Year 10

Examination Board - AQA 4133

Curriculum Organisation

Students have three lessons per week in Year 10 and are taught in mixed ability groups, which are allocated depending on which option block is chosen. Course books are ‘Business Studies for GCSE – AQA Nelson Thornes’ and ‘CGP Business Studies Revision Guide’.

Independent Study

Students will be given a work booklet of resources and notes for each mini-module they study. This booklet will enable students to catch-up on missed work if absent or give them the chance to read ahead in preparation of future lessons. Each work booklet will have a variety of tasks and extension work.

Students are expected to read outside of lessons.  They should be making notes from the relevant Chapters of areas being taught, either on flash cards or by using PowerPoint. Students should also take an interest in ‘real’ business issues, by reading the ‘business’ newspapers.

Each half-term there will be an assessment, as follows:

1st half-term End of topic 1 TEST – Starting a Business
2nd half-term End of topic 2 TEST - Marketing
3rd half-term End of topic 3 TEST – Finance
4th half-term End of topic 4 TEST – People in Business
5th half-term End of topic 5 TEST – Operations Management
6th half-term End of Unit 1 External Examination

Assessment and Reporting

Students will be assessed against ‘real’ GCSE criteria throughout the year and these will be used to grade students accordingly for reporting. Student progress will be monitored using a departmental tracking sheet and targets will be set from this data, as appropriate. Students will also be expected to set their own targets at the end of each work booklet. Extension tasks will also be set to further the knowledge of high achieving students.

Extra Curricular Opportunities

Students will get the chance to participate in various Enterprise projects.

Useful Websites

Business Studies revision site! http://www.freewebs.com/jcbiz
AQA exam board course specification http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-3133-W-SP-09.PDF
AQA exam board past examination papers and mark schemes http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/bus_b_assess.php
Tutor2u revision materials http://www.tutor2u.net/
BBC Business News search http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/default.stm
Business Studies Online revision materials http://www.businessstudiesonline.co.uk/
BBC Working Lunch online business news programme http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/working_lunch/default.stm
S-Cool revision site http://www.s-cool.co.uk/default.asp
BBC Bitesize revision site http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/
The Times newspaper 100 case studies http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/index.php
Biz-Ed revision materials http://www.bized.co.uk/

Autumn Term

Area of study:   Starting a Business  (syllabus codes 1.1 – 1.5)
    Marketing (syllabus codes 2.1 – 2.2)

Specific content:  Enterprise, Business Objectives, Planning, Legal structures and Location.
    Market research and methods, Using the Marketing Mix.
 
Learning objectives:  Will be written on work booklets
Extension opportunities:  Will be clearly in work booklets

Spring Term

Area of study:   Finance (syllabus code 3.1 – 3.3)
    People in Business (syllabus code 4.1 - 4.3)    

Specific content:  Finance and support for small businesses, Terms and simple calculations,
    Using cashflow and Identifying solutions to cashflow problems.           Recruitment, Motivation and Legislation.

Learning objectives:  Will be written on work booklets
Extension opportunities:  Will be clearly in work booklets

Summer Term

Area of study:   Operations Management (syllabus codes 5.1- 5.2)
Specific content:  Production methods, Efficiency and Quality, Customer Service.    
Learning objectives:  Will be written on work booklets
Extension opportunities:  Will be clearly in work booklets