KS4

GCSE Course Followed: Business Studies

Specification: AQA (Syllabus code 8132)

Why Choose GCSE

Introduction to the Course

The GCSE Business Studies course will provide students with an insight into how to start-up and grow a business. The use of case study materials will allow scope for students to apply their business knowledge to local, national and international businesses. The philosophy of the course incorporates the belief that the study of Business Studies should require students both to understand the dynamic environment in which business operates and to appreciate the many and varied factors which impact upon business activity.

The course as a whole promotes a wide range of skills that are directly related to or transferable to a range of situations in adult and working life. A particular focus is the development of enterprise capability. Students will consider the practical application of business concepts. The units provide opportunities to explore theories and concepts in the most relevant way, through the context of events in the business and economic world.

The course focuses on the following specific elements of running a business:

Business planning and starting up a business
Conducting market research to identify opportunities
Managing people
Using and managing resources to produce goods and services
Using financial information to make business decisions
Analysing the external influences on business activity
Evaluating the strategies that businesses can pursue in order to improve performance

Who is the course suitable for?

It is of particular use to students interested in becoming entrepreneurs or managers within any field. Due to the nature of the course it makes a good combination with any other options, as it will be useful to support any career.

How is the course divided and assessed?

The course comprises two units as follows:

Unit 1: Influences of Operations and HRM on business activity.

Business in the real world
Influences on business
Business operations
Human resources
Written exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes (50% of the GCSE)

Unit 2: Influences of Marketing and Finance on business activity.

Business in the real world
Influences on business
Business operations
Human resources
Written exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes (50% of the GCSE)

The following are all elements covered on the course.

Business ownership
Setting business aims and objectives
Stakeholders
Business location
Business planning
Expanding a business
Technological, ethical and environmental considerations
The effect of the economic climate on businesses
Globalisation
Legislation
The competitive environment
Production processes and procurement

The concept of quality and customer service
Organisational structure
Recruitment, selection and training of employees
Motivating employees
The purpose and methods of market research
The elements of the marketing mix
E-commerce and m-commerce
Sources of finance
Interpreting cash flow forecasts
Financial terms and calculations
Analysing the financial performance of a business

Key Stage Four Curriculum Overview

Year 10

	NAME OF THE TOPIC	KEY CONTENT OF THE TOPIC	ASSESSMENT POINTS
HT1	The Purpose and nature of Business. Business ownership Setting business aims and objectives	Purpose of business, reasons for starting a business, basic functions and types of business, business enterprise and entrepreneurship, the dynamic nature of business. Sole traders, partnerships, private limited companies (ltd), public limited companies (plc), not-for-profit organisations. What are business aims and objectives, purpose of setting objectives, role of objectives in running a business, changing objectives, use of objectives in judging success.	Class tests and individual exam paper questions October half-term assessment
HT2	Stakeholders Business location Business planning Expanding a business	Main stakeholders of businesses, objectives of stakeholders, impact of business activity on Stakeholders, impact and influence stakeholders have on businesses. Factors influencing the location decision of a business The purpose of business planning, the main sections within a business plan, basic financial terms, basic financial calculations. Methods of expansion, benefits and drawbacks of expansion, economies of scale and diseconomies of scale	Class tests and individual exam paper questions Christmas half term test
HT3	Technology, Ethical and environmental The economic climate on businesses	E-commerce, m-commerce and digital communication Environmental considerations: impact on traffic congestion, recycling, disposing of waste, noise and air pollution. Sustainability: global warming using scarce resources. Interest rates: how fluctuating interest rates can affect businesses that rely on overdrafts and loans for finance how fluctuating interest rates can affect consumer and business spending. Level of employment Consumer spending	Class tests and individual exam paper questions Feb half term assessment
HT4	Globalisation Legislation Competitive environment Production processes	How UK businesses compete internationally, offering: better designs higher quality products at lower prices. Exchange rates Employment law, Health and Safety law and Consumer law Impact on businesses of operating in competitive markets, uncertainty and risks businesses face Methods of production: job, flow Efficiency in production: lean production and just in time (JIT).	Class tests and individual exam paper questions
HT5	The role of procurement The concept of quality Good customer service	Factors affecting choice of suppliers including: price, quality, reliability. The effects of procurement and logistics on a business, including: efficiency, lower unit costs. The value of effective supply chain management, including: working with suppliers to ensure that key processes are running efficiently and cost effectively, getting goods and services for the best price and value, cutting any waste and unnecessary costs to create a streamlined process and fast production times Consequences of quality issues Methods of maintaining consistent quality: Total quality management (TQM) Costs and benefits of maintaining quality: additional sales image/reputation higher price inspection costs staff training product recalls the provision of services Methods of good service: product knowledge customer engagement (creating a positive experience for the customer) post sales services (eg user training, help lines, servicing). Benefits of good customer service, including: increase in customer satisfaction customer loyalty increased spend profitability. Dangers of poor customer service, including: dissatisfied customers poor reputation via word of mouth reduction in revenue. The ways in which advances in ICT have allowed customer services to develop: websites, e-commerce, social media.	Year 10 Trial Exam
HT6	Organisational structures Recruitment and selection of employees	Organisational structures, appropriateness of organisational structures, centralisation and decentralisation The need for recruitment Methods of recruitment and selection of employees Contracts of employment	Class tests and individual exam paper questions Summer term assessment

NAME OF THE TOPIC

KEY CONTENT OF THE TOPIC

ASSESSMENT POINTS

HT1

The Purpose and nature of Business.

Business ownership

Setting business aims and objectives

Purpose of business, reasons for starting a business, basic functions and types of business, business enterprise and entrepreneurship, the dynamic nature of business.

