Business Studies Key Stage 4

At GCSE we offer two distinct courses. One course, GCSE Business Studies, is worth one GCSE and takes two hours per week, whilst the GCSE Applied Business is worth two GCSEs and takes up four hours per week. Both courses are valued by both employers and further education institutes.

The courses can lead to a range of further education courses and jobs, including Business Studies, Accounting and Finance, Economics and many more.

Business Education is becoming increasingly valuable for young people as it provides the skills that employers are looking for, and the relevant knowledge that is becoming essential in a modern economy.

The main difference between the courses is the method of assessment used, with the Applied  Business course being two-thirds coursework and one-third exam, with the Business Studies course having 75% assessment through exam and just 25% coursework.

The basics of the course:
The course runs for two lessons per week, and is worth one GCSE.

The structure of the course:
You will cover the following…

  • Structure of business;
  • How businesses are promoted and marketed;
  • How people are managed;
  • The way the environment affects business;
  • How the business makes the goods and services;
  • The effect of the economy on business;
  • The ways businesses manage their finances.

The assessment for the course:
This course is particularly appropriate for those who prefer exams to coursework.
It assessed by:
One piece of coursework worth 25%.
One exam worth 75%.

Success with Business Studies!!
Last year our pupils achieved on average half a grade higher than their predicted grade, with 85.7% of pupils meeting or exceeding their target grade.


The basics of the course:
The course runs for four lessons per week, and is worth two GCSEs.

The structure of the course:
You will cover the following…

  • Structure of business;
  • How businesses are promoted and marketed;
  • How people are managed;
  • The way the environment affects business;
  • The effect of the economy on business;
  • The ways businesses manage their finances.

The assessment for the course:
This course is particularly appropriate for those who prefer coursework to exams.
It assessed by:
Two pieces of coursework worth 33% each.
One exam worth 33%.

Success with Applied Business!!
Last year our pupils achieved on average half a grade higher than their predicted grade, with 84% of pupils meeting or exceeding their target grade.