Departments
Business Studies
Personnel
Mrs N.Harvey – (Head of Department)
Mr N.Kerr
Mrs L.Murphy
Miss R.Kennedy
Mr A.McConnell
Mr D.Hamill
Miss C.Devlin
Introduction
The Business Studies Department is committed to providing pupils with exciting and up to date business knowledge and experience. Within our department we are a very close, hard-working team who work closely with our students to ensure that they achieve their best possible outcomes.
We strive to provide students with a better understanding of business through active participation in the business environment and give students an insight into how and why businesses operate.
Students develop a greater awareness of the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities that organisations and individuals face as they conduct their business. They also have the opportunity to develop valuable transferable skills that will help them to access further education courses or become a valued employee.
Students learn and develop valuable skills such as team work, communication, using their initiative, and evaluation skills. Students take part in enterprise activities, industrial visits, trips abroad and throughout their time studying business studies they listen and ask questions to guest speakers.
We offer students in Key Stage 4 and 5 a variety of topics which provides them with the opportunity to develop their personal skills and abilities.
Key Stage 4 (Years 11 & 12)
CCEA Business and Communication
This course provides students with an in-depth examination of Business concepts and theory. It is an excellent foundation for anyone wishing to pursue a career in a Business-related field.
This course combines business and digital technology and provides a strong foundation for anyone wishing to pursue a career in either of these fields.
Unit One: Software Applications for Business | External computer based exam 2 hours Students complete tasks using a range of software applications | 40% |
Unit two: The Business Environment | External written exam | 35% |
Unit Three: Developing Digital Solutions | Controlled Assessment Students project manage and develop a digital solution for a given problem within a business context. | 25% |
CCEA Business Studies
Unit One: Starting a Business | External Written Examination 1 hours 30mins Short Structured questions and extended writing | 40% |
Unit two: Developing a Business | External Written Examination 1 hours 30mins Short Structured questions and extended writing | 40% |
Unit Three: Planning a Business (Synoptic) | Controlled Assessment Students complete the following: Booklet A: Planning Booklet B:Communicate Findings | 20% |
Key Stage 5 (Years 13 & 14)
OCR Cambridge Technicals Level 3 Extended Certificate
Cambridge Technicals offers students the opportunity to explore the world of business. Students study five units over the two years, two of which are mandatory. Created in collaboration with leading businesses, the qualifications explore all aspects of the business world including practical activities – ideal for a wide range of learning styles. The qualification is made up of two exam units (Unit 1 and Unit 2) and three coursework units, and therefore suit all learning styles. They include hands-on practical experience based upon real life scenarios. They cover all core business functions – planning, HR, production, marketing. Students studying this course will complete the following modules.
Unit 1 – The Business Environment
Unit 2 – Working in Business
Unit 4 – Customers and Communication
Unit 8 – Introduction to Human Resources
Unit 11 – Accounting Concepts
WJEC AS and A level Business
The specification offers a contemporary, holistic approach to the subject, encouraging learners to develop tools to apply to a wide range of business techniques and concepts across a wide range of business contexts. The structure of the content is broadly similar to the previous WJEC specification, incorporating new content in four distinctive units –
- Business Opportunities
- Business Functions
- Business Analysis and Strategy and
- Business in a Changing World.
The structure of the assessment also follows a progressive and holistic approach.
- AS Unit 1 uses short-answer questions and data response questions to assess the Business Opportunities content.
- AS Unit 2 uses data response questions to assess all AS content.
- A2 Unit 3 includes more complex data and extended answers to focus on the Business Analysis and Strategy content, but also drawing on and developing Business Opportunities and Functions content.
- A2 Unit 4 progresses the assessment to require learners to give extended answers based on a case study and one essay which draws together the content from all four units.