Business

Head of Department - Miss S McDonagh

Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact in Business

Intent

Introduction to subject

The business courses offered are: Pearson Edexcel GCSE Business (2017), Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Business and AQA A-level business.  These business courses introduce students to all they need to know about working in business, providing a solid foundation for further study.  With a focus on helping them to become good decision makers, they will learn essential managerial skills, alongside techniques to help them become analytical problem solvers.  These skills are all highly sought after and valued in a wide range of careers.

Why is the study of Business important?

Studying business allows the student to:

• Communicate and explain their ideas
• Think creatively and make decisions
• Work with numbers to solve business problems
• Learn about the world of business through real and relevant local and international brands

Business Studies offers a wide range of opportunities.  The subject allows students to follow many careers in business or in other industries and supports further study of the subject, and other social sciences, at University.  Students can also expect to gain many valuable transferable skills which can be put to use in everyday life.

How does the study of Business develop your skills, knowledge and understanding?

Students will develop a broad understanding of the range of activities businesses undertake to compete and be successful in the local, national and global economy.  In addition, students will learn to analyse various business scenarios, identify the key issues facing different business and make recommendations as to what approach the business should take to achieve its objectives.  Students will build a skill set to respond to challenges and current developments in business and society, giving them the ability to make informed managerial decisions that consider ethical, economic and social implications.

Skills

• Interpret diagrams, business accounts, breakeven graph, stock control bar graphs.
• Calculate cashflow, budgets, profits and margins for a business.
• Make links between functional areas of business and how they interact.
• Apply numerical skills in a range of business context.
• Negotiation skills and the ability to communicate with confidence.

Knowledge

• Be aware of the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities faced by firms and individuals.
• Acquire a range of relevant business and generic skills, including decision making, problem solving, and challenging of assumptions.

Understanding

• Develop a critical understanding of organisations and their ability to meet society’s needs and wants.
• Understand that business behaviour can be studied from a range of perspectives.
• Generate enterprising and creative approaches to business opportunities, problems and issues.

How are students assessed in Business?

Assessment Objectives for GCSE

AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business concepts and issues.

AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding of business concepts and issues to a variety of contexts.

AO3: Analyse and evaluate business information and issues to demonstrate understanding of business activity, make judgements and draw conclusions.

Assessment for BTEC

Assessment is specifically designed to fit the purpose and objective of the qualification.  It includes a range of assessment types and styles suited to vocational qualifications in the sector.  The main form of assessment is: external and internal.

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business and personal finance principles, concepts, key terms, functions and theories.

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of financial issues and accounting processes to real-life business and personal scenarios.

AO3 Analyse business and personal financial information and data, demonstrating the ability to interpret the potential impact and outcome in context.

AO4 Evaluate how financial information and data can be used, and interrelate, in order to justify conclusions related to business and personal finance.

Assessment for A-level

The exams will measure how well students have achieved the following assessment objectives.

AO1: Demonstrate knowledge of terms, concepts, theories, methods and models to show an understanding of how individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to business issues.

AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding to various business contexts to show how individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to issues.

AO3: Analyse issues within business, showing an understanding of the impact on individuals and organisations of external and internal influences.

AO4: Evaluate quantitative and qualitative information to make informed judgements and propose evidence-based solutions to business issues.

How does Business support learning in other areas of the curriculum?

Business links into many subjects across the curriculum.  Across all three courses there is a large focus on accountancy and quantitative skills, looking at cashflow and breakeven, this allows students to improve their skills in Maths.  There is a strong link with geography when the students look at business impact on the environment.  In addition, marketing and marketing campaigns have strong links with media.  Our students will learn methods of thinking and research that are widely applicable to other subject areas helping their thinking in all subjects.

How can students extend and deepen their knowledge in Business?

Students are expected to immerse themselves in a business-like mindset and to pay attention to the world around them.  They should watch the news regularly and be aware of what is happening in the economy and how the issues could impact business.  Watching documentaries, asking questions about how products are made and businesses are run.  Students are encouraged to participate in virtual workshops from tutor2u on business topic and assessment preparation.

How does Business link to the world of work?

Business plays a vital role in society today.  Studying business can also provide students with a variety of useful skills that they can apply to a wide range of roles.  The subject can provide invaluable insight into many different issues such as tax, interest rates, business types, marketing, HR and production.  All industries reply on business at some level, whether that is concerning pricing strategies or innovation of new products.  Studying business allows the student to access a wide range of careers across many industries such as manufacturing, HR, banking and marketing.  Students also develop the understanding of how human resource departments are run, which gives them an advantage in the world of work.  Areas of the course will allow students to be aware of legislation that could impact them in the workforce and ways to control their finances in their daily lives, as well as in a possible business setting.

