Key Stage 4: Business Studies

Subject: Business

Qualification: GCSE

Exam Board: Edexcel

What will I study?

You’ll start by exploring the world of small businesses through the lens of an entrepreneur. How and why do business ideas come about? What makes a successful business? You’ll learn how to develop an idea, spot an opportunity and turn it into a successful business. You will understand how to make a business effective, manage money and see how the world around us affects small businesses and all the people involved.

Then you’ll move on to investigating business growth. How does a business develop beyond the start-up phase? You’ll learn about key business concepts and issues and decisions you need to make when growing a business and working in a global business. You’ll learn about meeting customer needs, making marketing, operational, financial and human resourcing decisions and you’ll explore how the wider world impacts the business as it grows.

Is this the right subject for me?

If you enjoy the following, then the GCSE Business course is the right subject for you.

communicating and explaining your ideas
thinking creatively and making decisions
working with numbers to solve business problems
learning about the world of business through real and relevant local and international brands

How is this course assessed?

The qualification will be assessed in two equally weighted exam papers. There is no coursework.

Paper 1 - Theme 1: Investigating small business

Paper 2 - Theme 2: Building a business

Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes , 90 marks 50% of the total

GCSE Multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions There are three sections in the paper. Each section is ramped, starting with multiple choice questions, moving to short answer questions and ending with extended writing. Sections B and C are based on real life, relevant business contexts and examples.

Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks 50% of the total

GCSE Multiple choice, calculation, short-answer and extended-writing questions There are three sections in the paper. Each section is ramped, starting with multiple choice questions, moving to short answer questions and ending with extended writing. Sections B and C are based on real life, relevant business contexts and examples.

What can this qualification lead to?

After this qualification you’ll understand the world of business and have developed skills in:

making decisions and developing persuasive arguments
creative and practical problem solving
understanding data, finance and communication.

It’s also a great step preparing you for further and higher education such as A levels and BTEC courses.

A GCSE Business course could help prepare you for an entrepreneurial role and help you to gain an understanding of what is involved in a business-related profession, like accountancy, law, marketing or the leisure and tourism industry.