Intent
It is the intent of the Social Science faculty to ensure that its students acquire the essential educational capital, cultural capital and social capital to which they are entitled. We seek to facilitate the personal development of our students as well as provide them with the qualifications necessary for their chosen career paths.
We endeavour to pass on to our students the powerful knowledge that the social sciences provide, allowing our students to interpret and navigate the world in which they live; with the ultimate ambition that they will achieve academically and go on to improve our society. It is our intent that the knowledge taught is grounded in the key concepts, big ideas and fundamental operations of each domain within the faculty.
We believe that demanding and challenging work is an entitlement to all students, rather than something that is an ‘addition’ or an ‘enrichment’. Challenge must not be rationed for a small group of ‘more able’ students. It is our intent to push and challenge all students academically as a matter of course. Access to difficult material will be secured within lessons through talk, scaffolding, modelling, feedback and independent practice. It is our intent that teaching and learning will be routed in the science of learning and evidence informed.
Implementation
This course is clearly sequenced with Unit 1 focused on business concepts: such as as legal structures, business plans, objectives and stakeholders that form the basis of all our learning in Business Studies concentrating on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business. Unit 2 then looks as the external business environment including exchange rates, interest rates, legislation and ethics and how businesses can use these concepts to their advantage. Finally, Units 3-6 examines how businesses develops their functional areas including Finance, Human Resources, Operations and Marketing to grow their business and exploit opportunities in the market.
In Business, we utilise well documented research and lots of business models to underpin our teaching and learning. The widely renowned “Rosenshine Principles” form the basis of our teaching style, where new content is introduced by the expert teacher, students have opportunities to expand their understanding through discussion tasks, paired work or shared learning, followed by opportunities for students to independently practice to cement their understanding. We make use of frequent review of learning, using data-driven instruction techniques to help close gaps where they occur. In order to create a love of learning we introduce business concepts using real world examples and we make sure students are aware of change in the external environment as well as the objectives of real businesses including their development, problems and innovations.
Impact
Business Studies is a well-constructed, thoughtfully taught subject which has historically led to above average GCSE results. The newly introduced V Cert Business and Enterprise course has also allowed learners to be successful in their study.
An element of curiosity and enjoyment is introduced from the very first Business lesson and continues throughout Key Stage 4, not only coming from the teaching staff but also from looking at what real businesses are doing including their innovations, marketing, share prices as well as the impact of the economy, exchange rates and legislation on business objectives and strategy.
Many students choose to continue their studies with us studying Business Studies at A Level which builds nicely on the GCSE scheme of learning. Business students go on to study a wide range of University courses including International Business, Business and Finance as well as Business and Economics.