Social Science - Business Course
Staff |
Ms J Visser | - Head of Business and Tutor for Law |
Business Department Statement
Applied Business courses are not for the faint hearted! An energetic response to problems, a desire to investigate and discuss issues and to produce work that shows business understanding are essential. All courses are based firmly in the real world of business that students encounter in their every day lives. While textbooks can answer some questions, and provide background information, our aim is that students look critically at the business environment around them, beginning to identify their own entrepreneurial strengths. Students who are successful in Business use all their talents, in literacy, numeracy, problem solving and research.
Essential Business Skills
- Research is at the heart of everything we do: you will obtain and select information from a range of sources to investigate business issues. You will analyse and evaluate your findings, to reach reasoned judgments about the activities of the business.
- Business-like presentation: select and use a form and style of writing appropriate to purpose, organising relevant information clearly and coherently, using business vocabulary and terminology.
- Proof-reading ensures that text is legible, and that spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate, so that meaning is clear.
Curriculum overview
At both GCSE and A level, we look in increasing detail at all aspects of business. This includes ownership and the aims and objectives set for the business; the influence of different stakeholder groups; how different businesses are organized and the importance of good communications, marketing and enterprise. We also consider customer service and consumer legislation; employment rights and responsibilities; disputes, grievance and health and safety issues. Finally we learn to use some of the tools used in financial planning and monitoring, and consider the impact of the external environment on a business’ chances of success.
GSCE
Edexcel GCSE Applied Business
At GCSE we study local businesses, focusing on Paignton Zoo and Recycle Together Ltd. The internet is a major source of information, but students should be aware of the changing business environment through newspapers, television and discussion, both at home and in school.
Unit 1: Investigating How Businesses Work
You will ask how businesses meet their aims, how they communicate, how they are organised and what things influence them. You will look at two different businesses in detail. What role do people play in the success of a business, what rights do they have, what responsibilities, and why are people important? This unit involves investigating how a business treats people – those who work for them and those who buy from them. It will mean researching customers and employees of both Paignton Zoo and Recycle Together Ltd. You will focus particularly on ‘ethical’ and ‘green’ business issues. The unit requires thorough research using personal contacts, the internet, video and various other media. This is a coursework unit, graded through a portfolio, put together under controlled conditions at intervals during Year 10; it is worth 60% of the final GCSE grade.
Unit 2 Financial Records
This unit focuses on how businesses record financial transactions, make payments and keep records of how well they are doing. You will learn about balance sheets and profit and loss accounts and how to use these to understand business performance in a practical context. It is worth 40% of your final GCSE grading.
ADVANCED BUSINESS
AQA APPLIED GCE BUSINESS (Advanced Level)
AS students ‘investigate’ -
Unit 1 coursework – Autumn Term: the workings of supermarkets, focusing on one business to produce reports on the Marketing, Enterprise and Team work involved in their success, as well as the external factors that can cause them problems.
Unit 2 coursework – Spring Term: Tone Leisure (Quayside) provides the basis of an intensive recruitment campaign project, teams setting up and participating fully in the processes involved in recruiting staff including social and ethical issues, ultimately evaluating their own videoed performance.
Unit 3 examined – Summer Term: introduces financial tools available to managers when planning or developing a business idea, and students are presented with a case study on which their business understanding, particularly financial, will be examined, providing the final third of AS marks.
A2 students make ‘business proposals’. Students will draw on all their skills and strengths: problem solving, logic, group work, creativity and ICT. Work begins in June, immediately after summer exams.
Unit 8 coursework - a synoptic unit which draws on all the AS work to create a proposal for your own small business idea, including operations, marketing and financial plans. This unit highlights the processes, attractions and risks of setting up an enterprise and is on-going through the first terms of Y13.
Unit 15 examined - you will learn about the procedures and structures that govern financial management, including tracking financial documents, trial balance, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and ratio analysis; this is examined in January.
Unit 10 coursework - you will put together a proposal for a new marketing campaign for a product or business of your choice; this is your last coursework unit, providing a creative counterpoint to the structured discipline of finance.