Sixth Form - Business Studies

Business Studies (AS and A2)

Extensive opportunities in the world of business will be offered by this course, taught in the new HSBC sponsored Business Studies Suite.

Course requirements
Although it is not essential to have studied this subject prior to sixth form, five GCSEs at grades A-C including A-C in Maths and English is required.

Course aims
At AS Level, students will be introduced to the challenges and issues of starting a business, including financial planning. They will then explore the key internal functions of business and how the management of these functions can assist in improving the effectiveness and performance of a business.

At A2, this specification considers strategies for larger businesses and how these strategies may change according to circumstances. Finally, it considers the effects that external factors can have on businesses and how a business can plan for and manage change, including leadership style and change in business culture.

Course content

AS	Topics	How assessed	% of total AS exam	% of total A2 exam
Unit 1 – Planning and Financing a Business	1.Starting a Business 2.Financial Planning	Written paper –multiple choice (1hour)	40%	20%
Unit 2 – Managing a Business	1.People 2.Operations Management 3. Finance 4. Marketing and Competition	Written paper – 2 compulsory, multi-part data response (1½ hours)	60%	30%
A2
Unit 3 – Strategies for Success	1.Financial Strategies and Accounts 2.Marketing Strategies 3. Operations Strategies 4.Human Resource Strategies	Written paper – based on unseen case study (1½ hours)		25%
Unit 4 – The Business Environment and Change	1.External influences 2.Leadership, Corporate Culture, Ethics 3.Managing Change	Written paper – Section A and B prior research(A) and essay (B) (1½ hours)		25%

Commitment

Two year course, eight periods per week. Each individual needs to contribute three to four hours of reading and homework in lower sixth with more time being devoted in upper sixth.