Subjects

Examining Board
AQA

Course Introduction
“Entrepreneurs are not born, they’re made” - Peter Jones

“Set goals for yourself and put actionable steps in place to ensure that you achieve them. Whether you aim to get a promotion at work or set up your very own business, these ideas will only remain dreams until you play out how you are going to reach them...” - Kelly Hoppen

Business touches on every aspect of modern human society. Not only will this course enhance the skills students require for further study and in your personal life, it will prepare you for a career. 

It will give students an insight into the world of work, which they will all enter eventually. We will offer students the chance to see how businesses operate in the real world and how they can contribute towards their success. Additionally, you will explore the factors that could promote a successful business of their own. 

The combination of academic challenge and practical focus makes the prospect of studying this business course highly appealing and very popular with Year 9 students each year.

Assessments
2 written exams, 1 hour 45 minutes per exam

Progression
Students will leave this business course with a number of transferable skills, including understanding how an organisation operates, communication, decision-making, numeracy and presenting – just to name a few, making them a suitable candidate for any A Level course. 

Continuing to study business can lead students towards a wide number of exciting career paths including accounting and finance, marketing and advertising, as well as retail, sales, human resources and business consultancy.

Course Content

The course allows students to develop an understanding of business organisations and the internal and external factors that affect these. It provides them with knowledge in areas such as markets, customers, finance and competition. Students will learn to apply  their knowledge of business to different contexts ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals, and businesses operating in local, national and global markets. They will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour. 

The course consists of six units:

• Business in the real world
• Influences on business
• Business operations
• Human resources
• Marketing
• Finance

Students will have the chance to learn about and visit real companies as well as complete ‘The £10 Challenge’ where they are given £10 as a loan and they try to make as much profit as possible from that by coming up with a new business idea

Contact Name
Miss N Weston – Head of Business Studies and Economics

Contact Email

n.weston@wymcol.org

This course is designed to enable students to focus on the dynamic nature of the contemporary business world and to provide opportunities for research into topical business issues. Students will explore real business situations, be practical in the application of business concepts and understand the role of business and the entrepreneur in society.

Coursework/Examination Requirement

3 examinations.

The College expects students to have

Grade 5 or above in Mathematics and English.

Progression

This A Level provides ideal preparation for students seeking a career in business. Careers could for example be in human resource management, sales and marketing, public relations, advertising, retail management, accountancy, administration, event management or buying.

Course Content

Year 1: Introduction to the business environment and decision making in functional areas

• What is Business? - The nature of business and how the external envrionment can impact on business performance.
• Managers, Leaders and Decision Making - Decision making and its impact on stakeholders.
• Understanding markets and customers - The role of market research, segmenting the market and marketing mix.
• Decision making to improve operational performance - Improving efficiency and quality in production.
• Decision making to improve financial performance - Setting financial objectives and managing performance.
• Setting human resource objectives - Organising and motivating the workforce.

Year 2: Strategic decision making and managing strategic change

• Analysing the strategic position of a business - Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Choosing strategic direction - Choosing which markets to compete in and what products to offer.
• How to pursue strategies for change - Innovation, internationalisation, technological change.
• Managing strategic change - Barriers to change and the value of a flexible organisation.

Throughout these topics students will consider business theory with relation to small, medium and large businesses. Students will be expected to develop their understanding of the topics through the use of case studies and real business examples so they can apply their knowledge in a range of contexts. To this end, students will be expected to keep abreast with the business environment through reading the business press, related magazines and journals and watching relevant television documentaries.

Curriculum Learning Journey - Business 

Curriculum Overview Business.pdf