Business

A Level Business

About A Level Business

Entry requirements: No specific requirements beyond the standard entry requirements. Students who have studied Business at GCSE will find a natural advantage in terms of their knowledge base, but new students should not be put off by this as we do give a firm foundation to those joining the subject in Year 12. It is recommended the students should have a grade 7 at GCSE Mathematics. 

Course Content:

In this ever-changing world, there has never been a more exciting time to become a business student. Whether it be discussing the implications of the cost of living crisis for UK consumers and businesses or assessing the risk of Apple introducing a new product into their expansive range, our classrooms are always filled with enthusiasm and a zest for learning.

A Level Business allows students to find out how businesses are managed and the factors that influence their ability to be successful. Areas of study include marketing, human resources, finance and operations management, leadership and management, as well as strategy and global business.

Students of this course will study business in a variety of contexts (for example, large/small, UK focused/global, service/manufacturing) and consider:

• the importance of the context of business in relation to decision making
• the interrelated nature of business activities and how they affect competitiveness
• the competitive environment and the markets in which businesses operate
• the influences on functional decisions and plans including ethical and environmental issues
• how technology is changing the way decisions are made and how businesses operate and
  compete
• the use of non-quantitative and quantitative data in decision making (including the interpretation of index numbers and calculations such as ratios and percentages).

Strategic decision making-

The study of strategic decision making should build on the study of decision making in the functional areas. Students should consider:

- the impact of technology on strategic decision making

- the influences of Corporate Social Responsibility, ethical and environmental issues on strategic decisions

- the difficulties in forecasting future trends

- the importance of assessing feasibility and risk when making strategic decisions

- the impact on stakeholders of strategic decisions and their response to such decisions.

The course is broken down into ten topic areas: 

1. What is business?

2. Managers, leadership and decision making

3. Decision making to improve marketing performance

4. Decision making to improve operational performance

5. Decision making to improve financial performance

6. Decision making to improve human resource performance

7. Analysing the strategic position of a business

8. Choosing strategic direction

9. Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies

10. Managing strategic change

Assessment:

Students must sit three assessments at the end of the second year. All three papers are written exams worth 33.3% of A-level and cover all of the topics above.

There are a range of questions across the 3 papers including:

• Multiple choice questions
• Calculations and data response questions
• Short answer questions
• Essay questions based on a case study

Students will have regular assessment in class and through homework. They will have end of topic assessments throughout the two year programme, as well as two sets of mock examinations.

Higher Educations and Careers: Business A Level provides a firm foundation for students who are looking to go to university to study business, management, events management, economics or international relations. It encourages students to think strategically and about how decisions may affect not only businesses, but the wider world around them. This is an invaluable skill which many employers would be looking for when students are going into the world of employment. It is expected that students take an interest in current affairs since business benefits from what is happening every day in the world around us. Students should be naturally interested in the topic and are expected to read a from quality news source on a weekly basis.