Intent

Our aim in Business and Economics is to offer a diverse high-quality curriculum relevant to the dynamic business environment that supports students in developing their entrepreneurial spirit. We hope to inspire students to grow in a responsible and empathetic way through a fusion of innovative education and practice.

Business and Economics Curriculum Intent 

The Business and Economics curriculum at St Joseph’s aims to enable learners to develop the skills, qualities and knowledge needed to become key players in the Business world and to become game changers and shape their futures. This is offered through a varied specification that allows for ample opportunities to imbed knowledge through projects, discussion, real life examples to promote curious and active students. The opportunities provided in Business allows students to approach their learning in a more enjoyable and enriching manner and will broaden their skill set. Growth mindset traits, such as, collaboration, creativity, curiosity and motivation, are integral to the projects undertaken in Business and allow students to explore their learning and embed their knowledge further and ensure that they are well rounded, attentive and compassionate students who are well informed about the business world around them.

The Business and Economics curriculum offered at St Joseph’s allows students to investigate a wide range of Businesses and celebrate the diversity and innovation in the Business world so students are more learned and prophetic about the ever changing world of business and world economies. Students are encouraged to research local, national and international entrepreneurs and businesses so that they understand their role in the Business world and can draw on a variety of different examples. This enables students in Business to appreciate the importance of culture in Business and develop a mutual respect for all cultures and backgrounds that share the common goal of providing goods and services to communities across the globe. Students will examine a variety of real-life examples that will develop them into discerning business and economic enthusiasts. The Business curriculum enriches students' experiences through exposing them to greater cultural opportunities and providing a rich and diverse curriculum that focuses on cultural capital exposure and ensures that while doing this they are fostering more loving, faith-filled, eloquent and truthful characteristics and traits linked to those entrepreneurs they research.

Furthermore, we enable learners to reach the full potential and make outstanding progress throughout their learning journey, while instilling a focus on a generous and grateful student. A differentiated curriculum will provide all students regardless of their circumstances with ample opportunities to showcase their talents in and out of the classroom. Accurate assessments will be undertaken across all year groups and the data will be reviewed to inform intervention strategies that are intentional and wise and allow students to explore the world of Business. Business prepares students for the competitive world of employment by introducing them to the concepts of business, as well as preparing them for taking up employment by embedding careers through the Business curriculum at St Joseph’s and filling students with a sense of hope for the future all the while the Business and Economics curriculums hopes to fulfil the school mission of ‘Unlocking belief in All’.

We offer a variety of courses at GCSE and A-Level

GCSE Business – Edexcel

Business Students follow the Edexcel syllabus Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1).    The course teaches students knowledge and understanding of business concepts and terminology, and the integrated nature of business activity including the impact of business on individuals and wider society.  Students are given opportunities to apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues and to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts.  The aim of the course is to develop students as enterprising individuals with the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen.

The Business qualification consists of two externally-examined papers

Theme 1 (Paper 1):

Investigating small business, including enterprise and entrepreneurship and spotting a business opportunity.

Theme 2 (Paper 2):

Building a business, including growing the business and making marketing decisions.

YEAR 9

Year 9 start with an introduction to business. They are given the opportunity to participate in a half term long enterprise project to give them an insight of what the world of business is like and what being an entrepreneur looks like. Then they start on Theme 1 1.1 ‘Enterprise and entrepreneurship’. Here they learn about the nature of business activity, the risks and rewards of setting up a business, the role an entrepreneur and how businesses add value to their product to make it stand out. For the rest of the duration in Year 9, they will be focusing on 1.4 ‘Making the business effective’ and 1.5 ‘External influences on the business’.

YEAR 10

Year 10 start learning Theme 1 1.5 ‘External influences on the business’. This is where they explore what external factors influence business activity. They develop key business financial knowledge when they look at 1.3 before starting Theme 2 ‘Building a business’. They focus on 2.1 ‘growing the business’ which explores what factors are involved in helping a business to grow. They then look at 2.2 and work their way through a variety of functional areas covering globalisation, marketing and operations by the end of Year 10 with some time left to cover revision or a business related project to summarise their learning.

YEAR 11

Year 11 focuses on developing students exam skills. Once we have completed the final section of Theme 2 we dedicate lesson time to looking at case studies and developing understanding of real life business examples. This combined with the knowledge developed in Year 9 and 10 allows students to build up the confidence in answering exam questions.

