A Level Business

A-level Business introduces you to all you need to know about working in business and/or providing a solid foundation for further study. With a focus on helping you to become a good decision maker, you’ll learn essential managerial skills, alongside techniques to help you become an analytical problem solver. These skills are all highly sought after and valued in a wide range of careers. We closely follow the news and use real-life business examples to give relevant context and aid student understanding of how businesses behave and what informs their decision making.

Course Information

A level Business 7138 – Click here for more information

Topics

Year 1 – Unit 3.1: What is business? Managing Marketing and Finance, Unit 3.2: Managing People and Operations

Year 2 – Unit 3.3: Business and Society, Business and the External Environment, and Business Strategy

Assessment

A-level assessment consists of three x 2 hour written exams taken at the end of the two year course. Each exam will be worth a third of the A-level, Paper 1 Unit 3.1, Paper 2 Unit 3.2 with links to 3.1, Paper 3 Unit 3.3 with links to 3.1 & 3.2. Each paper will have two cases studies each with 5 questions worth 45 marks so 90 marks per paper. Question types include 6-mark Analyse x 2, 9-mark Assess (sometimes with calculations)  x 2, & 15-mark Evaluate (sometimes with calculations) x 1.

Student views

‘Business is easy to understand as it’s all around us and all links together’

‘It’s interesting as we get to look at businesses in the news and explore issues and decisions made by real life firms’

‘There is a lot to learn but it’s help by the fact we need to not just learn facts but apply them to different business scenarios.

Progression information

If you’d like to study business, finance or management at university or in an apprenticeship, A Level Business provides an excellent foundation. The skills you learn are transferable across a broad range of subjects and careers. Whatever you choose to do in the future, you’ll find that the things you learn in this course will help. For example, you’ll probably work with lots of different people, so knowledge of motivational theory will help you to work well with others and help them achieve their potential. You might have ambitious plans to start your own business. If that’s the case, you’ll find the marketing and finance topics particularly useful.

Person Specification

  • Ability to retain information such as the many management and leadership theories included in the course content
  • Ability to apply theory learned to ‘real-life’ business situations
  • Act as a business consultant who can give specific advice and guidance to business’ as to how they should make decisions/adopt their strategy
  • Use basic mathematical calculations (percentage change, use of index numbers) to manipulate and make use of data
  • Use financial figures to calculate profitability, liquidity, gearing and efficiency of business’
  • Ability to work both independently and as a team
  • Have an avid interest in following the world of business in the news
  • Literacy skills from which to build on and refine written skills of analysis, application and evaluation

Entry requirements

Previous study of GCSE Business or Economics is not essential, however it is essential to have GCSE English Language (5 or above) and GCSE Maths (5 or above).

Business is a very popular option at A level and provides students with essential knowledge and skills that will prepare them for apprenticeships, further education and/or the work place.

If you would like further information on any aspect of A level Business Studies, please contact Mrs Dishington, Head of Department.