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Sawtry Community College |
The department consists of three experienced teachers;
Miss Heather Forrester (Head of Department)
Mr Adam Mace
Mr Simon Woodhouse
The staff work closely together creating resources, sharing good practice and delivering a vast range of examination based courses.
The department is equipped with its own suite of rooms with full Information Technology capacity.
Key Stage 4:
As an option subject in Year 10 the following two year business course will be offered from September 2012:
AQA GCSE Business Studies (Syllabus 4133). For full information please look at:
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcses/business/new/business_materials.php?id=04&prev=04
GCSE Summary
Unit 1 – Setting up a Business 40% Examination |
Unit 2 – Growing as a Business |
Unit 3 – Investigating Businesses |
This unit introduces students to issues concerning the setting up and operation of a business. It explores the activities of business and the reasons for success or failure. It encourages candidates to appreciate that businesses must operate within society and that this involves businesses engaging with a wide range of stakeholders who will hold differing perspectives. |
This unit builds upon the content of Unit 1, allowing candidates to study businesses as they grow and the issues that expansion raises. |
This unit is a controlled assessment unit. The work must be each candidate’s own individual response and must be produced under controlled conditions. Past examples include:
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GCSE Business Studies leads on to a wide variety of options post 16. There are numerous level 3 qualifications that Business Studies links to directly and indirectly as well as the world of work and apprenticeships. At Sawtry Community College we offer level 3 courses in AS/2 Business Studies and Economics as well as an Applied AS/2 in Business Studies. Whilst it is not necessary to have studied GCSE to gain entry onto the Level 3 courses, it can help with student’s understanding about what the course and subject content involves.
Key Stage 5
At Key Stage 5 Business Studies and Economics continue to be a popular option for many existing and new students of the subject.
The current courses on offer are:
GCE Business Studies AQA (Syllabus 2130)
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/business/business_noticeboard.php?id=05&prev=05
AS Level
The AS is assessed by two formal exams in June.
- BUS1: Planning and Financing a Business (worth 40% of the AS, 20% A2) 1 hour 15 mins
This unit covers the issues involved in a business start-up, such as research and planning, as well as the factors that determine success
- BUS2: Managing a Business (worth 60% of the AS, 30% A2) 1 hour 30 mins
This unit focuses on how established businesses might improve their effectiveness by making tactical decisions at a functional level.
A2 Level
A2 Business Studies looks to build upon students’ knowledge and add depth to their understanding of Business. The A2 course consists of two units and both examinations at A2 are synoptic
- BUS4: The Business Environment and Managing Change (25% of A2)
- Assessed January of Yr 13
This unit assesses the external factors that can act as catalysts for change, and considers these in relation to a range of businesses. This unit also examines the ways in which businesses can manage change successfully when responding to external stimuli. 50% of this exam is based on pre-seen material that students will research independently with teacher guidance before the examination.
- BUS3: Strategies for Success (25% of A2)
- Assessed June of Yr 13
This unit focuses on larger businesses which may be trading in international markets, and how managers might measure the performance of the business. This unit considers functional strategies that larger businesses may adopt to achieve their objectives.
GCE Applied Business Studies AQA (8611 AS and 8613 A2)
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/business/app_business_materials.php?id=05&prev=05
Advanced Subsidiary (AS) GCE (3 AS Units)
Units: 1, 2, 3.
Advanced GCE (A2) 3 AS and 3 A2 Units
Units: 1, 2, 3 plus A2 Unit 8 and two A2 Units
Compulsory AS
Unit 1 Investigating Business
Unit 2 People in Business
Unit 3 Financial Planning and Monitoring (External Test)
Compulsory A2
Unit 8 Business Planning
Optional Units to be decided by the department:
Plus two units from the following including at least one external test
Unit 9 Marketing Strategy
Unit 10 Promotional Activities
Unit 11 The Marketing Environment (External Test)
Unit 12 Managing People (External Test)
Unit 13 Managing Information
Unit 14 Managing Change
Unit 15 Financial Accounting for Managers (External Test)
Unit 16 Managing Resources
Future Opportunities for Business Studies Applied and GCE:
Business Studies combines well with a variety of other Advanced level courses. The A2 qualification leads onto higher education in a variety of degrees. Many Universities offer Business Studies as a single subject degree, but also as a combination degree with a wide range of other subjects. You may also wish to focus on one aspect of Business Studies at degree level such as Accountancy, Marketing or Human Resources, all of which are possible from A2 Business Studies. You could go straight into a job related to business as the GCE is a recognised qualification that will help you develop the basic knowledge and understanding about how a business works. The qualification will also support a trainee management or apprenticeship course within a company and help you develop the skills, understanding and experience to work towards management level.
