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Business GCSE
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Head of Business and ICT |
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Contacting the Team
If you have any questions or concerns about your child, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Business team by leaving a message with Reception or by emailing our enquiry address.
We aim to respond to phone calls and emails as quickly as possible, and certainly within 48 hours. Please bear in mind that members of staff may have a day of teaching and may not be able to respond to non-urgent matters until the end of the Academy day or the following Academy day.
By telephone: 0121-464 2737 (main school switchboard)
By email: enquiry@harborneacademy.co.uk
Please click the tabs below to expand for more information
KS4 Business Studies & Exam Information
KS4 Business Studies
Business Studies is optional at Key Stage Four and is a popular choice with pupils. The following is key information regarding the course.
Exam board
Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9-1) in Business (1BS0)
Exam Information
There are two external exams
Units
Theme 1: Investigating small business
Theme 2: Building a business
Theme 1 concentrates on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business.
In this theme, students will be introduced to local and national business contexts and will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions. Local contexts refer specifically to small businesses or those operating in a single UK location and national contexts relate to businesses operating in more than one location or across the UK.
Students must develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business activity through interactions between business operations, finance, marketing and human resources, as well as the relationship between the business and the environment in which it operates. Students must understand how these interdependencies and relationships underpin business decisions. Teaching approaches to the content must reflect this.
Theme 2 examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. It focuses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. Theme 2 also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
In this theme, students will be introduced to national and global business contexts and will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions. National contexts build on those in Theme 1 and relate to businesses operating in more than one location or across the UK. Global contexts relate to non-UK or transnational businesses.
Students must develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business activity through interactions between business operations, finance, marketing and human resources, as well as the relationship between the business and the environment in which it operates. Students must understand how these functional areas influence business activity and how interdependencies and relationships between them underpin business decisions. Teaching approaches to the content must reflect this.
Exam material
You can access past exam papers for the GCSE Business studies by clicking on the link below.
Learning Journey
Careers information
Students can move onto A- Level Business and BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma in Business if they successfully complete this course.
Typical jobs with a Business qualifications:
•Business adviser
•Business analyst
•Chartered management accountant
•Corporate investment banker
•Data analyst
•Management consultant
•Operational researcher
•Project manager
•Stockbroker
Enrichment opportunities
The Apax-Mosaic Enterprise Challenge is an annual, national competition during which secondary school students aged 11-16 learn about establishing and running a business through a business simulation game.
Whilst this is an exciting competition in its own right, activities undertaken help to support schools’ curriculum objectives as well as further developing students’ confidence, employability and self-efficacy. Students
Also have the opportunity to compete for:
- £2500 prize money for their school
- £500 seed money to invest in a social enterprise benefiting the school
- Specialised mentoring from a private equity firm to help establish the business
- A winner’s trophy with the school name engraved
- Winners medals for each team member
- A once in a lifetime fun day out in London
Harborne Academy have taken part in the Mosaic Enterprise Challenge for 6 years and Triumphant at the Regional final four times.
Useful Resources
Useful websites and books:
