Business

Welcome to the Business Department

‘The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail (in business) is not taking risks.’

Mark Zuckerberg

Business Curriculum Intent

Our GCSE Business curriculum begins in Year 10 and provides students with a broad and balanced introduction to the world of Business. It is designed to build key knowledge, understanding, and skills that prepare students for further study, employment, and life in an ever-changing economic environment.

Students explore a wide range of real-life business contexts, from small start-ups to large global organisations. They develop commercial awareness and a practical understanding of how businesses operate, focusing on areas such as enterprise, marketing, operations, finance and human resources. Throughout the course, students build confidence with business vocabulary and apply numeracy skills in realistic, business-based scenarios.

The curriculum is structured around two key themes:
Theme 1: Investigating Small Business, which covers enterprise, spotting business opportunities, putting a business idea into practice, and understanding external influences.
Theme 2: Building a Business, which focuses on growing a business, making financial decisions, and exploring marketing, operations and people management in more depth.

Students become confident, analytical thinkers who can apply their learning to real-world situations. They learn to interpret data, make informed decisions, solve problems and communicate effectively, all of which are highly transferable skills for other subjects and future pathways. Learning is carefully sequenced to revisit and deepen understanding over time, with clear links to maths, English and ICT. Students will also take part in enterprise projects and interactive learning experiences to bring business to life.

By the end of Year 11, students will be well-prepared for further study at A Level or through vocational business pathways, with a strong understanding of how businesses function and their impact on the wider world.

Contemporary and relatable contexts, real life business examples and current affairs will be used to enthuse our learners into the subject.

Extra Opportunities

Enterprise club – the opportunity to run your own small enterprise at the academy!

‘The Big Business Idea Challenge’ – Annual inter-house competition run at the academy where local entrepreneurs are called upon to judge our student’s original business ideas.

Various guest speakers – local business owners, young entrepreneurs, experts from different industries.

Planned trips – Amazon, Disney Land Paris, Local businesses.