How does Business link to the three strands of our core values?

St Martin’s Mission Statement

To inspire and empower all our students to realise their full potential and Be The Best They Can Be.  This is something that we uphold in the business department, we do this by intriguing the core values into our lessons and department.

Traditional Values

In business we understand the importance of our students’ personal development and wellbeing as well as striving for outstanding academic achievement.  Using THRIVE we value the importance of empathy among the students especially when dealing with their teachers and peers.  This is important when learning about key concepts and skills in business especially linking with the functional areas of business, ie HR for example.  This is also key when debating topics around moral and ethical business issues and understanding the need for open mindedness to understand other people’s views.  Students are held to a high standard for appearance and behaviour in line with school policy.

Learning for the Future

The world of business is dynamic and ever changing, the courses we offer in the business department, help prepare students for this changing world.  Students are encouraged to kept up with world events, not only for context and application but to allow them to access the whole range of viewpoints and opinions.  Studying business can also provide students with a variety of useful skills that they can apply to a wide range of roles.  The subject can provide invaluable insight into many different issues such as tax, interest rates, business types, marketing, HR and production.

Outstanding Personal Achievement

Business Studies offers a wide range of opportunities.  The subject allows students to follow many careers in business or in other industries and supports further study in business, and other social sciences, at University.  Students can also expect to gain many valuable transferable skills which can be put to use in everyday life.

Implementation

Shared learning intentions:

• Curriculum is planned for business to allow students to make valuable connections between the units and topics.
• Providing the “Big Picture” so that students know where they are going.
• Curriculum and subject specifications are shared with students.
• Students are given a personal checklist at the start of the year.
• All students have a learning journey map.
• Knowledge booklets are used at the end of topics.

Retrieval practice methods:

• Starter activities – focusing on retrieval from one, two, three weeks ago – designed as quizzes, summarising what was learnt last week, explaining what the main points of the topic were.
• Encouraging students to see lessons as sequences and not stand alone.
• Encouraging use of exercise books as a valuable resource – looking back on previous work.
• Strategies are used during lessons which allow students to scaffold their knowledge by developing links to prior knowledge and use of learning intentions and retrieval practice.

Feedback loop:

• Students are given time to reflect on all assessments but particularly after their PPE.  Having students set their own personal targets not only challenges students but also encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning journey.
• Students are regularly given feedback on their work, both orally and via detailed marking, EBI and WWW.  Students are given the time to reflect on the feedback.  We also use assessment reflection for students before and after assessments, which has allowed students to reflect on their learning and progress.  These reflection sheets have allowed for two-way dialogue.
• In business we use questioning that will open conversation, identify misunderstanding and inspire students to think independently and promote interaction among their peers.

Personal development:

• Students are encouraged to develop THRIVE skills by using those terms regularly and linking into both business as a subject and the real-life business environment.
• Students are challenged, GCSE students understand the strategies to answer A-level exam questions as they are given the foundation to build these skills as they progress.

Cultural capital in Business:

• Use of IT – Tutor2u, Seneca, BBC bitesize
• Learning about the world of business through real and relevant local and international brands
• Discuss ethical dilemmas and responsibilities faced by firms and individuals
• Sixth form students help out in business lessons – positive role models for business
• Use of mentors from year 13 for year 12 business students.
• Outside speakers coming in to talk about the relevance of Business in the world of work
• Developing employability skills such as knowledge of the recruitment process and HR department
• Post covid – organise business trips, Harry Potter world, Chelsea football club, Bank of England

Impact

• Business plays a vital role in society today.  Studying business in St Martin’s School can also provide students with a variety of useful skills that they can apply to a wide range of roles.
• The subject can provide invaluable insight into many different areas such as tax, interest rates, business types, marketing, HR and production.
• All industries reply on business at some level, whether that is concerning pricing strategies or innovation of new products.
• Studying business allows the student to access a wide range of careers across many industries such as manufacturing, HR, banking and marketing.
• Students also develop the understanding of how human resource departments are run, which gives them an advantage in the world of work.
• Areas of the course will allow students to be aware of legislation that could impact them in the workforce and ways to control their finances in their daily lives, as well as in a possible business setting.
• Enjoyment of the subject that continues into their life.
• Many student’s have taken business from GCSE level and continued to A-level, this shows the impact choosing the subject at GCSE has on the student.
• Business is a popular subject; students know that they will be provided with high levels of teaching.  Many students whose siblings have studied business also choose to do so.
• Many students have continued to study business at university and now work in the finance and business industries.