Business helps me to learn how to run my own business in the future and educates me in the 'real world.' I would encourage students to study business because the teachers are always keen to here about personal business success and business allows you to explore the world and running businesses a lot deeper than people think! Business is a really enjoyable subject and one that has pushed me in both my thought process and my work produced as a result! Maddie Y11
I really enjoy business, its very helpful to learn about our ever-changing economy and business. The topics allow you to better understand businesses and how they run as well as benefit you by learning about key skills such as interest and loans that can be used in the future. Jess Y11
GCSE Business Studies in Years 10 & 11
Course Leader: Miss M Tolhurst
Contact Email: mtolhurst@tgschool.net
Examination Board: Edexcel
Assessment: 100% external written examinations (two papers)
Why should I study this subject at Key Stage 4?
Business is at the heart of modern society and an understanding of how it operates will allow you to better understand the world around you and how it works.
What does the course involve?
You will learn about business concepts, marketing, innovation in technology, the economy, finance, ethics and the impact of business on individuals and wider society.
We will develop you as an enterprising individual with the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen, drawing on evidence to make informed business decisions and solve business problems.
The course has two main themes; these are then assessed at the end of the course through two externally set examinations. Each exam is worth 90 marks.
Theme 1 – Investigating Small Business (50%)
the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for you to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business
Theme 2 – Building a Business (50%)
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 an emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
In both themes you will be introduced to local and national business contexts and will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions.
Skills developed
You will demonstrate a wide range of transferable employable skills, whilst empowering you to be a critical and reflective thinker with an enquiring mind. You will also harness quantitative skills relevant to business, including using and interpreting data.
This course is best suited to those wishing to develop their analytical skills and knowledge of the world around them.
Studying Business at Sixth Form
Students can continue studying Business as a vocational subject here at Thomas Gainsborough School.