Department: Business & Social Sciences

Head of Department: Mr P Smith

If you wish to learn more about the curriculum, please contact the Head of Department by email: ­­­­p.smith@oaklandscatholicschool.org

GCSE Business Years 10-11

Exam Board: Edexcel

Exam board specification weblink: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Business/2017/specification-and-sample-assessments/GCSE_Business_Spec_2017.pdf

 

 

This Edexcel GCSE  (9-1) Business qualification comprises a common enterprise-themed business core alongside an exciting opportunity to study how larger business grow and make decisions.

 

The GCSE course is split into two ‘themes’.  The first theme focusses on the world of small businesses and will look at what makes someone a successful business person. Students will be introduced into how to develop an idea and spot an opportunity, and turn that into a successful business. Furthermore, students will understand how to make a business effective and manage money. They will also see how the world around us affects small businesses and all the people involved.  In the second theme, the focus switches to building the business and marketing, finance, human resource and operational decision making.

 

  • The qualification is assessed in two equally weighted exam papers. Please note – there is no coursework assessment. Each paper will be assessed using the format outlined below:

 

Paper 1 – Theme 1: Investigating small business
Paper 2 – Theme 2: Building a business

 
·         90 minutes: 90 marks

·         Section A: mixture of MCQs and short answer questions (35 Marks)

·         Section B: short answer and extended-writing questions based on a business context (30 Marks)

·         Section C: short answer and extended-writing questions based on a business context (25 marks).

 

Aspects of the course to be studied

 

Paper 1 – Theme 1: Investigating small business (Yr 9/10)

 

1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship

1.2 Spotting a business opportunity

1.3 Putting a business idea into practice

1.4 Making the business effective

1.5 Understanding external influences on business

 

 

 

Paper 2 – Theme 2: Building a business  (Yr 11)

 

2.1 Growing the business

2.2 Making marketing decisions

2.3 Making operational decisions

2.4 Making financial decisions

2.5 Making human resource decisions

GCSE Health & Social Care (J406 – Single Award) Years 10-11

Exam Board: OCR

Exam board specification weblink: http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/68454-specification.pdf

Year 10 Topics – Unit A911

Health, Social Care and Early Years Provision

 

 Year 11 Topics – Unit A912

Understanding Personal Development and

Relationships

 
• The range of care needs of major client

groups

• The ways people can obtain services and

the possible barriers that could prevent

people from gaining access to services

• The types of services that exist to meet

client group needs and how they are

organised

• The principles of care that underpin all

care work

• The main work roles and skills of people

who provide health, social care and early

years services

 • The stages and pattern of human growth

and development

• The different factors that can affect human

growth and development

• The development of self-concept and

different types of relationships

• Major life changes and sources of support

A level Economics Y12-13

Exam Board: AQA

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/economics/as-and-a-level/economics-7135-7136

Year 12 Topics Year 13 Topics
The operation of markets and market failure

  • Economic methodology and the economic problem
  • Price determination in a competitive market
  • Production, costs and revenue
  • Competitive and concentrated markets
  • The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets

The national economy in a global context

  • The measurement of macroeconomic performance
  • How the macroeconomy works : the circular flow of income, AD/AS analysis, and related concepts
  • Economic performance
  • Macroeconomic policy
 Individuals, firms, markets and market failure

  • Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly
  • The labour market
  • The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality

The national and international economy

  • Financial markets and monetary policy
  • Fiscal policy and supply-side policies
  • The international economy

A level Business Y12-13

Exam Board: AQA

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/business-subjects/as-and-a-level/business-7131-7132

Year 12 Topics Year 13 Topics
  • What is business?
  • Managers, leadership and decision making
  • Decision making to improve marketing performance
  • Decision making to improve operational performance
  • Decision making to improve financial performance
  • Decision making to improve human resource performance
  • Analysing the strategic position of a business
  • Choosing strategic direction
  • Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies
  • Managing strategic change

A level Sociology Y12-13

Exam Board: WJEC (Year 12)

Exam Board specification weblink: http://eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/sociology/as-a-level/

Exam Board: OCR (Year 13) * In September 2017 students will commence WJEC Year 2 A level.

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-sociology-h181-h581/

Year 12 Topics (WJEC) Year 13 Topics *(OCR)
  • Social order, social control
  • Social change
  • Conflict and consensus
  • Social structure and social action
  • The role of values
  • The relationship between social and contemporary social policy
 A2 Unit G673: Power and Control

Sociology of education

  • Structure and organisation of the education system
  • Role and function of education in society
  • Differential educational achievement
  • Relationship between education and the economy
  • education and social policy

 

A2 Unit G674: Exploring Social Inequality and Difference

Social inequality and difference, illustrated by the study of:

  • Gender
  • Class
  • Ethnicity
  • Age

Exploring sociological research on social inequality and difference:

  • Practical concerns
  • Theoretical issues.

 

A level Psychology Y12-13

Exam Board: AQA

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology-7181-7182

Year 12 Topics Year 13 Topics
  • Social influence
  • Memory
  • Attachment
  • Approaches in psychology
  • Psychopathology
  • Research methods
  • Biopsychology
  • Issues and debates in psychology

Options from:

Option 1

  • Relationships
  • Gender
  • Cognition and development

Option 2

  • Schizophrenia
  • Eating behaviour
  • Stress

Option 3

  • Aggression
  • Forensic psychology
  • Addiction

A level Health & Social Care Y12-13 (details TBC)

Exam Board: OCR

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-sociology-h181-h581/

Year 12 Topics Year 13 Topics

A level Politics Y12-13

Exam Board: AQA

Exam Board specification weblink: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/politics-2017.html

Year 12 Topics
 Year 13 Topics
  • UK Politics: Democracy & participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behavior, the media.
  • Core Politics Ideas: Liberalism, Conservatism, Socialism.
  • UK Goverment: The Constitution, Prime Minister & the Executive, relationships between the branches of government.
  • Non-core Political Ideas (one of the following): Multiculturalism, Nationalism, Feminism, Ecologism, Anarchism
  • The Government and Politics of the USA: The US constitution, federalism, US congress, US presidency, US Supreme Court, civil rights, US democracy & participation, comparative theories.

Exam:

Paper 1: UK Politics & Core Political Ideas

Paper 2: UK Government & Non-Core Political Ideas Paper 3: Comparative Politics (USA)

A level Law Y12-13

Exam Board: OCR

Exam Board specification weblink: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-law-h134-h534/

Year 12 Topics Year 13 Topics
Sources of law 12

  • Bill to an Act
  • EU Law
  • Judicial Precedent
  • Statutory interpretation

English Legal System  

  • Police Powers
  • Criminal and civil courts
  • Sentencing
  • Magistrates
  • Jury
  • Legal profession
  • Appeals

 

 
  • Special study pre-release  – one topic – Non fatal offences (every year topic changes)
  • Principles of Criminal law – Actus reus and mens rea
  • Offences – NFO, murder, robbery, theft & manslaughter.

Defences:

  • Self Defence
  • Automatism
  • Insanity
  • Duress
  • Intoxication