Business and related subjects (such as the ‘FAME’ group – Finance, Accounting, Management and Economics) are among the most popular fields of study, particularly at graduate level.  Business / Economics graduates are in high demand worldwide because business and economics touches on pretty much every aspect of modern human society, careers with a business / economics degree are diverse and often highly paid.

Post university employment rates of economists are among the highest for graduates. An economics degree enables students to gain transferable skills in problem solving, quantitative analysis and communication. They are likely to find employment in finance, banking, insurance, accountancy, management and consultancy. Some become professional economists.

Enrichment

In Business and Economics we invite students to spend lunchtimes with us so that they can hone their entrepreneurial skills or just discuss the news of the day.  We also make very good use of social media to stay connected and ensure all our students are picking up on what’s relevant for their courses, so no one gets left behind, even if they can’t be in school that day.

Trips and Events

We visit Disneyland Paris at KS5 and Thorpe Park at KS4.  Both purely educational visits provide great opportunities for students to see successful businesses models in action.  Disneyland also offers students the opportunity to hear speakers from a wide range of other innovative businesses at the IMAX Cinema.   When available, we also attend subject specific conferences at the Vue Cinema, Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, London.

Subject Leader: Mrs V Commons (vcommons@fortpitt.medway.sch.uk)

Curriculum Content

Key Stage 4 – Business

Exam board: (EDEXCEL)

Business will allow you to develop a variety of transferable skills that will improve your employability and stay with you for the rest of your life, regardless of what career you choose. Here are a few of the skills you will develop and perfect throughout your business studies ventures:  effective decision making, numeracy, problem solving, planning, giving presentations, working as team, leadership and literacy.

Year 9

Theme 1: Investigating small business

1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship

1.2 Spotting a business opportunity

1.3 Putting a business idea into practice

1.4 Making the business effective

1.5 Understanding external influences on business

Projects – Spotting a Business Opportunity / Showing Enterprise, Adding Value and Understanding the Economic Environment

Year 10

Theme 2: Building a business

2.1 Growing the business

2.2 Making marketing decisions

2.3 Making operational decisions

2.4 Making financial decisions

2.5 Making human resource decisions

Projects – Making a start-up more effective and one free choice from a range of titles.

Year 11

• Theme 1 revisited
• Theme 2 revisited
• Business numeracy
• Examination preparation for Paper 1
• Examination preparation for Paper 2

Key Stage 5 – Business 

Exam board: EDEXCEL

Year 12

Marketing and People / Managing business activities

1.1 Meeting customer needs

1.2 Market

1.3 Marketing mix and strategy

1.4 Managing people

1.5 Entrepreneurs and leaders 

2.1 Raising finance

2.2 Financial planning

2.3 Managing finance

2.4 Resource management

2.5 External influences

Revision and mock examination preparation

Year 13

Business decisions and strategy / Global business

3.1 Business objectives and strategy

3.2 Business growth

3.3 Decision-making techniques

3.4 Influences on business decisions

3.5 Assessing competitiveness

3.6 Managing change

4.1 Globalisation

4.2 Global markets and business expansion

4.3 Global marketing

4.4 Global industries and companies (multinational corporations)

Revision and A level examination preparation

Key Stage 5 – ECONOMICS

Exam board: EDEXCEL

Year 12

Introduction to markets and market failure

1.1 Nature of economics

1.2 How markets work

1.3 Market failure

1.4 Government intervention

The UK economy – performance and policies

2.1 Measures of economic performance

2.2 Aggregate demand (AD)

2.3 Aggregate supply (AS)

2.4 Macroeconomic equilibrium analysis

2.5 Economic growth

2.6 Macroeconomic objectives and policies

Revision and mock examination preparation

Year 13

Business behaviour and the labour market

3.1 Business growth

3.2 Business objectives

3.3 Revenues, costs and profits

3.4 Product Market structures

3.5 Labour markets

3.6 Government intervention in product and labour markets

A global perspective

4.1 International trade

4.2 Poverty and inequality

4.3 Economic development

4.4 UK and global financial markets

4.5 Public sector finances

4.6 Macroeconomic management in a global context.