Handsworth Grammar School: Business Studies, Economics and Politics

Business Studies, Economics and Politics

Departmental aims

When students join us they often do so with some degree of prior knowledge. Our aim is to help students to structure their knowledge and to provide a framework to think through new ideas. In doing so we hope that our students achieve exam results that reflect their potential and that we stimulate their interest to progress to studying these subjects at higher level.

KS4 - GCSE

The department runs just one course for this age range.

Business Studies GCSE is a popular subject choice in year 10. We follow an Edexcel course which is tested through coursework (25%) and a written exam (75%). The course covers all the main areas of Business Studies: marketing, production, human resources, accounts/finance and the external environment that businesses face. We try to use contemporary examples to illustrate what we teach in order to draw on the experiences of our students and to link the subject to what they have read and watched.

Teaching is shared between all staff in the department.

KS5

At this level we offer 3 courses. Given the depth of the study an interest in these subjects is always helpful.

Business Studies at AS level is also a popular option. The broad components of the course are similar to those outlined at GCSE. Both AS and A2 courses are comprised of 3 modules. There is no coursework. Teaching is shared between Mr Woodcock and Mr Maw.

Economics is a more conceptual course and studies the powerful forces that shape the world in which individual businesses have to operate. There are opportunities to study how whole economies and individual markets work at both AS and A2 and there are case study exam papers on the housing market and the European economy. Teaching is shared between Mr Maw and Mr Coulthard.

Government and Politics at AS level is primarily a study of how the elements and institutions of the British system of government fit together. At A2 we study modern British political issues and the European Union. The course is taught by Mr Coulthard.