Studying Business BTEC at King Solomon Academy

Why study Business?

Whether as customers or employees we all interact with businesses every day. Businesses are integral to the society we live in and are complex machines run by people. All businesses are different and as such have different needs. Studying business will allow you to respond to the challenges of any business whether as an entrepreneur starting up a new business or a manager of a large corporate firm. This course will develop your transferable business skills to analyse the business environment, work with other people and present complex business ideas to others. 

What will we study?

Business is a broad and diverse subject where you will learn a wide range of topics. These include:

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Human Resources
  • Motivation
  • Law
  • Ethics
  • Event Planning
  • International Business

The majority of the course is assessed by a portfolio of coursework. Throughout the course you will also take one written exam and three exams in the form of scenario challenges. At the end of the course, you will be able to keep your portfolio as a record of all the work you have achieved including reports, presentations, advertising campaigns and more.

The units you will study in year 1 are:

  • Exploring business
  • Developing a marketing campaign
  • Personal and business finance
  • Managing an event
  • + other units chosen by students on the course

The units you will study in year 2 are:

  • International business
  • Principles of decision making
  • Business decision making
  • + other units chosen by students on the course

Business is a vocational course and so you will learn  this content through real, practical business scenarios. Each unit will be designed around a business and so you will learn through the challenges of existing businesses, both small and large.  The course will have regular trips and visits to businesses to see how these businesses work in real life and then we will use these experiences in lessons and coursework.

 

Which subjects complement a study of Business?

Business BTEC is the equivalent of three courses and so will take up the majority of your timetable. You may wish to study one further A Level alongside your BTEC.

Many subjects complement Business. Students may wish to study Maths if they have an interest in accountancy or finance, Psychology if you have an interest in why people or organisations behave in specific ways or Government and Politics if you want to understand more about the political systems which affect our society. 

What could I do next with a BTEC qualification in Business?

Students of business often progress to study business, management and accountancy. Studying business at school does not limit you to just business though and you could study many other disciplines too. Students may also wish to go into the workplace environment through an apprenticeship or other work related course.

Which skills will I be developing through studying Business?

You will learn real, practical skills for the business world. These include making presentations, completing group tasks, interpreting financial data, producing business documents and responding to tough business decisions.

You will also learn the academic skills necessary for university success. 

Are there any extra-curricular opportunities to support my study of Business?

BTEC is a vocational course and so the best way to learn about the subject is to experience it. Each unit will have a different business focus and where possible, we will go on a trip to that business.

We encourage all business students to have a part time job alongside their studies. This will allow you to see the concepts we learn in class in the workplace environment.

Young enterprise – all business students are encouraged to start their own small business through the young enterprise elective.