Business Studies

RWSCurriculum Transparent

Intent and Vision

In Business we have the Ravens Wood vision at heart of our curriculum planning, and it has informed the learning journey of our students. Our vision in Business is for all students to develop a critical understanding of the main functional areas of business. To develop an awareness and natural curiosity of the business environment around them. To have a deeper understanding of the businesses that our students will work for or run, and the key driving factors and inhibitors that impact the environment. To learn how to manage their current and future financial capability in the short, medium and long term. We want to enable individuals to enhance their ability to enter the world of work within a wide range of business organisations.

Key Concepts that Underpin the Curriculum

Marketing
Marketing Research
Marketing Mix
Finance
Income Statement
Cashflow
Operation Management
Quality
Purchasing
Human Resources
Recruitment & Selection
Appraisals
External Environment

Key Features of Learning

We believe the best way of doing this is teaching students in the language itself as much as possible to give an authentic and more natural learning experience. Our lessons are very interactive and immersive with a wide range of activities, such as analysing current business/economic affairs, using mini white boards, pair and group work, individual presentations, professional assignments and games with a competitive edge, which develop the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. We use technology both in and outside the classroom to enhance the learning, for example, Quizlet, Bizquiz, Kahoot and Tutor2u. We also make use of Eazybiz and Eazyecon to help students learn vocabulary, where they independently work through a digital learning plan tailored to support their individual progress.

How Does our Curriculum Shape Learners?

Our curriculum helps students to develop their natural inquisitiveness about the world of business. It helps them to understand the wider picture about the society that we live in, as well preparing them for the global environment using the universal language/understanding of Business and Economics, enabling them to become highly employable global citizens.

The Learning Journey: End Points for Each Academic Year

Year 13	By the end of Year 13, students will be able to confidently integrate, understand, analyse and evaluate the core topics included within Components 1, 2 and 3. Students will be able to understand and fully apply their work to accurately meet assessment objectives AO1-AO4. Students will be able to use the key specialist terminology and phrases in order to demonstrate their skills in assessment writing and exams. Component 3: Students will understand how businesses adapt to succeed in a dynamic external environment. Students will understand that the business world never stands still and there are continuous opportunities and threats to businesses of all sizes. Students will be clear that regardless of size, businesses now operate in a global marketplace, and they need to consider a wide range of external factors that affect their day-to-day activities, decision-making and strategy. Students will have a strong understanding of: Change, Risk management, PEST factors, Ethical, legal and environmental factors, international trade, Globalisation and The European Union.
Year 12	By the end of Year 12, students will be able to confidently understand, analyse and evaluate the core topics included within components 1 and 2 Students will be able to understand and fully apply their work to accurately meet assessment objectives AO1-AO4. Students will be able to use the key specialist terminology and phrases in order to demonstrate their skills in assessment writing. Component 1: Students will understand the function and purpose of business start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Students will have developed their understanding of the concept of starting a new business and the issues that surround the process of planning a new business. In addition to covering the main concepts of setting up a new business, students will be aware of other types of business organisations and the markets they operate in and their various stakeholders. Students will be able to interpret this in relation to topic areas including Enterprise, Business plans, Markets, Market research, Business structure, Business location, Business finance, Business revenue and costs. Component 2: Students will broaden the context of the content covered in component 1 to well established multinational companies. Students will understand that, in order to succeed in a competitive market, all businesses have to consider the core functions of business. Students will have a strong understanding of Marketing, Finance, People in organisations (human resources) and Operations management.
Year 11	By the end of Year 11, students will be able to understand and analyse the core topic functions of Business Activity, Business Operations, Influences on Business, Finance, Marketing and Human Resources. Human Resources: Learners will understand that human resources focus on the human function within a business. It involves the recruitment, training, organisation, retention, development and motivation of employees. Human resource managers will work with other business functions to contribute and direct the business aims and objectives. Businesses will organise their human resource function in different ways, depending on their size, the goods and services they sell and the markets they operate in. Human resources decision-making will also be affected by these different contexts. Influences on Business: Learners will understand that all businesses operate in an external environment and there are a number of external influences that impact on business activity. The success or failure of a business will often depend on its willingness and ability to recognise and anticipate these external influences. It is important that businesses respond to these influences in order to remain competitive and achieve their aims and objectives. External influences can impact on a business and its stakeholders in a number of diverse and conflicting ways.
Year 10	By the end of Year 10, students will be able to understand, and analyse the core topic functions of Business Activity, Business Operations, Marketing and Finance. Business Activity: Students will understand the nature of business activity and how it is concerned with meeting the needs of customers by providing a product or service, in most cases, for a profit. At the heart of business activity is enterprise and entrepreneurs, who initiate and grow businesses, with a wide range of aims and objectives. These objectives often adapt as businesses grow and as the market and competitive environment in which they operate changes. Business organisations vary in size and ownership and operate in local, national and global contexts. Businesses have many stakeholders who are affected by business activity and can also impact on business behaviour. Marketing: Students will understand that marketing involves identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer needs in a profitable way. Marketing affects all functions of a business and includes a wide range of activities including researching the market, analysing the market and developing a marketing strategy through the implementation of the marketing mix. Businesses will organise their marketing function in different ways, depending on their size, the goods and services they sell and the markets they operate in. Marketing decision-making will also be affected by these different contexts. Business Operations: Students will understand that business operations are concerned with the efficient management of the key functions and resources within a business to maximise profit. Businesses will organise their operations in different ways, depending on their size, the types of goods or services they sell and the markets they operate in. These different contexts will also affect decision-making on how a business operates. Finance: Students will understand the nature of business activity and how it is concerned with meeting the needs of customers by providing a product or service, in most cases, for a profit. At the heart of business activity is enterprise and entrepreneurs, who initiate and grow businesses, with a wide range of aims and objectives. These objectives often adapt as businesses grow and as the market and competitive environment in which they operate changes. Business organisations vary in size and ownership and operate in local, national and global contexts. Businesses have many stakeholders who are affected by business activity and can also impact on business behaviour.