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In Business Studies

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Courses: For further information on individual courses go to one of the courses below:

GCSE Business Studies

GCSE Information Studies

GNVQ Advanced Business and Finance

Keyboarding

'A' level Economics

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GCSE Business Studies (Southern Examining Group - Course No. 1156))

WHAT IS IN BUSINESS STUDIES?
Business Studies GCSE is an exciting, dynamic course that prepares students for the challenges of the 21st Century and will stretch even the most able. Whether your aim is to pursue an academic career; train for a profession such as law or accountancy or become an entrepreneur in your own right, Business Studies will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills. Indeed the economic, financial, personnel and marketing issues covered are relevant to almost every managerial career - scientists, doctors and journalists all have to manage budgets, staff and publicity nowadays. A key attraction of Business Studies - its "unique selling proposition" in the jargon - is the emphasis on IT skills. Students will become proficient on the latest software such as Microsoft WORD, EXCEL and ACCESS; and can "surf" the Internet in pursuing research for their coursework.

WHERE DOES BUSINESS STUDIES LEAD?
Business Studies GCSE is the first step on the route to a variety of further qualifications. The next stage for students may be to progress to Economics ‘A’ level, Business Studies ‘A’ level or GNVQs in Business and Finance Beyond this Business Studies GCSE students may aspire to degrees and eventual careers in Law, Accountancy, Politics or Journalism or, of course, Economics or Business Studies.

HOW IS THE COURSE ASSESSED
Like other GCSEs the full range of grades from A* to G is available. 75% of the marks are based on a 2 hour exam at the end of the course - available at Higher (A* to D) and Foundation (C to G) levels.
* Section 1 of the exam will consist mainly of short answer questions testing subject knowledge.
* Section 2 will consist of longer, more detailed questions related to a Case study (an 8 page booklet). Students receive the Case Study on a particular business weeks before the exam and then in the exam will be asked to analyse and comment on the challenges the business faces. 25% of the marks are for coursework completed during the 2 year course.
* The coursework is centred around IT skills i.e. using spreadsheets, databases and desk top publishing to evaluate business problems.

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GCSE Information Studies (EDEXCEL COURSE NO. 1502)
WHAT IS IN INFORMATION STUDIES?
Information Studies is a new and exciting course that prepares students for the modern office environment. Students will learn about various aspects of the world of work with a particular emphasis on those involving IT. The six sections in the syllabus are:
1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Communication
4. Human Resources
5. Business Documentation
6. Technological Change

WHERE DOES INFORMATION STUDIES LEAD?
Information Studies is a GCSE with equal status to other GCSEs and therefore can be used as a stepping stone to A-level and GNVQ courses in the Sixth Form. The wide range of skills included mean that this course can support a variety of options post-16. However, it may be that students taking this course are particularly interested in courses in business and IT related areas.

HOW IS THE COURSE ASSESSED?
As with other GCSEs the course is assessed through a mixture of examination and coursework.
80% of the marks are for an exam taken at the end of the course - available at Higher (A* to D) and Foundation (C to G) levels. The examination contains a mixture of tasks written into an answer booklet and tasks to be done on the computer.
* Paper 1 = Foundation = 2 hours = grades G to C contains multiple choice, short answer and structured questions.
* Paper 2 = Higher = 2 hours = grades D to A* contains structured and open ended questions.
The types of tasks included in the examination are:
* some definitions of computing and personnel terms are needed
* some creative writing tasks
* some spreadsheet tasks
* some database tasks
* some word-processing tasks
20% of the marks are for coursework completed over the duration of the 2 year course.
Candidates must submit 3 bits of coursework (simple titles very clearly explained) on each of the 6 syllabus areas explained above. Essentially students complete 18 separate pieces of coursework of 2 to 3 sides in length over the two year course. As with other GCSEs candidates must complete ALL of the coursework to be eligible for GCSE entry and acquire marks according to how many of a series of statements they have met in their coursework portfolio as a whole.

