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Aims & Philosophy
On leaving full-time education, young people
are expected to participate in the world of work - the world of
economic and business decisions. This world is full of uncertainty
and jobs are no longer for life so youngsters need to be able to
approach the future in a flexible manner. They are required to find
ways of solving problems and dealing with a range of perspectives
in many different situations. The GCSE course aims to give them
these skills, making significant use of Information Technology along
the way. |
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The
AS/A level syllabus assumes no previous study of Economic and Business
Studies (indeed each year, several of its participants are new
to the subject), but it also provides a natural progression from
the GCSE. The course is designed to give students the wherewithal
to use economic and business terminology, concepts and methods
and be able to make informed evaluative judgements. Developing
a spirit of engagement and self-motivation through active, investigative
learning leading to an enduring interest in, enthusiasm for and
knowledge of the business environment is a very important intention
of the programme. This A level is good preparation for those going
to university to study one of a wide range of economics or business
related courses, or for any number of disciplines for that matter.
Course Content
GCSE students take two terminal exams. The
Perspectives paper offers candidates a series of structured questions
relating to real world scenarios. The Problem Solving paper asks
questions based on a range of evidence concerning a business/economics
issue. Coursework contributes the remaining 20% of the marks available.
The A level operates on a modular system. By the end of the first
year, students will have completed two exam papers together with
two externally assessed coursework Portfolio pieces. These will
complete the AS component of the course. Candidates continuing to
the full A level in their second year will undertake two more Portfolio
elements and conclude their studies with two further exams in the
June of that year.
Resources
Each pupil is issued with a main textbook
written specifically for this syllabus and frequent use is made
of one of the IT suites for the GCSE and the AS/A level classes.
The department operates in three classrooms and its own library,
together with its own audio-visual and interactive computer equipment.
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Extra-curricular
The Department offers opportunities beyond
the classroom. From Year 10 upwards students can participate in
the national Proshare Forecast Challenge and our own in-house investment
game. In the Lower Sixth, students have the chance to be a member
of a Young Enterprise company and to emulate the 2004 Proshare Investment
Challenge team who beat hundreds of schools to win the prestigious
national tournament, the prize of a week's trip to New York and
the offer of an internship with Bloomberg for a gap year! Incidentally,
their 2002 predecessors had come second. In addition, we often
submit entries to the Young Business Writer of the Year Award -
a title won by one of our students in 2003. Finally, in the
Upper Sixth, there is the prospect of competing in the Target 2.5
Challenge organised jointly by the Bank of England and The Times
and also the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Competition,
in which we came second in 2004.
Special Information
In 2004, all twenty four A level candidates
passed their exam, 88% securing a grade A or B. Three of our students
finished in the top twenty nationally for this syllabus - one coming
first! The Lower Sixth also performed strongly with 100% pass rate
and 66% of the thirty three AS level candidates being awarded an
A or B. There were forty eight GCSE candidates in the 2004 examination,
93% achieving a grade in the A* to C range.
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