Business Studies

SUBJECT INTRODUCTION

Staff Contact Details: Djamal Sedour

Business Studies at Christ's is offered as a Level 3 BTEC subject. This course will enable students to gain knowledge and understanding of the business sector with an emphasis on developing skills relevant to the workplace.

The aim is to allow students to develop a better understanding of the way in which the business world operates.

The Curriculum

Key Stage 5

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Business

We offer Business Studies as a Pearson BTEC, and follow the Extended Certificate in Business specification. This course will enable students to gain knowledge and understanding of the business sector with an emphasis on developing skills relevant to the workplace.

This course is offered at Extended Certificate with plans to provide the Diploma course (Equivalent of 3 A-Levels in Business) in the future.

Year 12: In Year 1 students utilise the skills learnt in KS4 to develop their understanding of how businesses operate, from SMEs to large multinational corporations. This will involve looking at ownership and liability, financial records (balance sheets, P&L accounts, etc) and stakeholder relationships to name a few key topics.

Year 13: Year 2 brings a more vocational approach to learning. Students will look at how businesses promote their goods/services, ultimately developing their own marketing campaign for a business within a case study. Finally, students will spend a week in a workplace of their choice to apply the skills learnt in the classroom. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to establish a career pathway and should create more clarity around their choices post-Sixth Form.

topics covered

Year 12:

Unit 1 - Exploring Business

Unit 3 - Personal and Business Finance

Year 13:

Unit 2 - Developing a Marketing Campaign

Unit 27 - Work Experience in business

Enrichment and Extra-Curricular

Students are encouraged to carry out independent research on local businesses. We have a weekly drop-in Business Studies surgery for students to further develop ideas or to expand their knowledge of concepts. Educational visits from professionals are to help consolidate concepts and provide exposure to real-world business scenarios.

Jaguar-Land Rover factory tour in castle Bromwich at KS5

There is also a bi-annual Tycoon Enterprise competition that will be open to all Business Studies students. The aim is to create a business plan that will be pitched to a panel of professionals with the winner going on to compete against other schools for funding of their product/service.

Careers

The qualification will allow for a number of progression routes including Higher Education (e.g. BA/BSC Degree in Business Studies/Management/Accounting), other Applied Business-related qualifications and subsequent employment.

The Business BTEC qualification promotes a work ethic and professional development that is well received by industry as it develops interpersonal and practical thinking, working to deadlines, taking responsibility and effective time management.

Having the opportunity to accrue some experience in a workplace will prove invaluable when applying for a job in the future.