Subject Head: Peter Imeson
Contact: pimeson@farmors.gloucs.sch.uk
kbrathwaite@farmors.gloucs.sch.uk
Note that Business is not studied at KS3.
Qualification: GCSE
Specification: Edexcel GCSE Business ‘Developing Enterprising Minds’
GCSE Business is an option choice for students and as such is studied for four periods each week. The specification is structured into two themes, taking students from how entrepreneurs start businesses (Theme 1) through to growing and global businesses (Theme 2). Theme 1 concentrates on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. Theme 2 examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. It focuses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with an emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
What should students expect to be doing during the course?
Learning business involves studying new concepts and applying these to real business situations. Students will be introduced to real businesses in a variety of ways including reading and watching case studies, carrying out project work which involves researching businesses and through having talks from guest speakers.
The course is assessed with two equally weighted exam papers both of which are sat at the end of Year 11 and will consist of calculations, multiple–choice, short–answer and extended–writing questions.
Students who study business often go on to take A-levels in Business and/or Economics. The skills and knowledge learnt during the course will equip students to be successful in other fields such as vocational business courses or apprenticeships.