Business at Rugby High School

Business Department Vision Statement

The aim of the Business department is to generate an entrepreneurial spirit in students that is substantiated with sound theoretical knowledge. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the four main functions within a business namely, Marketing, Finance, Operations and Human Resources. This breadth of knowledge provides students will all the basic understanding they need to start their own business in the future. 

GCSE

Examination Board: Edexcel. The specification can be found here: 

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/business-2017.html

Introduction to the subject at GCSE

The world in which we live is dominated by businesses, big and small. GCSE Business Studies is an exciting and interesting subject, which can help you to understand the world in which we live. Businesses are dynamic organisations, which reflect the values of society and the people working within them. As a result, the GCSE course is a flexible subject that may be combined with a wide range of subjects both at GCSE and AS/A level.

The course is structured to follow the development of a business from pre-trading all the way through successful start up and future expansion, providing students with an insight into the inner workings of a varying size and type of business.  Students will often present material and have the opportunity to compete in business challenges locally and nationally. We will critically analyse the latest business case scenarios to dissect reasons for failure and success to build a desire in students to keep track of business news.

Why choose this subject for GCSE?

You might have an interest in business, and want to start your own business one day. You may have an enquiring mind and be interested in learning about the world around you, how businesses are set up, and what it is that makes someone a great entrepreneur. This course will help you to understand all this and more.

Business Studies will help you to develop a number of different skills in a variety of key areas as the course progresses.

Course content

Through the two year course, you will develop skills in:

• Presenting
• Analysing data
• Drawing conclusions
• Presenting arguments
• Solving real life problems
• Evaluation

The syllabus is based on the journey of the entrepreneur from the stages of the first idea through to bringing their business to market and competing in a globalised business world.

Teaching comprises of many different activities including games, discussion, debate, research, presentations and group work. Extended writing will be required throughout the 2-year GCSE course. Maths skills will also be required and this makes up 10% of the course.

Year 10

Year 10 focuses on starting a small business through the lens of an entrepreneur. How and why do business ideas come about? What makes a successful business? You’ll learn how to develop an idea, spot an opportunity and turn it into a successful business. You will understand how to make a business effective, manage money and see how the world around us affects small businesses and all the people involved.

Year 10 Topics:

• What is Enterprise
• Market research and understanding the competition
• Business aims and objectives
• Costs, Revenues and Profits
• Deciding on the right quantity to produce
• How to manage cash 
• How businesses obtain finance
• Introduction to Marketing - deciding on Price, Place, Promotion and Product
• Business plans
• How society is affected by business
• Consumer rights
• Impact of technology change, laws, the economy

Year 11

The Year 11 course is focused on growing an existing business in the modern world. We start by investigating business growth and the benefits and problems that can create for the business. You’ll learn about the different areas of the business as the business expands, learning more about marketing, operational, financial and human resourcing decisions a larger business makes, whilst considering how they all interact to help a large business to achieve ever changing aims and objectives.

Year 11 Topics:

• Methods and impact of business growth
• How aims and objectives change
• Impact of globalisation
• International trade
• Business Ethics
• Marketing decisions
• Quality management 
• Working with suppliers
• The Sales process
• Business calculations - profit margins etc
• Interpreting quantitative business data - financial, marketing, operational
• Human resources - organisational structures, recruitment, training and development, motivation  

Method of Assessment

There is no coursework for the Edexcel GCSE syllabus, all assessment is exam based, with the papers sat at the end of Year 11.

There are 2 exam papers, Paper 1 assesses the knowledge from Year 10 and Paper 2 assessing the knowledge of Year 11. Both papers of 1 hour and 45 minutes with 90 marks available for 50% of the total GCSE. Both include multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions. Whilst Section A covers a variety of different theory based questions, Sections B and C are data response questions with the case studies based on real life, relevant business contexts and examples.

Plenty of exam preparation is offered throughout the course, with extensive assessment for learning activities completed in lessons alongside the curriculum content.