Enterprise and Marketing – OCR

There are three mandatory units that students study in this course.

Year 9 and Year 10 and Year 11: Unit R064: Enterprise and marketing concepts

Students explore the techniques businesses use to understand their market and develop products, investigate what makes a product viable and understand how businesses attract and retain customers.

Year 10 and Year 11: Unit R065: Design a business proposal

Students are presented with a business challenge from which they create a researched and costed business proposal. They will carry out market research, present data, use idea generation tools, seek and act on feedback, and cost their proposals. In their work on this unit they will develop their self-assessment, collaborative working, creativity, numeracy, research and evaluative skills.

YEAR 11

Unit R066: Market and pitch a business proposal

Students prepare for and pitch the business proposal that they developed in the previous unit. They develop a brand identity and investigate how best to promote their product and then plan, practise and finally deliver their pitch. Afterwards they review both their performance and their business proposal. This will help develop their analysis and self-evaluative skills as well as those relating to self-presentation.

A-LEVEL BUSINESS – Edexcel

A level Business Students follow the Edexcel syllabus. The curriculum is structured into four themes and consists of three externally examined papers.  Students are introduced to business in Themes 1 and 2 through building knowledge of core business concepts and applying them to business contexts.  Breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, with applications to a wider range of contexts and more complex business situations, are developed during Year 13 in Themes 3 and 4.

YEAR 12

Theme 1:

Marketing & People - In this theme, students are introduced to the market including: exploring leadership, theories of motivation and the role of entrepreneurs.

Theme 2: 

Managing Business Activities - Students explore the finance and operations functions, and investigate external influences on business.

YEAR 13

Theme 3:

Business Decisions and Strategy - students develop their understanding of influences on business strategy and decision-making.

Theme 4:

Global Business - students draw on their knowledge from the other 3 themes to develop their knowledge of business activity in a global context.

A-LEVEL ECONOMICS A – Edexcel

YEAR 12 & 13

During the course students will need to apply their knowledge and understanding to both familiar and unfamiliar contexts in the assessments and demonstrate an awareness of current economic events and policies. Upon successful completion of the exams, students will receive an A-Level in Economics issued by Edexcel. 

YEAR 12

Students build knowledge and understanding of core economic models and concepts in Themes 1: Market and Market Failure and Theme 2: The UK Economy – Performance and Policies. Students then build on this and apply their knowledge to more complex concepts and models in Year 13.

YEAR 13

Students then build on this and apply their knowledge to more complex concepts and models in Year 13 where they study, Themes 3: Business Behaviour and the Labour Market and Theme 4: A Global Perspective.

BTEC BUSINESS – Edexcel

An introduction to the business sector where an element of business would complement a learners programme of study. It supports progression to higher education when taken as part of a broad programme of study.

Students sit two external exams and two internal assignments.

YEAR 12

Unit 1:

Exploring Business:  In this unit, you will gain an overview of the key ingredients for business success, how businesses are organised, how they communicate, the characteristics of the environment in which they operate, and how this shapes them and their activities. You will also look at the importance of innovation and enterprise to the success and survival of businesses, with the associated risks and benefits. 

Unit 2:

Developing a Marketing Campaign: You will examine the marketing aims and objectives for existing products/services and understand the importance of relevant, valid and appropriate research in relation to customers’ needs and wants. You will use given market research data and other information to make recommendations about the type of marketing campaign that a business should undertake. To complete the assessment task within this unit, you will need to draw on your learning from across your programme. This unit will give you an insight into how important marketing is to business.

YEAR 13

Unit 3:  

Personal and Business Finance: This unit includes aspects of both personal and business finance. Personal finance involves the understanding of why money is important and how managing your money can help prevent future financial difficulties. It is vital you understand the financial decisions you will need to take throughout your life and how risk can affect you and your choices. This unit will also give you an insight into where you can get financial advice and support.

Unit 8:

Recruitment and Selection Process:  Recruiting the right people is essential to the success of a business. It is important that the processes and procedures involved in recruitment and selection meet the needs of the business and comply with current regulations. You will learn that successful recruitment is key to maintaining the success of a business, as people are often considered to be the most valued resource.

CAREERS IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

Careers in business: https://thebestschools.org/careers/best-business-jobs/

CONTACT US

For further information regarding Business and Economics please contact the following:

• Miss Aisling Hurley (Head of Business and Economics) - a.hurley@st-josephs.slough.sch.uk