BUSINESS STUDIES | Fort Hill College

Why Study Business Studies?

Studying Business Studies will help you understand the world of business that surrounds you and how economic events impact on businesses.

You will be able to apply what you have learned and gain a greater understanding of what is happening in the news locally, nationally and globally.

You will develop your knowledge of how businesses start up, resources marketing, challenges that businesses face, the role of stakeholders, sources of finance, and how to prepare, interpret and analyse financial information.

Studying Business Studies will also develop your understanding of human resources, the recruitment and selection process, and the importance of training and motivation for employees.

What you learn through this subject will prepare you to study at advanced level and/or may lead on to a career in business.

CCEA GCSE

At least 80% of the assessment (based on unit weightings) must be taken at the end of a GCSE course as terminal assessment. The terminal assessment weighting for this GCSE course is 20%, (Unit 3).

Career Pathways

Accountancy
Starting own business
Human Resources/Marketing/ICT

OCR CAMBRIDGE TECHNICAL LEVEL 3 (2016 Suite)

OCR CAMBRIDGE TECHNICAL LEVEL 3 (2016 Suite) EXTENDED CERTIFICATE in BUSINESS (SINGLE)

A Level – attracts same UCAS points as any other A Level

LEAD TEACHER: Mr J Mills

About the Course

This is a new and up to date vocational course that has been designed with refreshing and exciting content. It aims to be engaging, fit for purpose and suitable for the needs of our students in 2018 and beyond. The Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Business course will focus on the requirements that today’s universities and employers demand as well as the transferable skills required such as communication, problem solving, time management, research and analytical skills.

It will provide learners with the opportunity through applied learning to develop the core specialist knowledge, skills and understanding required in the business sector.

A Level

Students will complete 2 units in Year 13 and 3 units in Year 14. There will be a mixture of internally/externally assessed units.

Year 1

Unit 1 - The Business Environment - External Assessment

In this unit students will develop an understanding of how and why businesses operate in the way they do. They will look at a range of different types of business and business structures, and explore how the ownership of a business and its objectives are interrelated. They will learn about the importance of different functions within a business and how they work together. They will understand the legal, financial, ethical and resource constraints under which a business must operate and how these can affect business behaviour. They will explore ways in which businesses respond to changes in their economic, social and technological environment, and the necessity for a business to plan. They will appreciate the influence different stakeholders can have on a business, and they will learn how to assess business performance.

Unit 2 - Working in Business - External Assessment

Businesses today need employees, managers and entrepreneurs who are multi-skilled independent thinkers. When working in business students will have to work in accordance with organisational protocols, be able to prioritise work and communicate effectively with others in a meaningful way.

This unit will cover the skills and understanding needed to work effectively within a business environment. This includes arranging meetings, working with business documents, making payments, prioritising business activities and communicating with stakeholders. The way that these activities are dealt with will vary according to the specific business protocols in place. Some of these will be specific to a functional area; however, many are common to almost all job roles.

The skills and understanding students will develop through this unit are critical to the success of any business and are highly valued in the business world; they are vital regardless of the role held within an organisation.

A-Level

Year 2

Unit 4 - Customers & Communication - Internal Assessment

Customers are vital to the success of any business. It is essential that businesses consider the importance of the customer experience and ensure that they communicate effectively with them, whether internal or external.

Repeat business is crucial for future revenue and financial certainty. Businesses depend on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. To build this you need to know who your customers are and what influences their behaviours.

In this unit students will learn the purpose, methods and importance of communication in business and the appropriateness of different forms of communication for different situations. They will develop the skills that will help them create a rapport with customers and have the opportunity to practice and develop their business communication skills.

Students will also learn about the legal constraints, ethical and security issues that affect how businesses store, share and use information.

Unit 16 - Principles of Project Management – Internal Assessment

Businesses undertake projects of all kinds that vary in terms of purpose and scope. Some examples of business projects are running an event, launching a marketing campaign, carrying out market research and setting up book keeping for local clubs or charities. A project comprises a set of tasks and activities to be carried out in order to reach an intended purpose. Being able to prepare and manage a project is an important skill needed by many different people working in business.

In this unit students will learn about the stages of project management, and the type of skills a project manager should have. They will also learn why you need to monitor the progress of projects as it is vital to their successful completion and implementation.

Students will plan a project, and prepare a project plan. They will learn about the different planning tools available for project planning. Whilst preparing the project plan, they need to be aware of internal and external factors which might have an impact on the planning process, as well as the successful completion and implementation of a project.

This unit will help students to develop the skills required to plan projects and be aware of possible obstacles that can impact on the outcome of a project.

Unit 11 - Accounting Concepts - Internal Assessment

All businesses require accurate bookkeeping records to ensure they meet the requirements and needs of a number of stakeholders. This unit is intended to give students vital skills and knowledge of maintaining business records, using books of original entry and double-entry bookkeeping. Due to an increase in the number of national and international accounting requirements, businesses are always in need of employees who possess bookkeeping and accounting skills.

This unit will give them an introduction to the foundations of business accounting. The unit will allow them to gain essential skills in, and knowledge of, the purposes of accounting, and the accounting procedures used to produce final accounts. They will consider the reasons for keeping accurate financial records and the importance of updating cash books and preparing bank reconciliation statements.

This will prepare students for work, in areas of business and accounting, which require accurate recording of financial transactions. The unit will ensure they are familiar with the basic requirements of International Accounting Standards (IAS).

Career Pathways

Accountancy
Starting Own Business
Human Resources/Marketing/ICT