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GNVQ Advanced Business and Finance (EDEXCEL)
WHAT IS ADVANCED GNVQ BUSINESS AND FINANCE?
The course contains 12 units split into the 8 mandatory (i.e. must be done) ones below, and 4 others which your teachers will select from the options available to provide the most attractive course.
Unit 1: Business in the economy
Unit 2: Business organisations and systems
Unit 3: Marketing
Unit 4: Human Resources
Unit 5: Production and employment in the economy
Unit 6: Financial transactions, costing and pricing
Unit 7: Financial forecasting and monitoring
Unit 8: Business planning
As well as the subject content above you will be continually using the Core Skills of IT, Communication and Application of Number in your assignments. Everyone who completes this course will be IT- literate, have excellent presentational skills and all the Maths needed for a successful career!

WHERE DOES ADVANCED GNVQ BUSINESS LEAD?
Students achieving their Advanced level GNVQ will be multi-skilled and therefore have many options.
Many students will go on to university, but probably to do career orientated courses such as Business Studies, Accountancy, Estate Management, Information Technology or Journalism; students probably won’t be doing a degree in a traditional discipline such as Mathematics, Physics or Anthropology. Others may go straight into management - perhaps as a management trainee with a local or national company; or some other aspect of business such as Retail Management, Personnel Management, Foundation Year Accountancy etc.

HOW IS THE COURSE ASSESSED?
The key difference between this course and an A-level in say, Economics is the assessment. GNVQs stress investigation of the real world by requiring students to find out about businesses, perhaps things that no-one has written about before, and then explaining findings in either written reports, oral presentations or, perhaps, video footage. Coursework of sorts, rather than exams, is the main thing.
Students must complete all assignments to complete the course and must additionally pass a multiple choice test on each of the mandatory units.

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Keyboarding (NON-GCSE) (RSA and Pitman examinations)
This course is designed to offer an alternative to the traditional GCSE route for students who may find the demands of GCSE difficult in some respects. Students taking this course will work through a graduated scheme of IT examinations with the initial emphasis on word-processing. All students should expect to be entered for:

KEYBOARDING - PROFILE (PITMAN)
* Time allowed - 30 minutes
* Four tasks
1. Circling errors - incorrect copy against copy - for 3 minutes
2. Typing 700 letters in 7 minutes
3. Typing 800 signs and symbols in 10 minutes
4. Typing 800 numbers in 10 minutes
* Profile certificate awarded to all candidates who complete all four tasks

TEXT PRODUCTION SKILLS (PITMAN)
* Time allowed - 1 hour + 5 minutes reading time
* Four tasks:
1. Typing in a piece of informative text
2. Typing in a letter relating to the above
3. Display item (these 3 items together will form 225 to 300 words)
4. A proof reading task of 100 words

PRACTICAL WORD PROCESSING (PITMAN)
Time allowed - 30 minutes
Candidates must:
Key in text, save it, correct it and print it
Recall the text, make revisions, correct it and print it
Initial Text Processing (RSA)
* Time allowed = 1 hour
* Three tasks:
1. Typing in a letter
2. Designing a notice
3. Typing a document and marking the necessary corrections
Additionally candidates who make particularly good progress may be entered for further examinations such as:
* Word processing - elementary (PITMAN)
* Text Processing Stage 1 Part 1 (RSA)
* Computer Literacy and Information Technology (RSA)

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'A' level Economics (AEB 0618C)
SYLLABUS CONTENT
This course will introduce students to the basic principles of economic theory and look at how they can be used to explain what is going on in the UK economy.
* The topics to be covered are:
* The Economic Problem
* Demand, Supply and the Market Mechanism
* Market failure and Government Intervention in Individual Markets
* The National Economy and the Activities of Government
Students can expect to look at issues such as:
* What determines the price of houses?
* What role do Trade Unions have in determining wages?
* What makes an industry efficient?
* What causes inflation?
No previous knowledge of Economics is necessary. However, the course requires sound numerical and written skills and students will need C or better grades in both Mathematics and English Language GCSEs.

