Head of Department:  Mr C Hill

At KS4, the WJEC Eduqas GCSE in Business encourages learners to:

• know and understand business concepts, business terminology, business objectives, the integrated nature of business activity and the impact of business on individuals and wider society
• apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues and to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts
• develop as enterprising individuals with the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen, and draw on evidence to make informed business decisions and solve business problems
• develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
• use an enquiring, critical approach to make informed judgements
• investigate and analyse real business opportunities and issues to construct well-argued,well-evidenced, balanced and structured arguments, demonstrating their depth and breadth of  understanding of business
• develop and apply quantitative skills relevant to business, including using and interpreting data

This GCSE specification introduces learners to the business world, empowering them to develop as commercially minded and enterprising individuals. Learners will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills, enabling them to use business information critically, to develop arguments, to make justified decisions and to prepare them for further study and career pathways.

The focus of the specification is to introduce and nurture an enthusiasm for studying business in a range of contexts. Learners will appreciate how businesses operate in a dynamic and competitive environment and develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business functions from a local to a global perspective.

Specific examples of study include:

• What is business, and what businesses do
• Aims and objectives
• How businesses choose their location
• Different types of ownership
• Functional areas of a business and how they all work together
• Communication in business
• How businesses are affected by the economy, environmental policies and government
• Finance – making cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements and budgets; how to raise finance; calculating profit, and average rates of return and how to interpret financial documents
• Marketing and market research
• Recruitment and training

Assessment

There are 2 written exam papers at the end of Year 11; both including any of the content studied. Paper 1 lasts 2 hours and comprises a mixture of short and longer answers. Paper 2 lasts 1 ¾ hours, and focuses on questions about the 2 case studies given in the exam. As with all the new GCSEs, the emphasis is on skills; students will be asked to apply the knowledge they have learnt during the course.