GCSE Business Studies Home Study Course

 
AQA Specification
4130
Course Overview
Gaining a GCSE in Business Studies is a stepping stone to a great future in business. The course, which follows the AQA 4130 syllabus, will address the following units:
Unit 1: Setting Up A Business 
Unit 2: Growing as a Business
Unit 3: Investigating Business This involves a controlled assessment undertaken in controlled conditions. 
Candidates will be required to undertake a business investigation based upon a task set by AQA who will provide pre-released material..
Course Content
Unit 1: Setting Up A Business
Starting a Business
Appreciate what a business is and understand the motivations behind setting up a business, including Social Enterprises.
Identify where business enterprise ideas may be found and to determine product and market niche or gaps.
Distinguish the differences between a franchisee and an independent business.
Recognise the main categories of business aims and objectives, and the importance of why these must be established, with due consideration to influence of stakeholders on these objectives.
Understand how business aims and objectives can be used in forward planning and measuring success.
Appreciate how planning helps in the process of setting up a business, and have an understanding of the main categories in a business plan.
Determine the risks business face and how to minimise these.
Identify the benefits and shortfalls of the different legal structures available when setting up a business (i.e. Sole Trader, Partnership, Private Limited Company), with consideration to liability status and repercussions of increased stakeholders.
Recognise the main factors which influence choosing a location for the Business, such as transport infrastructure, labour, competition, proximity to market, raw materials and cost.
Marketing
Appreciate the reasoning for conducting market research, and what promotion methods are available, with consideration to a limited budget.
Understand each of the elements of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) and be able to apply this knowledge to analysing which would be appropriate in different scenarios.
Appraise the products which a small business is likely to offer, and how to adapt these to provide for customer needs.
Understand the basic relationship between price and demand, and the effects on profit and competitiveness.
Recognise the importance of the growth of e-commerce with regard to extending reach to international markets.
Finance
Identify the sources of finance and support available to a small business, and the problems businesses may face when raising funds.
Understand the basic financial definitions of and relationships between; Price, Sales, Revenue, Costs and Profit and perform simple calculations using these to determine profit / loss.
Understand the importance of simple cash flow statements and the repercussions of cash flow problems, and identify possible solutions.
People in Businesses
Understand the importance of full time and part-time employment to businesses, means by which businesses recruit staff, and recognise factors that determine wage levels including skill and experience.
Distinguish the other monetary  and fringe benefits that are available (pensions, bonuses etc)
Recognise the importance of a motivated workforce and understand the ways by which this can be achieved.
Obtain a broad understanding of legal responsibilities of employers and employees, and legislation which affects businesses.
Operations Management
Determine appropriateness of different production methods, understand customer expectations of quality and comprehend the importance of operating efficiently, having considered changes in technology.
Appreciate that customer service has huge importance, establish the elements of good service, and recognise how the law protects customers.
Understand the ways which advances in ICT can develop services.
Unit 2: Growing as a Business
The Business Organisation
Recognise the positive and negative factors when expanding business, and understand methods used by large businesses for expansion, and the consequences for stakeholders.
Distinguish between and appraise the strengths of  a private limited company (ltd) and a public ltd company (plc)
Evaluate how the needs of a larger business differ from that of a smaller, and how the wider social, environmental and ethical costs may change as businesses expand
Appreciate the importance of location to a growing business and identify issues relating to international expansion and cost.
Marketing
PRODUCT: Understand the reasons why businesses may adapt their product portfolio as they grow and how demand may change over time with regard to product life-cycle, and what methods could extend product life-span, and the impact this could have on other areas of the business.
PRICE: Appreciate how pricing can facilitate business growth, and what factors in the market influence pricing decisions.
PROMOTION: Identity which factors affect selection of promotion and methods of promotion.
PLACE: Distinguish distribution methods appropriate for different scenarios to gain access to potential new customers.
Finance
Recognise the main avenues available to large businesses for raising funds, and the qualities of each.
Understand the varied components of a balance sheet and profit and loss account, and appreciate their importance to stakeholders for assessing performance.
People in Business
Comprehend internal organisational structures, trees and layers of management, the term ‘span of control’, centralisation and decentralisation and understand the effect an organisations structure has on the way it’s managed.
Account for the processes businesses use to recruit, the advantages and content of an induction programme, the positive and negative aspects of on and off the job training, why and how reviews and appraisals are undertaken, and methods for staff motivation and retention.
Operations Management
Appreciate the use of flow production, how specialisation and division of labour affect efficiency, and how production techniques can influence efficiency, training and motivation.
Understand how larger businesses obtain a cost advantage over smaller ones together with the disadvantages of growth.
Recognise possible impacts on quality assurance and methods of maintaining consistent quality within a growing business, such as TQM (Total Quality Management).
Unit 3: Investigating business
A controlled assessment unit undertaken in controlled conditions. 
Candidates will be required to undertake a business investigation based upon a task set by AQA each year, who will provide pre-released material.
Candidates will first need to cover the relevant areas of the specification for the task.
It is anticipated that candidates spend 5-8 hours investigating the business.
Candidates will then write up their findings in up to three hours, under controlled conditions. 

Study Time
To complete this course it will take in the region of 100 study hours which can be spread over a 12 month period to suit the student.
Pre-requisites
No previous study is required to access any of our GCSE courses, but they do require basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Support and Benefits
Full tutor support is available via email by fully qualified professionals.
Exam Dates and Information


Exams are in June of each year and the latest dates for enrolment is December.
If you start your course after December then it is unlikely you can take your exam in June unless your tutor agrees and you can find a centre, they will require late registration fees.
Further Reading and Book List


GCSE Business Studies: AQA Version (Paperback)
by Alain Anderton, Rob Jones
Publisher: Causeway Press; 3 edition (1 Jun 2007)
ISBN-10: 1405864508
ISBN-13: 978-1405864503
Qualifications
UK Open Learning offers a range of GCSEs and all the course materials map to the very latest criteria laid down by the awarding bodies.
When you have taken your exams you will be awarded a grade which ranges from A – G with G being the lowest.
You will need to take GCSEs to progress onto A Levels and employers look for Maths and English as a minimum requirement for most jobs. 
Taking Exams
UK Open Learning in conjunction will give whatever help we can with examination information and finding an exam centre, but entering examinations is entirely the responsibility of the student, and the contract for sitting examinations is between the student and the exam centre. We are not an exam centre so you must read all the information in your course pack carefully and be prepared to travel to a centre which is willing to accept external candidates.
Please do not ask us to provide you with a list of your nearest centres when enquiring about your course as we do not have this information available; you need to contact the awarding body.
Please visit AQA http://web.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_private/
Funding
UK Open Learning does not have access to any funding so if you require a subsidised course please contact your Learn Direct Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do your courses meet the latest syllabus changes?
A. yes, all our course materials meet any changes and will be updated free of charge if further changes are made.
Q. Why do I have to find a centre myself?
A. We have students all over the UK and Europe and it is impossible for us to arrange dates and times for individual students.
Q. What if I cannot find an examination centre?
A. If you wish to gain the qualification then be prepared to travel it is worth it!