Business

The decline in living standards following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, national austerity, the economic and political rise of China, and the tensions and inequalities unleashed by the forces of globalisation have placed democracy and capitalism under increasing critical scrutiny in the first part of the 21st century. In order for democratic capitalist societies to be able to survive and thrive in the future, citizens must be able to make wise, informed decisions as consumers, producers and electors. In the interests of global social justice, it is also important that such decisions are made not purely from a self-centred perspective. Therefore, as well as equipping students with the skills and understanding to enter the workforce seamlessly, GCSE Business and A Level Economics courses at St Augustine’s develop students to become economically- and socially-informed citizens who understand the implications of economic decisions and can participate responsibly in democratic-capitalist society.

The GCSE and A Level courses encourage critical thinking, frequently considering the unintended consequences of decisions made by consumers, businesses and the state. They also encourage scepticism about the agendas and intentions of information-providers (whether they be pressure groups, think-tanks, [inter-]governmental agencies, political parties, advertisers, legacy-media or new media) and a critical approach to data. Adopting an equally critical approach to all economic systems, we encourage students to apply their own values when evaluating their relative merits, and we help students to understand the potential power of their own consumption decisions. By challenging the stereotype that Business and Economics-based subjects are narrowly devoted to promoting unrestrained capitalism, we encourage students to become responsible citizens who are prepared to challenge and confront conventional wisdom and orthodoxy. 

Whilst the courses’ content equips students with a knowledge and understanding of Economics and Business, the manner of delivery integrates soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving, independent study, teamworking and oracy. We recognise that students are exposed to ideas and experiences of and about business and economics every day of their lives, and we seek to integrate this into our teaching. The department pioneers the use of digital-based learning platforms within the College to encourage students to become confident, engaged, independent digital learners.

GCSE Business Studies

Why Study Business Studies?

This course is both active and enjoyable. To solve business problems, you need to be good at communicating and explaining your ideas. You will learn how to be a creative thinker and how to make decisions. You will also learn about the world of business through research, investigation and practical tasks.

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t studied business prior to taking this course. You might have an interest in business, and want to start your own business one day. You may have an enquiring mind and be interested in learning about the world around you, how businesses are set up, and what it is that makes someone a great entrepreneur.

This GCSE can help you prepare for further and higher education. It prepares you for AS/A Level Levels as well as BTEC and NVQ courses in many different subjects. You will become skilled in making decisions, being creative, solving problems, understanding finance, dealing with data, communicating and working as part of team. Even if you do not want to go on to study business further you will have benefited from studying a GCSE Business course because many jobs you do will involve working for a business. However, a GCSE Business course could lead to work in a business-related profession such as accountancy, law, marketing or the leisure & tourism industry.

Is this the right subject for me?

If you enjoy:

communicating and explaining your ideas
thinking creatively and making decisions
working with numbers to solve business problems
learning about the world of business through real and relevant local and international brands then the GCSE Business course is the right subject for you.

What do I need to know, or be able to do, before taking this course?

What will I learn?

You’ll start by exploring the world of small businesses through the lens of an entrepreneur. How and why do business ideas come about? What makes a successful business? You’ll learn how to develop an idea, spot an opportunity and turn it into a successful business. You will understand how to make a business effective, manage money and see how the world around us affects small businesses and all the people involved.

Then you’ll move on to investigating business growth. How does a business develop beyond the start-up phase? You’ll learn about key business concepts and issues and decisions you need to make when growing a business and working in a global business. You’ll learn about meeting customer needs, making marketing, operational, financial and human resourcing decisions and you’ll explore how the wider world impacts the business as it grows.

Highlights of the course include:

Taking part in a Dragon’s Den competition
Visiting Cadbury World to find out why marketing is important to a business which sells chocolate bars.

How will I be assessed?

The qualification will be assessed in two equally weighted exam papers. There is no coursework.

Paper 1 - Theme 1: Investigating small business

Written exam: 90 minutes, 90 marks (50% of the total GCSE)

Multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions

Paper 2 - Theme 2: Building a business

Written exam: 90 minutes, 90 marks (50% of the total GCSE)

Multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions

Full specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/business-2017.html

A Level

A Level Economics

Social Media

Business

GCSE Business Studies

A Level