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Course Description

Business is for learners who want to acquire knowledge and practices through studying enterprises, entrepreneurs, customers, competitors, the external environment, business planning and presenting, marketing and finance as part of their Key Stage 4 learning.

The qualification is designed with themes that are engaging and inspiring, and which reflects the demands of a truly modern and evolving business environment – this qualification enables students to develop as commercially minded and enterprising individuals and helps them to succeed in their chosen pathway.

Student Quotes

How will I be assessed?

Learners are required to complete and achieve examination papers in two themes  in the qualification:

  • Theme 1: Investigating small business (Paper code: 1BS0/01)
  • Theme 2: Building a business (Paper code: 1BS0/02)

What will I learn?

Theme 1: Investigating small business 

(*Paper code: 1BS0/01)

Content overview 

  • 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

(Paper code: 1BS0/02)

Content overview 

  • 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

What could I do next?

A GCSE 9-1 in Business allows students to understand more about the business world and motivates and challenges students, preparing them to make informed decisions about further study and career pathways.  It also provides them with industry standard skills such as team working, working to timescales and presentation skills.

Students can progress from this qualification to a number of different academic and vocational qualifications, including A-Levels and a Diploma Programme course in Business or Economics. 

The qualification provides a strong foundation for employment, with students progressing, with further training, to a wide range of careers training such as banking, sales, management and marketing.  It also prepares the students to enable them to start up their own business enterprise through Business Planning.