A real-world subject taught with real-world application throughout, as the content is taught with references to a wide variety of local and national businesses. The ability to think critically is developed throughout as we look at the advantages and disadvantages of business decisions and justify which decisions are better based on a given scenario. Alongside this, aspiration levels are raised as students gain the skills that will open doors to promotions up an organisation or give them the chance to run their own business in the future.
Our curriculum encourages students to practice the following practical and transferable skills:
Analytical skills to solve problems, interpret data, and make informed business decisions.
Communication skills to explain ideas clearly and present arguments both written and verbally.
Numeracy skills to work with financial information like revenue, profit, and cash flow.
Creative skills to explore marketing ideas and create and develop new products,
Teamwork skills to work with their classmates on tasks set
GCSE Business
Aims
In GCSE Business students will:
- 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 students, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds and use 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.
Year 10
Theme 1 – Investigating small business
Term 1
- Enterprise and entrepreneurship
- Spotting a business opportunity
- Putting a business idea into practice
Term 2
- Making the business effective
- Understanding external influences on business
Term 3
- Creating and running a business – project
- Revision
Year 11
Theme 2 – Building a business
Term 1
- Growing the business
- Making marketing decisions
- Making operational decisions
Term 2
- Making financial decisions
- Making human resources decisions
Term 3
GCSE Assessment
Paper 1: Investigating small business (50%)
Paper 2: Building a business (50%)
GCSE Business specification
A Level Business
Aims
Students are introduced to business in Themes 1 and 2 through building knowledge of core business concepts and applying them to business contexts to develop a broad understanding of how businesses work. Breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, with applications to a wider range of contexts and more complex business information, are developed in Themes 3 and 4, requiring students to take a more strategic view of business opportunities and issues.
Year 12
Term 1 - Theme 1 – Marketing and people
Term 2 -Theme 2 – Managing Business activities
Term 3 - Revision – Theme 1 and 2
Year 13
Term 1 - Theme 3 – Business decisions and strategy
Term 2 - Theme 4 – Marketing and people and Research project – paper 3 pre-release
Term 3 - Revision Theme 1-4
A Level assessment
Paper 1: Marketing, people and global businesses (35%)
Paper 2: Business activities, decisions and strategy (35%)
Paper 3: Investigating business in a competitive environment (30%)
A level Business specification
Updated January 2026
