The teachers in our Business and Economics department always aim to demonstrate the real world to our students so that they gain a better understanding of how local, national and international businesses work and how they impact on their lives, both now and in the future. - Our aim is to open avenues for our students and to be innovative and creative in our delivery of the concepts under study. - The courses available for students are dynamic in nature. They allow students not only to develop academically and acquire many transferable skills for the future, but also gain a practical view of how things work in a wider context. - Students develop their knowledge in a supportive and stimulating environment enabling virtually all to progress and achieve real success. The courses available set solid foundations for higher education as well as for the job market. - We share a keen interest in the subject, a positive approach to our work and a commitment to bring out the full potential of each and every one of our pupils. - We aim to involve pupils in a variety of approaches and experiences. We encourage independence of thought yet also provide opportunity for our pupils to work in a co-operative manner, sharing ideas and developing communication skills. - There is a real emphasis on making the learning of concepts fun, interactive and visual. We use many mediums to give our students understanding of topics and this is also supported by well-designed, and heavily resourced, schemes of work, ensuring that the specifications and learning criteria are met fully. Why study Business? A Level Business is an academically rigorous and thoroughly engaging subject which is very popular at Sixth Form level. Completing the A Level in Business Studies enables students to gain a range of crucial knowledge and skills. For example: being able to develop a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the processes of adding value being aware that business behaviour can be studied from the perspectives of a range of stakeholders acquiring a range of skills including decision-making and problem-solving. Course description: The A-Level Business Studies course lasts two years, covering a multitude of concepts related to the business world. At present we will follow the Edexcel course. In Year 12, the specification introduces candidates to the challenges and issues of starting a business, including financial planning and marketing a product. It then focuses on how established businesses might improve their effectiveness by making tactical decisions at a functional level. In Year 13, the specification considers strategies for larger businesses and how managers might measure the performance of the business. Finally, it considers the effects that external factors can have on businesses and how a business can plan for and manage change, including leadership style and change in business culture.