Business Studies

BUSINESS AT GREAT MARLOW SCHOOL

The Business Studies Department offers a range of courses at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, teaching students from Years 10 to 13.

Great Marlow offers:

• Key Stage 4:  OCR (J204) GCSE Business Studies
• Key Stage 5:  AQA A-level Business.

The department strongly believes in ensuring that lessons are linked to real organisations because a business course prepares students for careers in the business world. To facilitate this we have built good relationships with local companies. In addition, speakers, activities and visits, bring a business context to learning in the classroom. Through engaging with business people, organisations and contexts, students are encouraged to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a realistic way.

The department also organises a range of trips and visits to support the curriculum, these are enjoyable as well as educational.

Future choices

• Many students completing A-levels in the department have moved onto university choosing to study degree courses such as Business Management, Marketing, Event Management, Human Resources, Travel and Tourism, Business Finance, Accountancy and Leisure Management.
• A business qualification provides a broad educational basis for further and higher education or for moving into employment within the business sector.

BUSINESS KS4 & KS5

GCSE Business Studies: OCR (J204)

This is a linear course, which is studied in Year 10 and Year 11. It is assessed by two examinations, both of which are 1.5 hours long and worth 50% of the overall GCSE.

Paper 1: OCR J204/1. This paper focuses on key topics such as business activity, business ownership, aims and objectives, business growth, marketing and human resources.

Paper 2: OCR J204/2. This paper focuses on key topics such as finance, production, operations, and how the external environment of a business will impact on its day to day decisions and operations.

In addition to the course, students are given the opportunity to take part in a range of business enterprise activities, which will give them a chance to explore the practical side of business and equip them with key skills such as working in a team, being able to present a product advantageously, and being able to sell items in a market hall environment.

A-level Business: AQA

This is a two year course which will lead to a full A-level. The course is designed to engage students through business topics and issues that are relevant in today’s society, through key contemporary developments such as digital technology, business ethics and globalisation topics.

This course encourages students to:

• develop an enthusiasm for studying business
• gain holistic understanding of business in a range of contexts
• develop a critical understanding of organisations and their ability to meet society’s needs and wants
• understand that business behaviour can be studied from a range of perspectives
• generate enterprising and creative approaches to business opportunities, problems and issues
• be aware of the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities faced by organisations and individuals
• acquire a range of relevant business and generic skills, including decision making, problem solving, the challenging of assumptions and critical analysis
• apply numerical skills in a range of business contexts

Subject Content

Over the two years students will study the following areas:

Assessment

There are a total of three exams that all take place in the summer two years after the course commences. The question papers use a variety of assessment styles including multiple choice, short answer, data response, essay and case studies. Students are required to work in more than one field, the course is taught to ensure students are given the tools to feel confident when answering the questions. Real life case studies are used wherever possible to make it easier for students to relate to, and apply, their knowledge and skills developed throughout the course.