Sole traders, partnerships, private limited companies (ltd), public limited companies (plc), not-for-profit organisations.

What are business aims and objectives, purpose of setting objectives, role of objectives in running a business, changing objectives, use of objectives in judging success.

Class tests and individual exam paper questions

October half-term assessment

HT2

Stakeholders

Business location

Business planning

Expanding a business

Main stakeholders of businesses, objectives of stakeholders, impact of business activity on Stakeholders, impact and influence stakeholders have on businesses.

Factors influencing the location decision of a business

The purpose of business planning, the main sections within a business plan, basic financial terms, basic financial calculations.

Methods of expansion, benefits and drawbacks of expansion, economies of scale and diseconomies of scale

Class tests and individual exam paper questions

Christmas half term test

HT3

Technology,

Ethical and environmental

The economic climate on businesses

E-commerce, m-commerce and digital communication

Environmental considerations: impact on traffic congestion, recycling, disposing of waste, noise and air pollution.

Sustainability:

global warming
using scarce resources.

Interest rates:

how fluctuating interest rates can affect businesses that rely on overdrafts and loans for finance
how fluctuating interest rates can affect consumer and business spending.
Level of employment
Consumer spending

Class tests and individual exam paper questions

Feb half term assessment

HT4

Globalisation

Legislation

Competitive environment

Production processes

How UK businesses compete

internationally, offering:
better designs
higher quality products at lower prices.

Exchange rates

Employment law, Health and Safety law and Consumer law

Impact on businesses of operating in competitive markets, uncertainty and risks businesses face

Methods of production: job, flow Efficiency in production: lean production and just in time (JIT).

Class tests and individual exam paper questions

HT5

The role of procurement

The concept of quality

Good customer service

Factors affecting choice of suppliers including: price, quality, reliability.

The effects of procurement and logistics on a business, including: efficiency, lower unit costs.

The value of effective supply chain management, including: working with suppliers to ensure that key processes are running efficiently and cost effectively, getting goods and services for the best price and value, cutting any waste and unnecessary costs to create a streamlined process and fast production times

Consequences of quality issues

Methods of maintaining consistent quality: Total quality management (TQM)

Costs and benefits of maintaining quality:

additional sales
image/reputation
higher price
inspection costs
staff training
product recalls
the provision of services

Methods of good service:

product knowledge
customer engagement (creating a positive experience for the customer)
post sales services (eg user training, help lines, servicing).

Benefits of good customer service, including:

increase in customer satisfaction
customer loyalty
increased spend
profitability.

Dangers of poor customer service, including:

dissatisfied customers
poor reputation via word of mouth
reduction in revenue.

The ways in which advances in ICT have allowed customer services to develop: websites, e-commerce, social media.

Year 10 Trial Exam

HT6

Organisational structures

Recruitment and selection of employees

Organisational structures, appropriateness of organisational structures, centralisation and decentralisation

The need for recruitment
Methods of recruitment and selection of employees
Contracts of employment

Class tests and individual exam paper questions

Summer term assessment

Year 11

	NAME OF TOPIC	KEY CONTENT OF THE TOPIC	ASSESSMENT POINTS
HT1	Motivating employees Training Identifying and understanding customers Segmentation The purpose and methods of market research	Importance of motivation in the workforce Methods to motivate staff Importance of training the workforce Types of training undertaken by businesses The importance of identifying and satisfying customer needs Types of segmentation Purpose of market research Collect information about: demand competition target market. Methods of market research to include primary and secondary: questionnaires surveys interviews focus groups internet research printed press e.g. newspapers. Use of market research: information that may help decision making	Class tests and individual exam paper questions October half term assessment
HT2	The elements of the marketing mix: price, product, promotion and place (4Ps)	Pricing methods, including: price skimming price penetration competitive pricing loss leader cost-plus. The factors that influence pricing decisions, including: costs nature of the market degree of competition product life cycle. Product differentiation: Unique selling point (USP) brand image. The product life cycle: research and development introduction growth maturity decline extension strategies: updating packaging adding more or different features changing target market advertising price reduction. Product portfolio: Boston Matrix Promotional methods: advertising, including: newspapers magazines television internet billboards. PR sales promotion point of sales displays 2 for 1 offers free gifts samples coupons competitions. sponsorship social media. Factors influencing the selection of the promotional mix: finance available competitor actions the nature of the product or service the nature of the market target market. Reasons for promotion: inform/remind customers about the product create or increase sales create or change the image of the product persuade customers to buy the product Place (the different channels of distribution used by businesses): retailers wholesaler telesales E-commerce and m-commerce Integrated nature of the marketing mix Using the marketing mix to inform and implement business decisions	Class tests and individual exam paper questions Trial exam - 2
HT3	Sources of finance Cash flow Financial terms and calculations	Methods businesses use to raise finance Appropriateness of sources of finance Importance of cash to businesses Interpreting cash flow forecasts Difference between cash and profit Basic financial terms Basic financial calculations Average rate of return Break-even	Class tests and individual exam paper questions Feb half term assessment
HT4	Analysing the financial performance of a business	Purpose of financial statements Components of financial statements Interpretation of data given on financial statements	Class tests and individual exam paper questions
HT5	Revision and consolidation of learning		Class tests and whole paper assessments
HT6	N/A		GCSE exams

Recommended Revision Guides for GCSE

CGP GCSE AQA Business for the Grade 9-1 Couse ISBN 9781782946892.
Students also have access to a Course Companion on the Office 365 STU GCSE Business Studies page.

Support available for GCSE Students
Lunchtime revision sessions are available to students every week in S19