Business Studies

Overall Business Studies and Economics Intent

• Business Studies will give students the ability to look at current businesses in the world around them and understand their purpose and the reasons behind the strategies that they have chosen to follow.
• Students will be able to assess the impact the wider world is likely to have on businesses and look from different stakeholder perspectives at the impact that certain changes an organisation makes will have.
• Economics allows students to look from a theoretical perspective at the impact that changes in the market and government intervention are likely to have on the pricing and output decisions of individual businesses and also the trading decisions in certain countries. Students will look at how firms make decisions on a micro level, and then they will consider how government decisions impact on international trade and markets.

Key strengths of the curriculum and its sequencing

• Business Studies and Economics at GCSE and A Level follow the Edexcel specification. This is a national exam board which is highly respected and used by most other Business and Economics departments in the Red Kite Alliance. There is a broad spectrum of national resources available in the form of textbooks and revision guides.
• The curriculum is mapped so as to follow the order of the completion of the exams and is chunked according to specification points, providing students with a logical progression through the GCSE and A-level programme.
• Students are provided with independent learning resources that can be accessed through showbie and GCSE Pod to allow them to develop their own knowledge on their own and to address any gaps that they may have. This enables them to develop their knowledge over time in a way that is most effective for their individual needs. They also have current books available in the library and a subscription to Business and Economics magazines.
• Students have the opportunity to develop their knowledge through articles provided in the super curriculum and the ability to participate in competitions i.e. The IEA essay competition. They also have the opportunity to be involved in Economics conferences, such as those hosted by the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Significant changes to the curriculum

• Changes of the unit 3 BTEC personal and business finance exam from June to January - starting January 2024.
• The scheme of learning outlines all the key vocabulary that is needed to become successful learners in throughout all year groups and opportunities have been built in to recap key vocab terms and develop them.
• The curriculum has been adapted to allow opportunities to network with external speakers and former students, and lessons have to been planned to celebrate diversity and recognise sustainability.

Key strengths of the subject area

• Experienced teachers with long term experience teaching key stage 4 and 5 Business and Economics following the Edexcel specification.
• Some teachers mark for the Economics and Business exam boards, both within the UK and internationally.
• One teacher is the CLC lead for Business and Economics within the Red Kite Alliance.
• Folders have been created in showbie for key stage 4 and 5 students so that they can all access independent lesson resources in their free time. All lesson resources made available via showbie for students to go back to and review or to see if they are absent so there are no gaps in learning.
• Regular feedback and model answers provided that students can respond to, so that they can actively control and see their progress. 
• Department to use updated online CPD resources relating to KS4 and KS5 Business and Economics published by Tutor2U
• Current reading materials signposted in the bulletin and available in the library. Students have the opportunity to read updated literature and regularly posted Business and Economics magazines.
• Organised to host the Institute for Economic Affairs conference in October 2022, this is confirmed for November 2023.
• All KS4 PP Business students and BTEC students receive free revision guide.  All students have the opportunity to purchase this.  BTEC students have the opportunity to buy unit 3 flashcards and calculation practice books.
• Teachers are part of the EBEA (Economics, Business and Enterprise Association) which provides updated help and guidance in the delivery of Business and Economics related qualifications.

Curriculum overviews

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