Dates for your Diary

Business

Intent

The business studies curriculum at Barnwell School is intended to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to become entrepreneurial, employable and independent learners who are able to identify business problems and opportunities and build logical arguments for achieving specific business decisions based on knowledge and evidence from case studies, real business organisations and real time business news.

Business is offered at both KS4 and KS5 as a qualification and most recently as an option in year 9 to give students an introduction and insight into the subject.

Learning Journey

GCSE Business

Curriculum Map

KS4 Course	Yr10 Content	Yr10 Key Assessment	Yr 11 Content	Yr 11 Key Assessment
Autumn 1	Topic 1.1 Enterprise and Entrepreneurship	Interim Test 1.1 Exam questions	Topic 1.2 Business Growth	Interim Test 2.1. Exam questions
Autumn 2	Topic 1.2: Spotting a Business Opportunity	Interim Test 1.2 Exam questions	Topic 2.2 Making Marketing Decisions	Interim Test 2.2. Exam questions
Spring 1	Topic 1.3: Putting a Business Idea into Practice	Interim Test 1.3 Exam questions	Topic 2.3 Making Operational Decisions Topic 2.4 Making Financial Decisions	Interim Test 2.3 Interim Test 2.4
Spring 2	Topic 1.4: Making the Business Effective	Interim Test 1.4 Exam questions	Topic 2.5 Theme 2 - Mock	Interim Test 2.5 Past Examination Paper
Summer 1	Topic 1.5: Understanding External Influences on Business	Interim Test 1.5 Exam questions	Theme 1 – Mock Theme 2 - Mock	Past Examination Paper Past Examination Paper
Summer 2	Theme 1 – Mock	Past Examination Paper

For further information, please email M.Townsend@barnwell.herts.sch.uk

Business: GCSE (9-1) Edexcel

Theme 1: Investigating Small Business

Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes

50% of the qualification

90 marks

Content Overview

Theme 1 comprises five topic areas.

● Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship – students are introduced to the dynamic

nature of business in relation to how and why business ideas come about. They also

explore the impact of risk and reward on business activity and the role of

entrepreneurship.

● Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity – students will explore how new and small

businesses identify opportunities through understanding customer needs and conducting

market research. They will also focus on understanding the competition.

● Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice – this topic focuses on making a business

idea happen through identifying aims and objectives and concentrating on the financial

aspects.

● Topic 1.4 Making the business effective – students will explore a range of factors that

impact on the success of the business, including location, the marketing mix and the

business plan.

● Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business – students are introduced to a

range of factors, many of which are outside of the immediate control of the business, such

as stakeholders, technology, legislation and the economy. Students will explore how

businesses respond to these influences.

Assessment Overview

The paper is divided into three sections:

Section A: 35 marks

Section B: 30 marks

Section C: 25 marks.

The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing

questions.

Questions in Sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper.

Calculators may be used in the examination.

Theme 2: Building a Business

Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes

50% of the qualification

90 marks

Content Overview

Theme 2 comprises five topic areas:

● Topic 2.1 Growing the business – students are introduced to methods of growth and how

and why business aims and objectives change as businesses evolve. The impact of

globalisation and the ethical and environmental questions facing businesses are explored.

● Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions – students will explore how each element of the

marketing mix is managed and used to inform and make business decisions in a

competitive marketplace.

● Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions – this topic focuses on meeting customer needs

through the design, supply, quality and sales decisions a business makes.

● Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions – students will explore the tools a business has to

support financial decision making, including ratio analysis and the use and limitation of a

range of financial information.

● Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions – growing a business means that decisions

relating to organisational structure, recruitment, training and motivation need to be made

to influence business activity. These aspects are considered in this final topic.

Assessment Overview

The paper is divided into three sections:

Section A: 35 marks

Section B: 30 marks

Section C: 25 marks.

The paper will consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing

questions.

Questions in Sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper.

Calculators may be used in the examination.

Business: BTEC National Level 3 Extended Certificate in Business

Curriculum Map

KS5

Course:

Y12 Content

Y12 Key Assessment

Y13 Content

Y13 Key Assessment

Autumn 1

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. Features contributing to the success of contrasting businesses.

Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign. Externally assessed controlled assessment in May/June

Introduction to the principles and purposes of marketing

Using information to develop a rationale

Formative coursework assessment.

Summative topics tests.

Unit 3 – Personal and Business Finance continued. Externally assessed exam January.

Understand the purpose of accounting.

Types of income and expenditure

Sources of Finance

Cash flow forecasts

Break-even analysis

Unit 8 – Recruitment and Selection Process

Examine how effective recruitment and selection contribute to business success.

Summative topics tests.

Personal Finance Test

Exam question practise.

Formative coursework assessment.

Autumn 2

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. Features contributing to the success of contrasting businesses.

Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign. Externally assessed controlled assessment in May/June

Planning and developing a marketing campaign

Formative coursework assessment.

Summative topics tests.

Exam questions practise.

Unit 3 – Personal and Business Finance continued. Externally assessed exam January.

Statement of comprehensive income

Statement of financial position

Ratio analysis

Unit 8 – Recruitment and Selection Process

Examine how effective recruitment and selection contribute to business success.

Summative topics tests.

Exam question practise.

Mock exam 1

Mock exam 2

Formative coursework assessment.

Spring 1

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. The effects of the environment on a business

Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign. Externally assessed controlled assessment in May/June

The marketing campaign and the appropriateness of the campaign

Formative coursework assessment.

Summative topics tests.

Exam questions practise.

Mock controlled assessment 1

Unit 3 – Personal and Business Finance

Unit 8 – Recruitment and Selection Process Undertake a recruitment activity to demonstrate the processes leading to a successful job offer.

Re-cap Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign for those who want to re-take in May/June

Exam January

Formative coursework assessment.

Spring 2

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. The effects of the environment on a business

Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign. Externally assessed controlled assessment in May/June

Formative coursework assessment.

Summative assessment

Mock controlled assessment 2

Unit 8 – Recruitment and Selection Process

Undertake a recruitment activity to demonstrate the processes leading to a successful job offer.

Re-cap Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign for those who want to re-take in May/June

Re-cap Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance for those who want to re-take in May/June.

Formative coursework assessment.

Revision

Summer 1

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. How important is innovation and enterprise to today’s business?

Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign. Externally assessed controlled assessment in May/June

Formative coursework assessment.

Controlled assessment May/June

Re-cap Unit 2 – Developing a Marketing Campaign for those who want to re-take in May/June

Re-cap Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance for those who want to re-take in May/June.

Unit 8 – Recruitment and Selection Process Reflect on the recruitment and selection process and your individual performance.

Revision

Exam re-take May/June

Final - Formative coursework assessment.

Summer 2

Unit 1 – Exploring Business. How important is innovation and enterprise to today’s business?

Start Unit 3 – Personal and Business Finance

The function and role of money.

Different ways to pay.

Current accounts

Managing personal finance

Features of financial institutions Communicating with customers. Consumer protection.

Information guidance and advice.

Final - Formative coursework assessment.

Summative topic tests.

Exam questions practise.