BUSINESS
BTEC National Extended Certificate
Awarding body: Edexcel
What will I learn?
Over the 2 years, you will study four units covering entrepreneurial themes that are key to understanding how businesses are set up and run successfully. Not only will you study the theory of business, but you will also apply your learning through a variety of hands-on projects within the course.
How will I be assessed?
- Unit 1 - Exploring Business
- considers what makes a business successful from start to finish
- Unit 2 - Developing a Marketing Campaign
- learn what goes into making a successful one and apply your skills like you've seen it done in "The Apprentice"
- Unit 3 – Personal and Business Finance
- understand what goes into managing money on a personal level and what's required for a business to make it achieve those profits
- Unit 14 - Investigating Customer Service
- what is it and why is it more important than ever today?
Assessment across the course will be via a combination of exam, controlled assessment & coursework projects. The exam board assesses the controlled assessments & exams, whilst your teachers assess the coursework.
What can I do at the end of the course?
This qualification is designed primarily to support progression to further study at university when studied in combination with A-Levels or other Vocational subject options. Directly related degree options might include a Business Management, Sales, Marketing, Enterprise or Accounting pathway, but other alternatives will also be open to you, as successful completion of the course carries the same UCAS points as that of 1 A-Level. Therefore, it can also be used as part of a combination of subjects to study most subjects at University.
However, the course also supports students choosing to progress directly to employment, as the transferable knowledge, understanding and skills will give you an advantage when applying for a range of entry to higher level ‘school leaver’ management or technical roles, and Apprenticeships schemes in many different industries. The course could also equip you with the confidence and knowledge to become an entrepreneur and turn your enterprise ideas and ambitions into reality.
BUSINESS - DOUBLE AWARD
This qualification must be taken with the Extended Certificate
BTEC National Diploma
Awarding body: Edexcel
What will I learn?
You will study the four units covered under the Extended Certificate course, along with an additional four units making eight in total over the 2 years. These additional units will cover the following aspects of business:
- Unit 4 - Managing an event
- considers what does it take to be an event manager and what are the stages involved in planning, advertising & running an event - then put theory into practice and do it yourself!
- Unit 5 – International Business
- considers how a business can survive and grow into a global success
- Unit 6 - Principles of Management
- considers the theories and strategies behind successfully managing people and other resources in a business
- Unit 8 - Recruitment & Selection
- considers how you get the right people with the right skills in the right roles in a business to operate efficiently and effectively - then learn and demonstrate these yourself, ready for your next opportunities!
How will I be assessed?
Assessment across the course will be via a combination of exam, controlled assessment & coursework projects. The exam board assesses the controlled assessments & exams, whilst your teachers assess the coursework.
What can I do at the end of the course?
This qualification is designed primarily to support progression to further study at university when studied in combination with another A-Level or other Vocational subject option. Directly related degree options might include a Business Management, Sales, Marketing, Enterprise or Accounting pathway, but other alternatives will also be open to you, as successful completion of the course carries the same UCAS points as that of 2 A-Levels. Therefore, it can also be used as part of a combination of subjects to study most subjects at University.
However, the course also supports students choosing to progress directly to employment, as the transferable knowledge, understanding and skills will give you an advantage when applying for a range of entry to higher level ‘school leaver’ management or technical roles, and Apprenticeships schemes in many different industries. The course could also equip you with the confidence and knowledge to become an entrepreneur and turn your enterprise ideas and ambitions into reality.
FINANCIAL STUDIES
LIBF Diploma
Awarding body: LIBF (London Institute of Banking & Finance)
What will I learn?
How financial capabilities affect every aspect of our lives, and how internal & external issues impact our potential, financial prosperity.
- You will want to become an expert in the range of different financial products that we use to meet our life goals, as well as show a willingness to evaluate the suitability of various financial solutions to the different challenges that people face.
- You will want to learn how the UK & other countries’ governments’ economic and political policies contribute to a more complex financial landscape, which in turn drives the need for us to be increasingly more financial literate, so that we are effective citizens & sustainable consumers. You will want to gain an understanding of how the financial services industry operates and the link between it, consumers, the Government and the National Economy.
How will I be assessed?
CeFS (Certificate in Financial Studies) Year 12
- Unit 1: – Financial Capability for the Immediate and Short Term (FCIS)
- Unit 2: – Financial Capability for the Medium and Long Term (FCML)
DipFS (Diploma in Financial Studies) Year 13
- Unit 3: – Sustainability of an Individual’s Finances (SIF)
- Unit 4: – Sustainability of the Financial Services System (SFS)
All units comprise 2 exams per Unit – 1 MCQ (35%) & 1 written case study (65%)
What can I do at the end of the course?
Students gaining the CeFS/DipFS will have access to a wide range of career and higher education opportunities. These are professional qualifications in their own right which are highly recognised by employers, some of whom award higher starting salaries as a result. The CeFS/DipFS can also form part of a suite of ‘A’ levels or Vocational subjects, including BTEC Business Studies, specifically geared for those who would like a future in an employed or self-employed business environment, or to go on and study Business or Finance related degrees. Alternatively, the CeFS/DipFS would make an ideal 3rd or 4th ‘A’ level choice as it can combine easily with all other ‘A’ Level subjects for a range of university or college courses. You will be gaining useful, relevant knowledge and skills that will affect the quality of your real financial future, as well as gaining the standard UCAS points associated with all other ‘A’ levels that you will need for your chosen university course.
COMPUTER SCIENCE
A Level
Awarding body: OCR
What will I learn?
Component 1 - Computer Systems (40% of A-Level, 50% of AS-Level)
Students will cover topics such as:
- Components of a computer
- Networks & Databases
- Data Representation
- Software
- Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues in Computing
Component 2 - Algorithms & Programming (40% of A-Level, 50% of AS-Level)
Students will cover topics such as:
- Computational Thinking
- Programming & Problem Solving
- Algorithms
Component 3 - Programming Project (20% of A-Level)
Students will be creating a piece of software for a user of their choice and produce a report that includes:
- Analysis of the problem
- Design of the Solution
- Development of the Solution
- Testing & Evaluation
What can I do at the end of the course?
Studying A-Level Computer Science allows students to develop their problem solving skills greatly, a skill that is helpful for every career. Students who study A-Level Computer Science have an ideal pathway into undergraduate degrees in areas such as Computer Science or Engineering. These degree choices lead to many possible career options such as Software Engineer, Threat Analysis, Project Manager and Network Engineer.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
BTEC Extended Certificate
Awarding Body: Pearson
What will I learn?
Students will develop both theoretical and practical skills of IT and apply these in a business setting. This involves how businesses should use social media, how to analyse and manipulate data in spreadsheets, how to develop relational databases and theoretical information about the IT industry, such as legal issues with IT and how networks work. The course has a range of coursework modules, practical exams and traditional exams.
- Year 12
Students will complete two units:
- Using Social Media in Business (Coursework)
- Data Modelling (Coursework)
- Year 13
Students will complete two units:
- Information Technology Systems (Written Exam)
- Creating Systems to Manage Information (Practical exam)
What can I do at the end of the course?
This course will lead learners onto either Higher Education or Employment. There are variety of different degree options you could pursue after this course some examples are: Information Technology, Information Management, Software Engineering, Business Studies and Management. Careers can include managing computer networks, project manager, website developer, digital marketing.