KS4 Options Pathways Booklet 2012-2014 - Pershore High School

BUSINESS STUDIESGCSE (Edexcel)This course will appeal to you if you have an interest in howbusinesses are set up and run. At whatever stage we choose to leaveeducation and go to work, we all end up working for a business ofsome form and the more we know about those businesses the betterequipped we are.The course covers various topics including, enterprise, marketing,finance, human resources and wider economic issues. These arestudied over two years.In Year 10 you will study small businesses, looking at how they are set up and the skillsneeded to be successful. You will develop a new product yourself and look at the skillsneeded by business people to develop their ideas, the problems they may encounter andhow they try to get us to buy from them. You will also investigate local businesses to seehow they put theory into practice.In Year 11 you will learn how businesses build on their initial success with a focus onmarketing, meeting customer needs and managing their finances.Assessment for the course:Written multiple choice examination at the end of Year 11 25%Controlled Assessment piece on a localbusiness 25%Written examination at the end of Year 11 50%BTEC LEVEL 2 FIRST AWARD IN BUSINESSBTEC (Edexcel)This is an alternative to the conventional GCSE approach but equivalent to 1 GCSE gradeA*-C. BTECs have been re-designed to provide specialist work-related qualifications in arange of sectors. The BTEC in Business gives learners the knowledge and understandingthat they need to prepare for employment or further education and allow them to develop arange of skills and techniques, personal skills and attributes essential for successfulperformance in working life. During the course you will have the opportunity to visit anumber of companies to investigate how they operate.BTEC Business will appeal to you if you:want variety in the way you work and are assessed at Key Stage 4, only 25% ofoverall grade is externally assessed.have an interest in vocational work-related qualificationswish to progress to other courses such as A levels, BTEC National Diplomas orNVQsare encouraged by working independently and as a team.The course is comprised of 4 units looking at a number of different aspects of howbusinesses are set up, organised and run. These might include customer relations, howbusinesses are financed, how people are managed, training and employment, businessenterprise and how to start a small business.There are 2 core units that have to be studied:22