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GCSE Business Studies

Welcome to the Business Studies Department. We are a dynamic department offering GCSE, AS and 'A' level courses in both applied and standard format. Our work involves studying various aspects of:

Recent Industrial visits have been to Coca Cola in Lambeg and B/E Aerospace in Kilkeel.

ICT is used to enhance the pupils learning in the subject. We are a very progressive department and deliver many lessons through the use of a Data Projector. The department also encourages students to get involved in extra curricular activities like the Proshare Competition and Young Enterprise.

GCSE Business Studies

The subject is divided into five topic areas:

Business:  Aims, Types and Organisation

Human Resources

Business context
Types of business organisation
Business aims
Growth of businesses
Organisation of businesses in the private sector
Business planning

Roles and relationships
Contemporary work patterns
Recruitment, selection and training
Motivation
Appraisal
Employer/Employee Relations

Production

Marketing

Product development
Scale of production
Methods of production
Location of production
Safety in Production
Changing trends

Market research
The marketing mix
International marketing
Legal constraints

Finance and Accounting

Recurring Themes

Business financial needs
Finance accounts and balance sheet
Interpretation of accounts
Costing
Forecasting

Social costs and benefits of business
activity
Interdependence and co-operation
Spiritual, moral, ethical, social and cultural
issues

Key Skills 

The subject contributes to the following key skills: communication, application of number, information technology, working with others, improving your own learning and performance and problem solving.

Assessment

CCEA examination consists of two examination papers and one piece of coursework.

Paper 1 - Case Study 30%.  Duration 1½ hours.

The case study material will be distributed to schools on 1st March in the year of the examination.  Students will be free to review the material and investigate issues arising from it, both within the classroom and at home.

Paper 2 - (50%).

The examination will last two hours and will contain four compulsory multi-part questions.

Coursework - (20%).

One coursework assignment which will involve students in research and investigation and demonstrate the use of ICT.  The coursework will give scope for originality.  The assignment will be assessed internally by the teacher and moderated externally by CCEA.