The AQA A Level in Business demonstrates the interrelated nature of business using business models, theories and techniques to support analysis of contemporary business issues and situations to provide a dynamic specification. The content is designed to engage through topics and issues that are relevant in today’s society – students will study key contemporary developments such as digital technology and business ethics, and globalisation is covered throughout the topics.
Students will develop the knowledge and skills needed to analyse data, think critically about issues and make informed decisions – all skills that are needed for further study and employment.
Students will use a variety of assessment styles including multiple choice, short answer, data response, essay and case studies. Real life case studies will be used wherever possible to make it easier to relate to and apply wider knowledge and skills developed throughout the course.
Students of this course should study business in a variety of contexts (e.g. large/small, UK focused/global, service/manufacturing) and consider:
The study of strategic decision making should build on the study of decision making in the functional areas.
Students should consider:
The topics lend themselves to studying and engaging with the business world. The specification and assessment should encourage students to follow business developments and think critically about contemporary business issues. Most of the assessment material is based on real business situations. By examining and thinking critically about real business situations as they study the subject, students will gain an insight into different contexts which will help them to understand the key issues in any situation and compare and contrast this with other situations and apply their understanding.
AS and A-level Business Specification for teaching from September 2023 onwards (aqa.org.uk)
This qualification is for learners who want to study Business. It will provide learners with the opportunity through applied learning to develop the core specialist knowledge, skills and understanding required in the business sector.
This qualification will provide learners with the skills, knowledge and understanding to progress into Higher Education on a business related programme such as Business, Business Management, Marketing, Business and Finance, Business and Economics and Accounting.
360 GLH – equivalent to one A level.
5 Units – 3 mandatory and 2 optional
Unit 1 – 120 GLH, externally examined. (mandatory)
Unit 2 – 60 GLH, externally examined. (mandatory)
Unit 4 – 60 GLH, internally assessed and moderated by OCR. (mandatory)
Unit 5 – 60 GLH, internally assessed and moderated by OCR. (optional)
Unit 16 – 60 GLH, internally assessed and moderated by OCR. (optional)
Learners will take five units over the two years, which will be made up of three mandatory units and two optional units.
The mandatory externally assessed unit 1, The Business Environment will be covered in Year 12 along with another mandatory unit, though this one is internally assessed unit 4, Customers and Communication. These two units require 180 GLH which is half of the extended certificate course. This also provides the necessary criteria to complete the AS qualification the Cambridge Technical Certificate (05834) at the end of Year 12.
The Business Environment, unit 1, will give learners an understanding of the wider contexts in which businesses operate and their functions and interdependencies. The unit will allow learners to appreciate how legal, financial, ethical and resource constraints can affect business behaviour and the influence different stakeholders can have on how business respond.
The Working in Business , unit 2, will give learners an understanding of the critical skills needed when working in business, such as organisation, prioritisation and effective communication. The unit will allow them to learn how to use different business documents and about organisational protocols that most businesses would expect employees to follow.
The Customers and Communications, Unit 4, allows learners to appreciate how vital customers are to the success of a business. It will give learners an understanding of how important it is to businesses to know their customers and what influences customer behaviour. Learners will understand how to communicate to customers.
The final two optional units to be completed in Year 13 with Unit 2 will be Unit 5 Marketing and Market Research, and Unit 16 Principles of Project Management. In Unit 5 learners will be given an understanding of how to carry out effective Market Research by carrying out market research for a failing business, in order to find out information enabling the business to improve its revenue and ultimately its profit.
During Unit 16 the learners will put together a Project Plan for a start-up business highlighting what needs to be done, what resources will be needed, a budget and a plan of action of how to manage the project and review its success after the project has finished.
St Peter's School
St Peter's Road, Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE29 7DD
St Peter’s School is part of The Cam Academy Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 0749 1945.
The registered oce is at St Peter’s School, St Peter's Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 7DD
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