Business Studies
Business studies courses give you a broad overview of how the commercial world operates. They usually cover the whole range of functions to give a firm foundation which can be applied in any sector or industry. As well as developing the essential transferable or ‘soft’ skills that employers demand, you build technical knowledge and skills and have the opportunity to specialise through options or a dissertation.
The strengths cultivated through business studies include:
- understanding organisational behaviour and structure;
- critical thinking and analytical skills, alongside familiarity with evaluative techniques;
- a creative problem-solving approach and sound, logical decision-making skills;
- effective and persuasive written and oral communication skills;
- numeracy and the ability to research, interpret and use business and financial data and information;
- self-reliance, initiative and the ability to manage time, projects and resources;
- appreciation of the causes and effects of economic and other external changes.
These attributes are much sought after by employers, since they build commercial awareness and allow employees to start contributing to the organisation quickly.
The course structure and design of assignments also boost employability, with presentations, group work, independent projects and business simulation activities giving ample opportunity for development.
The skills developed on your courses as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Will help lead to a variety of successful careers.
Former Business Studies students are found in almost every employment sector but around 23% typically enter employment in commercial, industrial and public sector management. Commercial roles exist in all types of industry, including:
- retail;
- distribution;
- hospitality and leisure;
- financial institutions;
- sales;
- marketing;
- production management
Jobs directly related to Business Studies:
- Management consultant - advises client businesses on getting value for money, maximising growth or improving performance.
- Systems analyst - examines a business activity to help decide whether new IT solutions will improve productivity.
- Chartered accountant - provides accountancy, audit/assurance, tax and business advisory services to external or internal clients.
- Chartered management accountant - analyses business performance and provides financial information to set policy and help organisations plan future development.
- Insurance underwriter - decides whether to accept insurance cover applications and sets terms by assessing risk factors to determine likelihood of a claim.
- Logistics and distribution manager - manages the supply, movement, distribution and/or storage of goods and materials.
- Investment banker (corporate finance) - provides investment and advisory services to client companies, institutions and governments.
Jobs where Business Studies would be useful:
- Marketing executive - develops product brands using marketing and promotional campaigns. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) field covers high-volume, low-value goods with high public visibility and a short life span, such as food, drink, confectionery, toiletries and household goods.
- Human resources officer - develops, advises on and implements policies for the effective deployment of an organisation’s human resources (HR). The work may involve recruitment and selection, training and development, employee relations and discipline, pay and conditions, departmental restructuring and diversity.
- Advertising account executive - works for an advertising agency that serves outside clients, acts as a link between client and agency and coordinates the client’s campaigns.
- Retail merchandiser - responsible for retail product planning and works closely with buying teams to forecast trends, plan stock levels and monitor performance.
- Banker - provides financial services to individual and business customers including: bank accounts, cash handling, cheque clearing, credit and debit cards, loans and mortgages, foreign currency, and insurance products.
- Sales executive - maximises sales of a company’s goods or services in designated markets at home or overseas. Opportunities include those in FMCG, consumer durables (e.g. clothing, footwear, domestic equipment, toys) and in specialist industrial supply.
Latest Feature:
James Dyson Link: http://vimeo.com/10816801
GCE Economics AQA (Syllabus 2140)
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/business/economics_materials.php?id=05&prev=05#?id=05&prev=05
AS Level
The AS is assessed by two formal exams in June.
- ECON 1: Markets and Market Failure
50% of AS, 25% of A Level 1 hour 15 minutes examination 75 marks (100 UMS)
Section A: 25 compulsory objective test items (25 marks)
Section B: Two optional data response questions are set; candidates answer one. (50 marks)
Students will be required to acquire knowledge and understanding of some basic microeconomic models
and to apply these to current problems and issues. Basic microeconomic models such as demand and supply, the operation of the price mechanism, and causes of market failure are central to this unit.
- ECON 2: The National Economy
50% of AS, 25% of A Level 1 hour 15 minutes examination 75 marks (100 UMS)
Section A: 25 compulsory objective test items (25 marks)
Section B: Two optional data response questions are set; candidates answer one.(50 marks)
Candidates will be required to acquire knowledge and understanding of the economic performance of the UK. They should be able to analyse trends and explore recent and current economic behaviour. They should understand, and be able to analyse and evaluate, macroeconomic policy.
A2 Level
A2 Economics looks to build upon students’ knowledge and add depth to their understanding of Economics form AS. The A2 course consists of two units and both examinations at A2 are synoptic
- ECON4: The National and International Economy
25% of A Level 2 hour examination 80 marks (100 UMS)
Section A: Two optional data response questions are set; candidates answer one. (40 marks) One question will always relate to the global context and the other to the European Union context.
