As a department, we hope to create an environment where students feel safe to explore and learn new concepts and ideas. In this space, creativity can flourish and a solid understanding of how a business works can be explored. We use case studies and concepts linked within the various functional areas to help students apply and learn what a business is and how it operates.
For further details about Business and Economics at Key Stage 3 or 4, or to discuss your child’s progress, please contact the school office.
Our aim for Year 9 is to teach the business basics so students have an overview of what a business is. We then introduce the concepts around marketing. This enables students to create their own mini business at the end of Year 9, therefore reinforcing the content taught and the practical skills of setting up a business.
Knowledge: Business Activity
Business enterprise and entrepreneurship involve identifying opportunities, taking calculated risks, and using creativity and determination to meet customer needs. Entrepreneurs play a key role in driving innovation and economic activity. Business planning is essential for reducing risk, securing finance, identifying resources, and setting clear goals to help a business succeed. Different types of business ownership—such as sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies—offer varying levels of liability and are suited to different business contexts. Finally, businesses set aims and objectives like profit, growth, or providing a service, which can evolve over time depending on their stage and goals. We explore the different types of business growth and how this might impact different stakeholders.
Skills:
Knowledge and understanding of the key terms and ideas covered in the lesson, mainly through multiple choice questions and short written answer questions which apply concepts and ideas to real business examples. As we progress through the term, students will start to consider the impact of different strategic choices made within a business.
Useful Links
The Purpose of Business Activity | OCR GCSE Business Revision Notes 2017
How I Started The UK’s Fastest Growing Company: My Gymshark Story | Ben Francis
Assessments:
At this stage, we want to build students’ confidence, so we base our assessments around a range of multi choice questions and short knowledge exam-based questions. Within lessons we will model and explore the longer higher order thinking questions, to help build a foundation for students’ understanding.
Knowledge: Marketing
A business is made from many different functional areas, the most important being the marketing function. Marketing plays a vital role in helping businesses identify, understand, and meet customer needs, ultimately aiming to inform customers and increase sales. Market research supports this by gathering data through primary methods like questionnaires and focus groups, and secondary sources such as websites and internal data, allowing businesses to make informed decisions using both qualitative and quantitative insights. Market segmentation enables businesses to target specific groups based on factors like age, gender, income, and lifestyle. The marketing mix—product, price, promotion, and place—works together to shape business strategies, from product development and pricing to advertising and distribution, ensuring that marketing efforts align with customer expectations and business goals.
Skills:
Knowledge and understanding of the key terms and ideas covered in the lesson, mainly through multiple choice questions and short written answer questions which apply concepts and ideas to real business examples. As we progress through the term, students will start to consider the impact of different strategic choices made within a business.
Useful Links
Save My Exams OCR GCSE Business Revision Notes 2017
Gymshark’s £1 Billion Marketing Strategy
Assessments:
At this stage, we want to build students confidence so we base our assessments around a range of multi choice questions and short knowledge exam-based questions. Within lessons we will model and explore the longer higher order thinking questions, to help build a foundation for students understanding.
Knowledge: Consolidation – Summer Market
Consolidation of the business activity and marketing concepts learnt in Year 9. We apply these concepts to different case studies so students can start to develop their ability to apply the knowledge to real business examples.
Skills:
Developing your own business idea Wiithin this term we develop and improve on the skills needed to run a successful business idea. Here students are given the opportunity to develop their resilience and independence while working within a team to create a successful business.
Assessments:
Summer market. Students plan and execute their own business idea, taking on board the concept of risk and reward.
Our intent for Year 10 is to build on the Business Activity and Marketing content which was taught in Year 9, while incorporating new ideas and concepts from other functional areas. At the start of Year 10, we look at the second most important functional area, People. As Henry Ford said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”. The people within a business are a key part to its success and we look at how a business manages and interacts with its “people”. We then investigate the Operations function and how key strategic decisions are made based on the products and services a business provides.
Knowledge: People
In the “People” section of GCSE Business, learners explore the role and impact of human resources (HR) on business operations and decision-making. It covers the purpose of HR in identifying and meeting staffing needs, and examines various organisational structures, including tall and flat hierarchies, and key terms like span of control and delegation. The section also looks at different working arrangements such as full-time, part-time, and flexible work. Communication is another focus, highlighting methods like emails, meetings, and digital tools, and their importance in business. Recruitment and selection processes are explored, including reasons for hiring, internal and external recruitment methods, and selection tools like CVs and interviews. Motivation and retention are addressed through financial (e.g., pay, bonuses) and non-financial (e.g., praise, work environment) incentives, emphasizing their role in performance and staff retention. Training and development are discussed in terms of methods, benefits, and qualifications, while employment law is covered with a focus on legal rights related to discrimination, contracts, and working conditions.
Skills:
As we progress into Year 10 and students are starting to understand the different assessment objectives, we will develop the skills highlighted by the OCR exam board.
