Business
Business Department Curriculum Intent
The overriding ambition of our Business curriculum is to support the school vision of enabling every child to achieve more than they think they are capable of achieving.
The overall aim of our curriculum delivery is to help our students gain the necessary skills to be able to take their place in the financial and non-financial world of work and be prepared for the jobs of the future. We aim to do this by following the course specifications, which gives students the necessary technical skills to achieve strong grades and progress to employment and university.
As part of our curriculum, we aim to instil in our students a passion for Business though bringing real world economic issues into our lessons, encouraging students to conduct regular outside research and providing them with curriculum enhancement opportunities. This includes educational trips to the Bank of England and Wimbledon Lawn and Tennis Museum and outside speakers from various financial institutions. This in term fosters transferrable skills like problem solving, team working and making judgements.
At Key Stage 4 a selected number of students follow the BTEC level 1 Award in Enterprise. The aim of delivering this course is to help our students gain an in-depth understanding of business acumen and the skills needed to run a successful business. Students are introduced to a wide range of business examples through case studies and understanding how key functional areas operate within a business. Students learn about techniques businesses use to understand their market and develop products, investigate what makes a product viable and understand how businesses attract and retain customers. The course has both an examination and vocational element, which complements A-Level or vocational courses students may take in Key Stage 5.
At Key Stage 5, we follow the AQA specification for Business A-Level. We do so as we feel that the specification and assessment are suitably challenging and interesting for the students. We also have over a decade of marking experience in the department with AQA so we feel this gives our students the best possible access to their study of these subjects.
We enter students for the AQA AS Business examinations; this gives students the benefit of the added rigour of the externally assessed exams, while the content and skills required map very well on to the overall A Level curriculum. The Year 13 Scheme of Work focusses on strategies companies employ and the external influences on them, which builds on the work the students have undertaken in terms of the functional areas of the business in preparation for their AS examinations.
Recent additions to the departments provision is the Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Certificate in Business course is a practical, hands on programme for students who wish to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world of Business. You will study real, local and national businesses, solve real business problems and develop business ideas and strategies. The Qualification provide a beneficial alternative to A levels as students are assessed throughout the two years, making managing progress easier than linear A levels where results are only known at the end of two years. The Extended certificate is designed to meet the changing needs of the business sector and to prepare our students for the challenges they’ll face in Higher Education or employment. Through deepening their analysis and research skills, students will explore ways in which businesses respond to changes in their economic, social and technological environment; and gain an appreciation of the influence different stakeholders can have upon a business.
Business Curriculum Map
business curriculum map 2024 2025.pdf
