Business and Economics

The Business Department offers a number of educational pathways for JRCS students.

• BTEC Tech Award in Enterprise
• GCSE Business Studies

Year 9 – if you are thinking of choosing BTEC Business or GCSE Business, there are a few things you need to know…

• If you prefer coursework over exam then BTEC could be the right course for you as it is assessed mainly by coursework, but every piece of work you do counts towards your final grade so don’t think this is the easy option, because it’s not!
• You can only study one business course in year 10, so you would choose either GCSE or BTEC.
• We offer intervention and revision sessions out of school hours for all of our subjects.
• You will work hard in Business, but our past students tell us that they like the subjects they have chosen and often choose them again for Sixth Form and university. They say “Business is about life.”

Key Stage 4 Courses Offered

GCSE Business Edexcel

Students just arriving in year 10 are on the 9-1 graded specification. Their course consists of …

• Theme 1: Investigating a Small Business
  • Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
  • Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
  • Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
  • Topic 1.4 Making the business effective
  • Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business

• Theme 2: Building a Business
  • Topic 2.1 Growing the business
  • Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions
  • Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions
  • Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions
  • Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions

The course is assessed by…

100% Exam

• Theme 1: Worth 50%
• Theme 2: Worth 50%

Progression routes include BTEC Nationals in Business, A Level courses or employment

BTEC Tech Award in Enterprise

This vocational qualification is equivalent to 1 GCSE. It is two components of coursework and one exam. Students will learn about entrepreneurs, small business start-ups, finance and will create and pitch their own business plan as part of this course.

Studied in Year 10

• Component One – Exploring enterprises

Studied in Year 11

• Component Two – Planning for and pitching an enterprise activity

Studied across the two years and the exam sat in year 11

• Component Three – Promotion and finance for enterprise

Each coursework Component is worth 30% of the final grade.
The exam component is worth 40% of the final grade.
The grades awarded overall are, Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction*

KS5 Business Sixth Form courses offered

BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business (NQF)

This qualification is worth 3 A Level grades (Extended diploma) Distinction* – PASS. It uses three option blocks and provides a Vocational alternative for students.

• 13 Assignments
• 4 external assessments
  • 3 Case studies in the classroom
  • 1 exam sat in the hall

In year 12 Students will study,

Internally assessed 

• Unit 1: Exploring Business
• Unit 4: Managing  a Business Event
• Unit 8: Recruitment and Selection Process
• Unit 22: Market Research
• Unit 18: Creative Promotion

Externally assessed 

• Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Campaign
• Unit 3: Personal and Business Finance

In year 13 Students will study,

Internally assessed 

• Unit 5: International Business
• Unit 9: Team Building in Business
• Unit 19: Pitching for a New Business
• Unit 27: Work Experience in Business

Externally assessed 

• Unit 6: Principles of Management
• Unit 7: Business Decision Making

Homework Policy

Students are given assignments and deadlines to meet. The student will have lesson time and study time in school to complete this work, but they will also need to complete work out of school at home – as homework. The quantity of this homework will depend on the student and their ability to manage their workload effectively during the day. Managing workload is part of the learning curve of the course. Students will have additional work to complete if they do not achieve work on their first submission. Also students will have a higher workload if they are working towards merit and distinction grades. Work is assessed by the class teacher, internally verified by the Lead IV (Miss Wright) and a sample is checked externally by Pearson. All marking occurs in line with the BTEC marking policy, details of which can be found in the JRCS BTEC Student handbook.

A Level Business (Edexcel) 2 year course

Taught by 2 different teachers consecutively delivering Theme 1 and Theme 2 in year 12 and Theme 3 and Theme 4 in year 13

Year 12

• Theme 1: Marketing and People
• Theme 2: Managing Business Activities

Year 13

• Theme 3: Business Decisions and Strategy
• Theme 4: Global Business

Assessed by

• 3 x 2 hour exams sat in year 13
• Paper 1: Marketing, People and Global Business
• Paper 2: Business Activities, Decisions and Strategy
• Paper 3: Investigating Business in a Competitive Environment

A level Economics (Edexcel A) 2 year course

Taught by 2 different teachers consecutively delivery Micro and Macros Economics

Year 12

• Theme 1: Introduction to markets and market failure
• Theme 2: The UK Economy – Performance and policies

Year 13

• Theme 3: Business behaviour and the labour market
• Theme 4: A global perspective

Assessed by

• 3 x 2 hour exams sat in year 13
• Paper 1: Markets and Business Behaviour
• Paper 2: The National and Global Economy
• Paper 3: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

KS5 A level homework policy

Formal homework will be set by each teacher at least once per week. Therefore students should expect 2 pieces of formal homework that will involve some writing twice a week. (usually issued on double lessons) Other mini homeworks might be set where the student has to observe something, or watch something or think about something. All homework should be relevant to the lessons being studied at the time. Marking will be done within 1 week of student submission. Where possible, homework will be marked with the aim of returning it by next lesson. Feedback will be given to the students on their performance and how to improve in the future.

“Enterprise education is about creating a ‘can do’ attitude and encouraging students to have the drive to make things happen.  It is supported by better financial capability and business and economic understanding.”

We want to help our students develop the qualities of an entrepreneur:

• Self-reliance
• ‘Can do’ outlook
• Risk taking
• Committed
• Ambitious
• High aspirations
• Responsible
• Motivated
• Independent

Over the past few years JRCS students have enjoyed a number of opportunities.

• Guest speakers
• Internships with high profile entrepreneurs.
• Jack Petchey Speak Out challenge
• Big Stir Coffee Morning
• Children in need fundraising
• JRCS “The Apprentice”
• Speedy Saver Snacks
• Running the lower school disco
• Setting up JR INK, the School Stationery shop

The Marking Policy for this page is undergoing updates, please visit again soon for an updated policy.