HOW WILL STUDENTS STUDY?
Students can expect a mixture of approaches. Background theory will be taught in a teacher-led fashion; case studies of the UK economy will be discussed regularly; and independent student research will be a key requirement.
Students taking the course must be committed to studying in their own time and take an interest in relevant newspaper articles and television programmes.

HOW WILL IT BE ASSESSED?
Paper 1 = 25% = Objective Test = 40 multiple choice questions in 1 hour
Paper 2 = 55% = Data Response and Essays = 1 out of 2 Data Response questions and 3 out of 8 essays in 3 hours
Coursework = 20% = One assignment of between 2,500 and 3,500 words

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Student Views Of course, if you're bored stiff with these subjects why not look at the students' view on each course:

Students' views of GCSE Business Studies

Students' views of GCSE Information Studies

Students' views of GNVQ Advanced Business and Finance

Students' views of Keyboarding

Students' views of 'A' level Economics

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Students' views of GCSE Business Studies

Tom Aylott
"The computer work is the best part of Business Studies."
Tom Hannigan
"Business Studies is occasionally interesting."
John Hayes
"Business Studies is interesting and useful, and I especially like the lessons in the computer rooms."
Joanne Lee
"Business Studies is fun, interesting, and is a good chance to use computers."
Juan Sanchez
"I like having lots of homework."
Dominic Santoliquido
" I like the lessons working in the computer rooms."

Students' views of GCSE Information Studies

Hannah Cartlidge
"It is good as I enjoy computers and I want to know more about them."
Stephen Ricketts
"The work I enjoyed doing was the pages for our magazine. I was able to use several scanned photos, pictures from magazines and comics and two pictures I drew."

Students' views of GNVQ Advanced Business and Finance

Jay Brown
"Opting for this course was the best decision I have made. The course structure is set up really well, the teachers are helpful and know a lot about business in general."
Stuart Morbey
"I feel the course has been set up really well. It is well organised and the teachers are extremely helpful."
Mohammed Khan
"Our school is one of the most up to date in IT provision and equipment in Oxfordshire. The teachers are great and helpful and the course is designed to help in whatever career you want to go into after leaving education."
Rob Lewis
"I can see GNVQs being more popular than 'A' Levels in a few years due to the way they are assessed."
Leah Williams
"I find GNVQ courses less intense than 'A' Levels, we are able to visit companies and our varied assignments include displays, presentations, reports discussions etc.. It's much more fun!"

Students' views of Keyboarding Students haven't yet had a chance to voice their opinions.
Students' views of 'A' level Economics

Natalie Jacottet
"We love economics. Try it, you'll like it!"
Tom King
"Economics is an intriguing subject which I would recommend to everyone for 'A' Level."
Ruth Keeling
"Economics is super. The diagrams are great and the theories make real sense and can be applied to real life. Oh yes!"
Russell Priest
"Economics 'A' Level is full of cryptic knowledge which few mortals understand. If you take the course, you too could be privy to the elite information."
Neil Lee
"Economics 'A' Level is like work experience, it looks good on your UCAS form but you hate it."
John Gardiner
"..notes and notes and notes. If you can slog your way through these and if you have a logical mind then economics is for you. But you must be prepared to work!!"

Website Links If you are a: bored with this page, b: don't like this page, c: want some Business Studies links, d: want to go to the Cherwell Homepage, or e: just want to leave, look below:

-The Treasury's page Excellent for up to date government policy and for data series. Essential viewing.
-The Economics and Business Education Association page It includes a variety of useful information. The "best" bit may be the up to date data on the UK economy..
-Social Sciences Information Gateway Includes Business Studies.
-The World Bank Group - excellent for A-Level coursework
-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Tons of data on developed economies
-The Office of National Statistics - data on the UK economy
-CiA World Fact Book - Economics Section
-Business Processes Resource Centre
-Heinemann Business Studies and Economics Site
-Asia Information Project
-Ethical Business
-Return to Cherwell Home Page
Credits This page has been constructed by John Hayes and maintained by Stuart Lawson using HTML Notepad

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