Business

Overview

Business looks to introduce students to the theory that underpins the way in which businesses work and builds student’s knowledge in key areas such as understanding markets, people within a business, how business finance works, strategic decision-making and the impact of the global markets on business. Business is studied at A-Level only in the Sixth Form.

Years 12 and 13

Students study the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Business (9BS0) specification.

Split into four themes, Year 12 students study Themes 1 and 2. Theme 1 includes marketing, price determination and management of people including the role of entrepreneurs. Theme 2 looks at business finance such as cash flows and breaking even, as well as managing resources such as stock.

Year 13 students study Themes 3 and 4. Theme 3 looks at business objectives, how investment decisions are made and how we assess competitiveness. Theme 4 looks at global business, including the impact of globalisation and multinational companies. Businesses and markets are looked at from a local, national and international perspective. The key skills of knowledge, analysis, application and evaluation form the basis of assessment and there is an element of quantitative knowledge that supports the qualitative knowledge gained by students. One of the three final exams focusses on a particular market, released prior to the exam, and gives the students chance to look in more detail at how businesses function within this selected market.