Business
Students studying Business for 3 or 5 years at Lutterworth College will leave the College equipped with knowledge and transferable skills which are equally relevant to further academic studies and the world of work. We also aim to instil in our students a passion for business and an interest in the wider external environment in which businesses operate.
Business education starts in Year 9 at Lutterworth College, when students are introduced to the broad concepts that will be studied in greater depth in GCSE, A level and BTEC courses. Students will consider the practical application of business concepts as well as theories that underpin them. Content of the courses provides opportunities to explore theories and concepts in the most relevant way, using real business examples. Students will study in the context of events in the business and economic world. Embedded across the Business curriculum are Lutterworth College’s Be CHRIST values, with a multitude of opportunities for students to demonstrate and develop in these areas. Students are able to demonstrate these values at various points in the curriculum in the following ways:
- Being Courageous – fully exploring and understanding a wide range of businesses operating locally, nationally and globally and not afraid to discuss contentious issues such as pollution and discrimination.
- Being Hard working – being able to use business models and theories to analyse business behaviour in their preparation for academic examinations and the production of assignments. We also encourage students to undertake their own further reading and viewing of business related issues.
- Being Reflective – understanding how business behaviour impacts upon them as individuals and society as a whole in the real world
- Being Inspirational – being prepared to challenge examples of real business behaviour in relation to “profits, people and planet” and using their business knowledge to inform their behaviour now, in the future as consumers and when making career choices
- Being Supportive – of each other in group work, presentations and projects, accepting that we are all stakeholders of Lutterworth College and the wider community
- Being Tenacious – in skills development – learning new concepts and being able to use them to evaluate complex business stimulus material.
Key Stage 4
All students study GCSE Business, comprising of Business in the Real World, Influences on Business, Operations, Human Resources, Marketing and Finance. The knowledge and understanding gained is broad and well balanced. Students apply their knowledge and understanding to different business contexts ranging from small enterprises to large multinationals operating in local, national and global contexts. Students develop an understanding of how these contexts impact on business behaviour. Students will apply their knowledge and understanding to business decision making including the use and limitation of quantitative and qualitative data in making decisions. Students will develop problem solving and decision-making skills by investigating, analysing and evaluating business opportunities and issues.
An example of this is:
Knowledge: understand the different legal structures that businesses adopt and the concept of limited liability
Understanding: analysing the benefits and drawbacks of each legal structure
Skill: evaluate which legal structure would be most appropriate for a variety of business examples, including new start-up businesses and large established businesses.
Key Stage 5
Students have the opportunity to study A level Business or BTEC Extended Certificate in Business. Both options enable student to build upon the knowledge and skills needed to analyse data, think critically about issues and make informed decisions – all relevant to further study and employment. The topics are strategic in nature and lend themselves to studying and further engaging with the business world. Students are encouraged to follow business developments and think critically about contemporary business issues with 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.
An example of this is:
Knowledge: the impact of the social and technological environment on strategic and functional decision making
Understanding: social changes include demographic changes and population movements such as urbanisation and migration, changes in consumer lifestyle, buying behaviour and the growth of online businesses. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the reasons for and against it, the difference between the stakeholder v shareholder concept, Carroll’s CSR pyramid. Technological change includes the impact of technological change on functional areas and strategy.
Skills: Demonstrate knowledge of terms, concepts, theories, methods and models. Apply knowledge and understanding to various business contexts. Analyse issues within business, showing an understanding of the impact on individuals and organisations of external and internal influences. Evaluate quantitative and qualitative information to make informed judgements and propose evidence-based solutions to business issues.
A Level Business Curriculum Map
Level 3 BTEC Business Curriculum Map