Section B: Three optional essay questions are set; candidates answer one. (40 marks)
Examined in January of Year 13
Students should be able to apply the macroeconomic analysis from Unit 2 to the issues raised in this unit. They should be able to analyse and evaluate the causes of changes in macroeconomic indicators in greater depth than expected at AS Level. There is an emphasis in Unit 4 on the consequences of changes in macroeconomic indicators. It is expected that students will acquire a good knowledge of trends and developments in the economy which have taken place during the past ten years and also have an awareness of earlier events where this helps to give recent developments a longer term perspective.
Students should appreciate the ways in which developments in the United Kingdom economy can be related to the global and European Union (EU) contexts.
- ECON 3: Business Economics and the Distribution of Income
25% of A Level 2 hour examination 80 marks (100 UMS)
Section A: Two optional data response questions are set; candidates answer one. (40 marks) One question will always relate to the global context and the other to the European Union context.
Section B: Three optional essay questions are set; candidates answer one. (40 marks).
Examined in June of Year 13
This Unit builds on the knowledge and skills students have developed in Unit 1. It will require students to use and evaluate more complex microeconomic models; for example, perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly, and to develop further their critical approach to such economic models and methods of enquiry.
Students will need to demonstrate a realistic understanding of the decisions made by firms and how their behaviour can be affected by the structure and characteristics of the industry. In this Unit, students are required to develop a more formal understanding of economic efficiency and the arguments for and against government intervention in markets than was required at AS level.
Future Opportunities
Economics combines well with a variety of other Advanced level courses. The A2 qualification leads onto higher education in a variety of degrees. Many Universities offer Economics as a single subject degree, but also as a combination degree with a wide range of other subjects. Economics is a highly respected qualification and develops transferable skills that Universities look in any degree subject and therefore leads into a range of degrees. However, you could go straight into a job related to business as the GCE is a recognised qualification that will help you develop the basic knowledge and understanding about how the economy works and how it impacts on business. The qualification will also support a trainee management or apprenticeship course within a company and help you develop the skills, understanding and experience to work towards management level. .
Jobs directly related to Economics
- Economist - provides specialist advice based on the application of economic theory and knowledge. Through studying data and statistics along with considerable research, economists are able to forecast future trends and make recommendations.
- Industry economist - generally employed by large transnational corporations, an industry economist undertakes research that leads to the collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of statistical data.
- Agricultural economist - offers advice on trends directly related to agriculture and rural considerations. Agricultural economists also advise farmers on improving their businesses.
Jobs where Economics would be useful
- Financial risk analyst - identifies and analyses potential risks threatening the economic wellbeing of organisations. Financial risk analysts are responsible for predicting change, forecasting costs and predicting future trends. This role would allow economics graduates to use theories and models of economics as well as their advanced skills in statistical analysis.
- Credit analyst - undertakes risk assessment analysis surrounding monetary lending proposals. This role would utilise the strong decision making, analytical and numeracy skills that economic graduates possess.
- Chartered accountant, Chartered certified accountant and Chartered public finance accountant - employed within private practice, industry, commerce and the public sector, accountants in these roles deal with financial reporting and providing a wide range of accounting services. They utilise the statistical analysis and numeracy skills, as well as the decision making and reporting data skills, of economics graduates.
- Actuarial consultant - uses statistical and mathematical knowledge to make long-term financial forecasts. This information is used by both financial and governmental bodies to inform policy, solve current financial difficulties and aid future planning. Utilising the underpinning economic knowledge and excellent numeracy skills, this role would be suitable for an economics graduate.
- Statistician - working in a wide range of sectors, statisticians are concerned with managing and designing collections of statistical data, analysis and interpretation of results and the subsequent presentation of findings. This role is suited to economics graduates because of its high focus on analysis and numeracy.
- Civil Service fast streamer - an accelerated development programme preparing exceptional graduates for high-level positions within the civil service. Graduates can specialise depending on their interest, although the economist and statistician routes may be of particular interest to economics graduates.
- CE Applied Business AQA (Syllabus 8616)
Extra-Curricular Activities
As a department Enterprise activities are an integral part of our activities. Students in Year 10 have the opportunity to set up a small business and complete the Sawtry Business Scheme. 6th form students act as business mentors and guide the Year 10 students as their business is set up and established.
Young Enterprise is a popular and well established component of the Sixth Form enrichment programme. Sawtry Community College has had success in Young Enterprise for a number if years with awards including ‘Best Presentation’, ‘Best Company Report’ and Entrepreneur of the Huntingdon Area. Young Enterprise offers students the opportunity to set up and run their own business, learning first-hand the trials and tribulations they may face in the future. It is an internationally recognised competition that allows students to learn through doing. It develops many of skills employers and Universities look for and is also great fun.
Further Information:
If you would like any more information on any of the courses or for further information then please contact the department at the college.
E mail address: heather.forrester@sawtrycc.org.uk
More information also available from examination boards:www.aqa.org.uk