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Business Studies

Business Studies

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

GCSE Grade 4 or above in a Business-related course.  If not studied previously, GCSE English Language or Literature at Grade 4 or above.  GCSE Business Studies is not an essential prerequisite for this course.

Course content and how will I be examined?

100% external examination.  All exams will be taken at the end of Year 13.  There will be 3 x 2-hour exams, all equally weighted at 33.3% of the final A level grade.

Exam 1: Unit 3.1 – What is Business? Managing Marketing and Finance

  • Forms of Business, objectives and stakeholders
  • Marketing management – Market research and developing the Marketing Mix
  • Digital technology and marketing
  • International marketing
  • Sources of finance
  • Budgets
  • Break-even analysis and profit analysis
  • Cash flow and liquidity
  • Financial reporting and financial ratio analysis
  • Ethical issues in finance such as tax avoidance.

Exam 2: Unit 3.2 – Managing people and operations

  • Leadership styles and Motivational theories
  • Organisational design
  • Human resource data analysis and use
  • Employer/employee relations
  • Ethical considerations such as diversity and pay gaps
  • Managing operations including identifying, calculating and interpreting Key Performance Indicators
  • Inventory and supply chain Management
  • Project Management
  • Innovation
  • Managing business culture.

Exam 3: Unit 3.3 – Business and society, business and the external environment, and business strategy

  • Business and society – sustainability and social responsibility
  • Business and the External environment – PESTLE factors
  • Strategic planning
  • Business growth, managing change and global strategies
  • Digital strategy.

A-Level Exam Board: 

AQA 

CONTACT DETAILS: 

Head of department Mrs M Smart
staffms@st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk  

ST NICHOLAS EXTRA: 

  • Students have the opportunity to take part in the following: 
  • Young Enterprise, or Tycoon in Schools.
  • Student Investor Challenge – you get to buy and sell shares on the stock exchange.
  • Educational visits – Jaguar LandRover.
  • Guest lectures from industry speakers. 
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“Every job you get will be a business of some sort, no matter what the industry. We have very supportive teachers that provide engaging lessons that push you. You will be given the skills required and more to succeed in your chosen career.”
Evan Mitchell – Degree Level Apprenticeship With Morrisons

Dear Young People,
Do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you!
Do not be afraid to dream of great things!

Pope Francis