The curriculum intent of Business at Addey and Stanhope School aims to:
• Provide students with a strong theoretical, knowledge-based understanding of the world of business in local, national and global contexts of which they are surrounded.
• Foster a curiosity and contextual understanding of businesses operating in the real world so they can articulate the theory behind real world business decisions.
• Develop a student’s academic skillset of knowledge application, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation.
• Develop a student’s ability to ‘think out loud’.
• Highlight and foster the importance of a strong independent work ethic.
• Develop a student’s financial literacy ensuring they understand a range of financial concepts for the world ahead.
• Develop employability skills within the classroom including teamwork, problem-solving and communication.
• Develop a student’s entrepreneurial skillset.
• Encourage and promote enrichment through a range of classroom activities, discussion, speakers and external activities such as trips and visits.
• Increase a student’s awareness of future career options and the different types of jobs and industries that business can lead.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business concepts and issues - • 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 of business concepts and issues to a variety of contexts - Apply knowledge and understanding to contemporary business issues and to different types and sizes of businesses in local, national and global contexts.
Analyse and evaluate business information and issues to demonstrate understanding of business activity, make judgements and draw conclusions - 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. 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 and understanding of business.
Use of quantitative skills - Develop and apply quantitative skills relevant to business, including using and interpreting data.
Class activities and enrichment
A variety of classroom activities including:
• Discussion
• Exam question material
• Case studies
• Topic worksheets
• Multiple-choice
• Group work and pair work including think-pair-share
• Think out loud activities
• Teacher modelling
• Student modelling
• Discussion and written scaffolds
• Access to exemplar work
• Assessment for learning tasks
• Verbal feedback
• Peer feedback
• Written feedback
• Electronic access to all classroom resources for students
• Skills based activities developing teamwork, problem solving and communication etc.
Enrichment activities including:
• Real business contexts
• Discussion of current affairs
• Guest speakers
• Trips and visits where possible
Students follow the AQA GCSE Business specification at Key Stage Four.
Students will apply their knowledge and understanding to different business contexts ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals and businesses operating in local, national and global contexts. Students will develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour.
Students will apply their knowledge and understanding to business decision making including:
• the interdependent nature of business activity, influences on business, business operations, finance, marketing and human resources, and how these interdependencies underpin business decision making
• how different business contexts affect business decisions
• the use and limitation of quantitative and qualitative data in making business decisions.
The AQA specification requires students to draw on the knowledge and understanding to:
• use business terminology to identify and explain business activity
• apply business concepts to familiar and unfamiliar contexts
• develop problem solving and decision-making skills relevant to business
• investigate, analyse and evaluate business opportunities and issues
• make justified decisions using both qualitative and quantitative data including its selection, interpretation, analysis and evaluation, and the application of appropriate quantitative skills.