BUSINESS STUDIES (ULEAC) AND

BUSINESS WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SEG)

At present two options are available for Year 10 students, the traditional Business Studies and the more practical Business with Information Technology.

The main difference between the two is that the Business with Information Technology is taught mainly in the school IT room and a large proportion of lesson time is spent using the school’s computers. More emphasis is placed here on learning through experience and the self-discipline needed to encourage students to think for themselves is developed.

Business Studies has the traditional approach of classroom study and student coursework investigations that has proven to be very successful over a number of years.

BUSINESS STUDIES

Business Studies involves an in-depth study of the business community and the economic environment in which organisations exist. The study of the subject provides an explanation of the complicated world of work that students will shortly face.

The subject looks closely at all aspects of business life. After studying the subject the student will be able to answer questions about; why firms have particular structures; why they make the production, marketing, pricing and distribution decisions that are important for their survival; and suggest reasons for the other many trading decisions that they make. Students will also be introduced to the complicated accounting systems used by firms and they will be able to use published accounts to examine how effectively each firm has succeeded in its profit and other business aims. Industrial relations and problems concerned with employing people to work in business are also examined in detail. The role of the government in exerting an influence over the daily life of business will also be covered.

Assessment is in the form of a final written exam (75%) and a coursework element (25%) which is made-up of one written assignment. Here, the student will study how local firms cope with some of their major problems.

Business Studies is a subject that will prove particularly useful in many varied careers. Commerce, banking, insurance, computing, journalism, management and politics are just a few of the many areas that appreciate some form of understanding of the way that the complicated business world functions

BUSINESS WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SEG

This course is designed to integrate two separate GCSE subjects

--- Business Studies and Information Technology.

The course is delivered using a number of projects and exercises that will involve the student partaking in a number of Industrial Surveys to see how Businesses in the local community have survived, grown and coped with the problems they have encountered. Time in class will be divided between using the school computers and a more formal classroom study of Business studies text books and Case Study material. Information technology will be widely used for presenting information (WORD PROCESSING); to enter and access data (DATABASES and SPREADSHEETS); and encourage imaginative design techniques (DESK-TOP PUBLISHING).

The student will spend a majority of lesson time using the school computers. The second school computer room with modern computers will be used to deliver this course.

The syllabus is designed to fulfil three aims:

1. Encourage a practical approach to learning, using the local community as a resource for study.

2. Encourage candidates to develop initiative and the skills of problem-solving and decision making.

3. Provide common curriculum experiences in Business and Information Technology education.

Each pupil will be assessed in two ways:

1. He will be required to produce a Portfolios of Coursework, covering the main areas of study. This counts for 50% of the final mark.

2. He will sit two written examination papers in his final term. This counts for 50% of the final mark.

This course will enable the student to combine an exploration of the mysteries of Business and Finance with the development of practical and essential Computing skills.

The student will have a good preparation for the related A Level subjects of Economics and Business Studies but will also have developed a valuable understanding of how the Business community works. This will stand him in good stead for many different career choices.