These include;
Useful Links
GCSE Business – OCR – BBC Bitesize
OCR GCSE Business 2017 Revision
Past papers materials finder – OCR
Assessments:
Standardised Assessed Task 1: Multiple choice questions – knowledge assessment
Standardised Assessed Task 2: Mid-term assessment – People
Standardised Assessed Task 3: People end of unit assessment
Knowledge: Operations
In the “Operations” section of GCSE Business, learners examine how businesses produce goods and deliver services, and how these operations affect overall business activity. It covers different production processes—job, batch, and flow—and the impact of technology like automation and robotics. The concept of quality is explored through methods such as quality control and assurance, emphasizing its importance for customer satisfaction and business reputation. The section also looks at the sales process and customer service, including the role of e-commerce, after-sales support, and the value of product knowledge. Consumer law is discussed in terms of its effect on product safety and business reputation. Additionally, learners study factors influencing business location, such as costs and proximity to resources, and the role of procurement and logistics in managing suppliers, focusing on reliability, cost, and customer service
Skills:
Useful Links
GCSE Business – OCR – BBC Bitesize
OCR GCSE Business 2017 Revision
Past papers materials finder – OCR
Assessments:
Standardised Assessed Task 1: Multiple choice questions – knowledge assessment
Standardised Assessed Task 2: Mid-term assessment – Operations
Standardised Assessed Task 3: Operations end of unit assessment
Knowledge: Interdependent Nature of Business
In the “Interdependent Nature of Business” section of GCSE Business, learners explore how the core functions of a business—operations, marketing, and human resources—are interconnected and work together to support effective decision-making. This section emphasizes the importance of understanding these interdependencies when evaluating business scenarios. It also highlights how businesses assess risk and reward in their activities and strategic decisions. Learners are expected to apply knowledge from across the course to real-world business contexts, demonstrating a holistic understanding of how different business elements influence one another.
Skills:
Assessments:
Year 10 Preparatory Examination: Paper 1 (past paper)
Our aim for Year 11 is to show how business interacts with each functional area. We complete the final functional area, Finance, building on terms taught in Year 9 & 10. We then explore how the external environment impacts the business and explore the interdependent nature of business.
Knowledge: Finance
In the “Finance” section of GCSE Business, learners explore the role of the finance function in supporting business planning and decision-making through the provision of financial information. It covers why businesses need finance—such as for starting up, expanding, or covering operational costs—and examines various sources of finance like loans, overdrafts, retained profit, and crowdfunding, considering their suitability for different business types. The section also delves into key financial concepts including revenue, costs, profit and loss, and how to calculate and interpret profitability ratios and average rate of return. Learners study break-even analysis to understand when a business covers its costs, and how this informs planning. Finally, the importance of cash flow is emphasized, highlighting the difference between cash and profit, and the value of cash flow forecasting in managing liquidity and anticipating financial challenges.
Skills:
As we progress into Year 11 and students are starting to understand the different assessment objectives, we will develop the skills highlighted by the OCR exam board.
These include;
Useful Links
GCSE (9-1) Business – A guide to finance calculations
Purpose of Finance – GCSE Business Revision Notes
Past papers materials finder – OCR
Assessments:
Standardised Assessed Task 1: Multiple choice questions
Standardised Assessed Task 2: Mid-term assessment – Finance
Standardised Assessed Task 3: Finance end of unit assessment
Knowledge: Influences on Business
In the “Influences on Business” section of GCSE Business, learners examine how external factors affect business decisions and operations. This includes ethical considerations, such as fair treatment of workers, responsible sourcing, and ethical marketing, as well as environmental concerns like sustainability, waste management, pollution, and climate change. The section also explores the economic climate, focusing on how changes in consumer income and unemployment levels impact businesses. Additionally, learners study globalisation, understanding its effects through the rise of multinational companies, shifts in business location, international branding, and the ways businesses compete on a global scale.
Skills:
As we progress into Year 11 and students are starting to understand the different assessment objectives, we will develop the skills highlighted by the OCR exam board.
These include;
Useful Links
6. Influences on Business | OCR GCSE Business
Past papers materials finder – OCR
BBC Three – Stacey Dooley, Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts, Episode 1
Assessments:
Standardised Assessed Task 1: MCQ knowledge assessment
Standardised Assessed Task 2: Mid-term assessment – Influences on business
Standardised Assessed Task 3: Influences on business end of unit assessment
Knowledge: Interdependent Nature of Business
In the “Interdependent Nature of Business” section of GCSE Business, learners explore how the core functions of a business—operations, finance, marketing, and human resources—are interconnected and work together to support effective decision-making. This section emphasizes the importance of understanding these interdependencies when evaluating business scenarios. It also highlights how businesses assess risk and reward in their activities and how financial information is used to measure performance and guide strategic decisions. Learners are expected to apply knowledge from across the course to real-world business contexts, demonstrating a holistic understanding of how different business elements influence one another.
Skills:
As we progress into Year 11 and students are starting to understand the different assessment objectives, we will develop the skills highlighted by the OCR exam board.
These include;
Useful Links
Past papers materials finder – OCR
OCR GCSE Business 2017 Revision
Assessments:
Past papers in preparation for final exams.
Setting up your own business, global business and how it operates or how great businesses are run?
International business, marketing, human resources, finance
Ms L Ewing
