Business Studies

APPLIED BUSINESS (Double Award)

Examination Board: OCR

Who is GCSE Applied Business suitable for?

This course will appeal to those who:
• Enjoy studying a subject that is relevant to their own lives and experience
• Enjoy doing research for coursework and writing it up.
• Want to know how businesses work and make money and the type of jobs people do
• Want to move to a related career or further education

What is the course made up of?
GCSE Applied Business (Double Award)
This is made up of 4 Units taking 2 Option Blocks of time.

Unit 1: Business in Action
Understand how and why businesses operate
Factors influencing the way businesses operate and the impact they can have

Unit 2: Making your Mark in Business
How to make a business successful, and produce marketing material

Unit 3: Working in Business
Understanding the functional areas within businesses and associated activities

Unit 4: Business and You
How the HR functional area works within businesses
Insight into the recruitment and selection process from applying for a job, the interview process, induction/training programmes and promotion

GCSE Applied Business (Single Award)
This consists of Units 1 & 2 and takes one Option Block of time.

What will be learnt in this GCSE?

Students will:

• Gain an understanding of how businesses work and make a profit
• Find out about different jobs people do in businesses
• Develop some of the skills and knowledge used in business
• Have an opportunity to learn in a practical and realistic way
• Gain confidence by developing independent learning skills as well as working in small groups

What does the course involve?

The aim of Applied GCSE Business is to enable students to acquire the knowledge, understanding and relevant business skills which will equip them with what they need to start work in the workplace or to go on to further education or training. It enables pupils to learn about the nature of business, where possible, by experiencing business activity and investigating how and where people work. Where possible we learn by doing which involves group work and visits to workplaces such as Cadbury World, Chequer Foods and even Newport!

 

GCSE specifications in applied business require learners to:

• develop their knowledge and understanding through the investigation of a range of local and/or national business organisations
• investigate how employers and employees operate in enterprising ways, develop their working relationships, and meet their various rights and responsibilities
• develop and apply the following skills within business contexts:
• practical skills – time management, personal organisation and action planning
• presentational skills – addressing audiences using a variety of media and forms
• personal skills – showing evidence of progression
• interpersonal skills – communication and group work
• cognitive skills – reflection and review of their own and others’ performances.

At the same time, the assessment system requires that students develop and demonstrate an understanding of and a capability for carrying out business tasks. Time will be devoted to building up a range of business skills including considerable use of ICT, and understanding different functional areas such as Marketing and Human Resources.

Examination

Coursework Single Award Unit 2 Double Award Unit 2 & 4	The main form of assessment is controlled assessment of up to 30 hours for unit 2 (Single Award) and Units 2 & 4 (Double Award) which will be marked in school and externally moderated. This element is worth 60% of final marks
External Assessment: Single Award Unit 1 Double Award Unit 1 & 3	There will be exams of 1 ½ hours. This is worth 40% of the marks for Single Award These are worth 20% of the marks each for Double Award

GCSE Applied Business Studies (Double Award) is equivalent to two GCSEs and if you are successful you will be given a grade between A*A* and GG. The Single Award is worth one GCSE and you will be given a grade from A* to G.