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St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School

St Thomas More
Catholic Secondary School

Details below on the GCSE and A Level Business studies offered.

Year 10 

Curriculum Intention:

The curriculum intention in year 10 is to introduce small business and an understanding of how they operate to make them successful.

Theme 1: Investigating small business

Theme 1 concentrates on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business. In this theme, students will be introduced to local and national business contexts and will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions. Local contexts refer specifically to small businesses or those operating in a single UK location and national contexts relate to businesses operating in more than one location or across the UK.

Paper 1 is worth 50% of the final grade and is on theme 1.

 

Curriculum Implementation:

Autumn

Spring

Summer

1.1: Enterprise and entrepreneurship

1.2: Spotting a business opportunity

1.4: Making the business effective

 

 

Enterprise Day

Recapping Theme 1

 

Half term

Half term

Half term

1.3: Putting a business idea into practice

1.5: Understanding external influences on business

Business Trip

Introduction of Theme 2

Christmas Holidays

Easter Holidays

Summer Holidays

 

Outcomes:

Students moving from 4 to 5 and above for grades

Ability to relate theory to context

Confidence in Theme 1

Opening to business success in the future

 

 

Employability skills:

Through studying this qualification students will:

● apply knowledge and understanding to different business contexts. These include businesses ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals and businesses operating in local, national and global contexts

● develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour

● use business terminology to identify and explain business activity

● apply business concepts to familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

Students will also create CVs ready for employment and look at customer service as a topic

Year 11 

Curriculum Intention:

The curriculum intention in year 11 is to develop an understanding of how small businesses then grow into larger businesses (Multinational companies) and the need to make strategic actions in relation to human resources, finance and operations.

Theme 2: Building a business

Theme 2 examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. It focusses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. Theme 2 also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows. In this theme, students will be introduced to national and global business contexts and will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions. National contexts build on those in Theme 1 and relate to businesses operating in more than one location or across the UK. Global contexts relate to non-UK or transnational businesses. Students must develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business activity through interactions between business operations, finance, marketing and human resources, as well as the relationship between the business and the environment in which it operates. Students must understand how these functional areas influence business activity and how interdependencies and relationships between them underpin business decisions.

Theme 2 is 50% of the final grade and content for Paper 2.

Theme 2 comprises five topic areas. ● Topic 2.1 Growing the business – students are introduced to methods of growth and how and why business aims and objectives change as businesses evolve. The impact of globalisation and the ethical and environmental questions facing businesses are explored. ● Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions – students will explore how each element of the marketing mix is managed and used to inform and make business decisions in a competitive marketplace. ● Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions – this topic focuses on meeting customer needs through the design, supply, quality and sales decisions a business makes. ● Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions – students will explore the tools a business has to support financial decision making, including ratio analysis and the use and limitation of a range of financial information. ● Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions – growing a business means that decisions relating to organisational structure, recruitment, training and motivation need to be made to influence business activity. These aspects are considered in this final topic.

Curriculum Implementation:

Autumn

Spring

Summer

2.1 Growing the business

2.2 Making marketing decisions

2.5 Making human resource decisions

Revision of Theme 1 and 2

Half term

Half term

Half term

 2.3 Making operational decisions

2.4: Making financial decisions

Revision of Theme 1 and 2

Study Leave

Christmas Holidays

Easter Holidays

Summer Holidays

 

Outcomes:

End of unit tests

Assessment folders

Ability to relate theory with context

Confidence in Theme 1 and 2

Confidence in answering 9 and 12 mark questions

Employability skills:

Through studying this qualification students will:

● apply knowledge and understanding to different business contexts. These include businesses ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals and businesses operating in local, national and global contexts

● develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour

● use business terminology to identify and explain business activity

● apply business concepts to familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

Students will also create CVs ready for employment and look at customer service as a topic.

Year 12 

Curriculum Intention:

The SOW has been put together as Theme 1 and 2 offers recap of GCSE content but goes deeper

Exam skills and command words are embedded from the start through homework’s and assessments

Theme 2 must be taught before Theme 3 as prior knowledge is essential

Refresher content also allows for building of skills with prior knowledge

 

Curriculum Implementation:

 

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Theme 1.1: Meeting Customer Needs

Theme 1.2: The Market

Theme 2.1: Raising Finance

Theme 1.4: Managing People

Theme 2.3: Managing Finance

Theme 1.5: Entrepreneurs and Leaders

Theme 2.5: External Influences

Half term

Half term

Half term

Theme 1.3: Marketing Mix and Strategy

Theme 2.2: Financial Planning

Theme 2.4: Resource Management

Theme 1.5: Entrepreneurs and Leaders

Revision and start theme 3

Christmas Holidays

Easter Holidays

Summer Holidays

 

Outcomes:

Increase in overall analysis and evaluation marks

Homework and in class assessments- marks as well as grades

Employability skills:

Every aspect fits into industry skills.

Also develops wider skills such as commercial acumen, organisation, time management.

Year 13 

Curriculum Intention:

Themes in order and link back to prior content

These themes allow for synoptic and holistic nature of paper 3 where themes 1 and 2 have been taught already

Case study launch in December allows us to gear more tailored learning

Curriculum Implementation:

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Theme 3.1: Objectives and Strategy

Theme 3.2: Business Growth

Theme 3.3: Decision Making Techniques

Theme 3.6: Managing Change

Theme 4.1: Globalisation

Theme 4.2: Global Markets

Revision

Case study

Practice papers

Half term

Half term

Half term

Theme 3.3: Decision Making Techniques

Theme 3.4: Influences on Business Decisions

Theme 3.5: Assessing Competitiveness

Theme 4.3- Global Marketing

Theme 4.4- Global Industries

Exam Case Study work

Study Leave

Christmas Holidays

Easter Holidays

Summer Holidays

 

Outcomes:

Increase in overall analysis and evaluation marks

Homework and in class assessments- marks as well as grades

Holistic nature of exam answers

Use of application building

Employability skills:

Every aspect fits into industry skills.

Also develops wider skills such as commercial acumen, organisation, time management.