Business.
Unit 2 Investigating Small Business.
Unit 3 Building a Business.

How will they be assessed?

Edexcel 9-1 GCSE

Year 10: End of topic tests (mid-year progress checks) and a mock examination in June
Year 11: End of topic tests (mid-year progress checks) and two formal Summer examinations (50% per paper)

Paper 1: Investigating small business. 1hr 30 mins (90 marks). 50% of overall grade.
Paper 2: Building a business. 1hr 30 mins (90 marks). 50% of overall grade.

Legacy A*-G GCSE (Current Year 11 only)

Unit 1: Introduction to Small Business. 45 mins (40 marks). 25% of overall grade.

Unit 2 Investigating Small Business. Controlled Assessment task, completed and marked internally (40 marks). 25% of overall grade.

Unit 3 Building a Business. 1hr 30mins (90 marks). 50% of overall grade.