Business, Economics and Accounting

Curriculum Overview

Vision

In an increasingly globalised world, where business is conducted across international borders, and where many of the jobs of the future will be within industries that do not yet exist (and the technology to be used has not yet been invented) the aim of business education today is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and flexibility, to help them navigate a life-long working career in an ever-changing world. 

At King Edward VI School, the aim of the Business department is to develop young people who can: 

• develop the language and skills to be successful entrepreneurs / employees / consumers 
• understand their place in, and their impact on, the local, national and global community 
• identity where and how they can have a positive impact on the wider community around them 

The ultimate goal is to support students to both understand their role as global citizens and to enable them to be the business leaders of the future.

Embedding literacy

Understanding the language of business is key to success. Whilst students are continually exposed to business terminology on a daily basis - whether that be: in their daily interactions with businesses as consumers; more generally via the use of business language on news / TV / cinema / radio; or more specifically via targeted marketing through social media – this can often lead to misunderstanding / misinterpretation, especially when the use of business language by non-specialists in the media is often incorrect (and meaning is often inferred). Literacy skills in business are core to the delivery of the subject with key term definitions and contextual examples being the foundation of understanding. This is then built on to enable students to develop logical and structured arguments based on varied business case studies. Modelling by staff (both verbally and written) supports students to develop their language skills and when this is combined with effective questioning, structured writing plans and exemplar written answers, enables students to develop their “disciplinary” literacy skills in the subject. 

Numeracy skills are also fundamental to success in Business, Economics an Accounting. Whilst all students have usually been taught (via their mathematics lessons) the technical numeracy skills and techniques required in or three subjects, the ability to apply these to the contextual case studies used in real life is a difficult skill for students to develop. As numeracy is integral to tall four of the courses we offer, it is important these skills are embedded in student learning. Regular repetition and retrieval practice of numeracy skills (across different real-world context) combined with gradual development of the techniques used over the two years of our courses support numeracy development, whilst analysis of numerical data leading to supported written arguments by students reinforce understanding as well as the importance of both literacy and numeracy skills across our subjects.

Encouraging independence 

Students are encouraged to use their own personal experiences to help contextualise their understanding of the theories and models discussed in lessons. The emphasis on students to explain the rationale behind their views to support their arguments (and the recognition that in the real world there is often not one right answer but instead multiple possible correct approaches dependent on how they are implemented) encourages students to have confidence in / and express their own personal views. In addition, use of a wide range of case studies (as well as the diverse industrial experience that teaching staff have and refer to in lessons) helps students relate to our subjects and identify areas of Business. Accounting and Economics that specifically interest them.

Enrichment  

The courses we offer open many different enrichment opportunities. Trips to businesses as well as guest speakers help to widen students’ appreciation of the subject. In addition, students have the opportunity to follow the annual Young Enterprise programme (where the school has three times made the national finals with one group going on to the European finals).

Structure 

Delivery of the Business course is focused on developing students’ knowledge of the theories and business models that make businesses successful, as well as exposing students to the varied and diverse real world examples of businesses ranging from;  

• Small local businesses to world-wide global companies 
• Providers of 'basic' goods and services to 'new' technology start-ups
• Profit maximising organisations to 'third sector' social enterprises and charities   

The structure of the GCSE Business course is based on the ten unit Edexcel GCSE qualification with the order of delivery chosen to support logical progression, whilst at the same time fitting in with the school curriculum plan. Assessment is continual throughout the course and comes in the form of formative assessment based on teacher assessment and student self and peer assessment, as well as end of unit assessments that act as both summative progress measures and formative feedback to identify future areas of development (all using the “WWW” and EBI” model).

GCSE Business

Curriculum Intent 

At King Edward VI School in Lichfield, the intent of our GCSE Business curriculum is to equip students with the knowledge, analytical skills and commercial awareness required to understand how businesses operate within a rapidly changing economic environment. By following the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Business specification, students develop a strong foundation in enterprise, decision-making and financial literacy while also gaining an appreciation of how businesses contribute to local, national and global economies. 

The curriculum is designed to develop students’ curiosity about the world of work and enterprise. Students explore how entrepreneurs identify opportunities, how businesses grow and how organisations respond to external influences such as competition, economic conditions and technological change. Through this, students gain an understanding of the key functional areas of business including marketing, finance, operations and human resources, enabling them to see how different decisions interact within a business context. 

A key aim of the curriculum is to develop students’ ability to analyse information, interpret data and evaluate business decisions. Students learn to justify their views using evidence, develop structured written arguments and apply business theory to real-world scenarios. These skills support not only success in examinations but also broader academic development, particularly in critical thinking, problem solving and communication. 

Beyond the classroom, GCSE Business provides students with valuable financial awareness and commercial understanding that supports informed decision-making in everyday life. Students develop an appreciation of entrepreneurship, innovation and responsible business behaviour, helping them to understand how economic activity affects communities and society more widely. For students at King Edward VI School, this knowledge is particularly valuable as they begin to consider future pathways in a dynamic regional economy. 

The qualification also supports a wide range of future destinations. It provides a strong foundation for progression to A Level study in subjects such as Business, Economics or Accounting, as well as vocational business pathways. In addition, the skills developed through the course—such as evaluating risk, managing resources and understanding organisational behaviour—are highly transferable and relevant to careers across many sectors including finance, management, marketing and entrepreneurship. 
Ultimately, the intent of our GCSE Business curriculum is to ensure that students leave King Edward VI School as informed, analytical and economically aware individuals, capable of understanding the role of business in society and confident in applying their knowledge to future study, employment and everyday decision-making. 

Key Stage 4 Curriculum (Business)

Staff

The following members of staff form the Business, Economics and Accounting department at King Edwards: