Business & Economics KS4
Subject Leader (Economics) - Mr T Punter
Subject Leader (Business Studies) - Mr T Punter
Business and Economics Key Stage 4
The Business Studies department offers GCSE Business Studies and BTEC Enterprise.
Students cannot study both courses. Students should indicate on their options forms which course they would prefer to study. The business studies department will make the final decision as to which course is taken to ensure that every student is on the right course and has the best possible chance of achieving his/her potential.
GCSE Business Studies (EdExcel)
What do I need to know, or be able to do, before taking this course?
It is unlikely that you will have studied business before taking this course, but that does not matter. 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.
Is this the right subject for me?
This course is both active and enjoyable. You need to be good at communicating and explaining your ideas, and not afraid of learning new things and working with numbers to solve business problems. You will learn how to be a creative thinker and how to make decisions. What’s more, you will also learn about the world of business through research and investigation, as well as through practical tasks.
What can I do after I have completed the course?
This Business course can help you prepare for further and higher education. It prepares you for AS/A2 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 and tourism industry.
GCSE Economics
Designed to be engaging and relevant for today’s students, this course provides a comprehensive introduction to Economics drawing on local, national and global contexts.
The course introduces students to basic economic concepts and helps them develop the appropriate range of analytical, critical and reasoning skills to enable them to think like economists. It provides an excellent foundation for advanced study in Economics.
Component 1:
How markets work:
1. Economic foundations
2. Resource allocation
3. How prices are determined
4. Production, costs, revenue and profit
5. Competitive and concentrated markets
6. Market failure
Component 2:
7. Introduction to the national economy
8. Government objectives
9. How the government manages the economy
10. International trade and the global economy
11. The role of money and financial markets
BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Enterprise
The qualification is equivalent to and compliments GCSEs to help develop work-related skills in the business. It will help broaden your experience and understanding of where your studies can take you in the future.
What kind of things will I study?
Areas you will cover include
Exploring Enterprises
Planning for and Pitching an Enterprise
Promotion and Finance for Enterprise
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through tasks set by your teacher that could take the form of presentations, practical assessments and reflective journals, and one exam.