Business Studies

Business activity is encountered constantly throughout your daily routines – from eating your breakfast cereal to travelling to school; from purchasing your snacks at break to using stationery during lessons. Just think about how many businesses you have encountered during a typical day! This gives you an idea of the massive scope Business Studies represents.

BBusiness Studies is a highly popular subject at GSA both at KS4 and KS5. The Business Studies department at GSA operates an inclusive recruitment policy for students at KS4 and Post 16. Students are offered a GCSE at KS4. At Post 16 students are offered the choice between A-Level Business and the advised onto the BTEC Extended Certificate in Business.

The department has strengthened over the last few years and is now consistently producing good and outstanding outcomes for students at both KS4 and Post 16. It is an exciting time for the business department, with a newly developed learning area for KS5 students to develop their business interest further.

Study Support

Throughout the year, the Business staff offer a variety of opportunities that allow all students to engage actively in the subject. This includes the chance to take part in trips that delve deeper beyond the curriculum and help them gain an insight into the world of business. The George Salter Business department also provide additional study and revision sessions as well as useful tips to help them prepare for the external exams students will sit.

Trips

Educational visits are an integral part of any Business Studies course. They allow students to gain a real life experience of the concepts studied in the classroom. At GSA we endeavour to provide students with varied opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the broad range of topics explored. The purpose of these visits enables students to fully develop their application, analysis and evaluative skills: essential in all elements of written work and examination answers to achieve success at a high level.

Contact

Mrs R Odedra:  [email protected]

Business Studies is a popular option at KS4 within the Academy with an increasing number of students choosing to study the subject. The courses on offer are ideal for students who may like to start their own business, are intrigued about how businesses operate and enjoy researching how and why businesses start; where some succeed and others fail. In lessons students will benefit from team working, problems solving, decision making, presenting ideas and showing a flair for being business minded.

GCSE Pathway
Year 10
  • Unit 1 Business in the Real World
  • Unit 2 Influences on Businesses
  • Unit 3 Operations Management
  • Unit 4 Human Resources
  • End of Y10 exam preparation, revision & exam practice questions
Year 11
  • Year 10 Recap & Catch-up
  • Unit 5 Marketing
  • Unit 6 Finance
  • GCSE Mock Paper 1 & Paper 2
  • External Exam Revision – All Topics
Assessment

Paper 1: Influences of Operations and HRM on Business Activity; written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 50% of a GCSE grade

Paper 2: Influences of Marketing and Finance on Business Activity; written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 50% of a GCSE grade

At KS5, the Department offers an A-Level Business, following the AQA specification, and BTEC Business following the Pearson specification