Subject intent

The Business department at John Ferneley College aims to develop young business people and entrepreneurs who have knowledge on a local, national and international level.  The courses at GCSE have been developed to include a wider understanding of the legal, political, social, and environmental context of business. The external environment is forever changing and evolving. Our intention is that students are equipped with knowledge and skills that can be adapted to the future business world, after all, one day they will either work for a business or own their own business. Our students will be able to understand businesses not only from a consumer perspective, but also from an employee and owner’s viewpoint too.

We are extremely fortunate at John Ferneley to offer Business Studies at Key Stage 3, where students really engage and enjoy the subject. Key business topics are introduced to pique interest in Years 7 and 8 to provide students with a greater understanding of the world around them, such as why businesses exist and business ethics. Year 9 moves to looking at the future for students in relation to personal finance and pathways beyond Year 11, linking to the Gatsby Benchmarks.

The specifications we have chosen for GCSE are aimed at giving students the opportunity to explore real business issues and how businesses work. It has been designed with a clear and straightforward structure to enable students to access and engage with the world of business.

There are two pathways available:

• AQA GCSE Business Studies is a course that students will be able to show their knowledge and understanding of business concepts through the application of case-studies. The units provide opportunities to explore theories and concepts in the most relevant way, through the context of events in the business and economic world. The knowledge and skills gained from this specification will provide our students with a firm foundation for further study in any area of business.
• OCR Cambridge National is developed for those students who wish to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of business concepts through a more vocational route. The skills that they will develop through the process of producing a business plan and final business pitch will further develop and enhance their employability skills and provide a foundation for further study.

Both specifications for Business Studies are broad and cover a wide range of topic areas, which includes:

• Business in the real world
• Influences on business
• Business operations
• Human resources
• Marketing
• Finance

 

Subject Journey