Business Studies

Business studies is ideal for anyone wishing to pursue a career in industry or if you are hoping to set up a business of your own in the future.  If you are Interested in businesses, the decisions they make and the influences they have on stakeholders such as workers, consumers, government and ultimately the country then this subject is definitely for you.

This subject is right for you if you:

• Enjoy studying a subject that affects your everyday life
• Enjoy communicating and explaining your ideas, thinking creatively and making decisions and working with numbers to solve business problems
• Want to learn about the world of business through research and investigation, as well as through practical tasks
• Want to keep your options open since Business Studies can be combined with a wide range of Science, Social Science and Humanities subjects.

Half term 1 - Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

This unit introduces students to the world of business and entrepreneurship. It is intended to demonstrate the key skills and qualities found in entrepreneurs.

Half term 2 - Enterprise and Entrepreneurship/ Spotting a business opportunity

This unit builds on the introduction to entrepreneurship and the key skills required of entrepreneurs. Students then move on to applying this knowledge to the business world and being able to spot an opportunity to start a new business.

Half term 3 - Spotting a Business Opportunity / Putting a business idea into practice

Further application of the principles of identifying an opportunity for starting a new business and putting this into practice. Students are encouraged to develop and apply the skills that entrepreneurs use in real life.

Half term 4 - Putting a business idea into practice / Making the business effective

Consolidation of learning about how to put a business idea into practice and further refinement of this with how to make the business more effective. Students develop more critical thinking skills by refining their initial business ideas.

Half term 5 - Making the business effective

Further refinement and examination of techniques that businesses can use to be more efficient and successful. Students need to fully understand the tools businesses use to become more effective after starting up.

Half term 6 - Exam revision / technique of all topics

Interleaving of all topics to ensure that students have a strong understanding of entrepreneurship and are confident that they can spot and utilise business opportunities. They also study revision techniques in preparation for exams.

Half Term 1 - Making the business effective / Understanding external influences

Revisit the last theme from the previous year to ensure strong understanding. Consolidate this knowledge by examining how external factors can affect business decisions and efficiency.

Half Term 2 - Making the business effective / Understanding external influences

Consolidate knowledge in this area and ensure students are fully aware of the range of external influences on a business. Large area of the scheme of work that requires more curriculum time.

Half Term 3 - Growing the business / Making marketing decisions

This unit flows from the previous units and asks students to examine how their new business can grow and what part marketing can play in this. It is sequenced here to enhance students skills in how to build their new business to success.

Half Term 4 - Growing the business / Making marketing decisions

This continues on from the previous unit and ensures students have understood a range of techniques for growing a business and the role of marketing in supporting this.

Half Term 5 - Making operational decisions

Students have previously looked at how to make a business more effective, now they begin to consider more strategic decisions such as the operational side of a business.  This requires more critical thinking skills that the students will now have developed.

Half Term 6 - Revision / exam technique. Interleaving theme 1 and assessment of Theme 2

Interleaving revision to ensure that students have a thorough overview and understanding of the theme 2 topics studied but also those from theme 1. Students need to have an understanding of both due to the synoptic nature of the assessment.

Half Term 1 - Growing the business

This is augmenting the knowledge students have covered previously and gives a comprehensive overview of strategies that can be used to grow the business.

Half Term 2 - Making Marketing Decisions

This is the first strategic theme the students study. They have good underpinning business knowledge at this point and can now start making business decisions to benefit the business.

Half Term 3 - Making Operational Decisions

Students are now making strategic decisions for a business based on their previous knowledge of how to start and grow a business. They are now looking at making the business the most effective it can be.

Half Term 4 - Making Financial  Decisions

Students study financial decisions here because they now have good knowledge to make strategic financial decisions to make the business more effective.

Half Term 5 - Making HR Decisions / Revision Theme 2

This theme is tackled at the end as it is one of the key strategic components for business. Students must have the underpinning knowledge from previous years. Revision overall for this theme interleaving.

Half Term 6 - Exams