Curriculum Intent
“Together, we have the power to inspire, connect, and deliver on new opportunities and rich experiences that can open doors to innovation and progress while growing global economies and increasing well-being.”
— Tae Yoo
Business has an impact on all our lives and shapes us as citizens. How we live our everyday lives is determined by business and affects our standard of living, our health, our happiness and ultimately the local communities in which we live. The connection that business has with the futures of young people is very important and at some point in their lives, our diverse cohort of students will need to have the confidence, capability and aspiration to be able to develop economically as self-sufficient individuals. To be able to live ‘choice filled lives’ in a dynamic and rapidly advancing global economy.
The Business curriculum at Newark Academy is delivered by subject experts, aims to provide all learners with a deep and powerful knowledge base of the world of business, which includes key concepts such as Enterprise, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Business Ownership and Growth. The study of Business should also develop our students beyond the school with specialist knowledge to equip them with the life skills that they will need to ensure access to future opportunities within a work environment which is complemented by an Academy wide careers education programme that augments classroom study and provides wider work experience opportunities.
Our curriculum puts the subject in context through the use of real life situations and exposure to key entrepreneurs in the business world and through problem solving scenarios, which will help students to develop personal qualities such as aspiration, teamwork & resilience. We are passionate about building cross curricular links in other subject areas throughout KS3 and through the PSHE programme at our Academy to enable this transition into our KS4 provision for our students. We regularly link our curriculum to current affairs, as well as to both local and global contexts to provide students with the wider understanding to be able to comprehend the world of business and to be able to succeed within it.
Through our carefully planned curriculum, our students are exposed to opportunities to develop a wider understanding of a wide range of business concepts, to develop their ability to think critically, technically and creatively to demonstrate a strong and secure business acumen. They also develop an understanding of what it means to be entrepreneurial and they are provided regular opportunities to apply this understanding to real life contexts and scenarios and as part of whole Academy fund raising events.
Students should be equipped with a broader understanding of the technical, ethical and economic challenges that businesses face, in order to ensure that they have the knowledge, and confidence to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment
Through a carefully designed curriculum, students develop an enquiring mind, a critical approach to their work and an independence which supports the development of an analytical and enquiring mind. All traits which are essential for success in the modern world.
The wider aims of the curriculum are to:
- know and understand a variety of business concepts
- develop as enterprising individuals with the ability to think technically and creatively to demonstrate business acumen, and draw on evidence to make informed business decisions and solve business problems
- develop as effective and independent students, and as critical and reflective thinkers with analytic minds
- use an enquiring, critical approach to make informed judgements
- investigate and analyse real business opportunities and issues, to construct well-evidenced, balanced and structured discussions, demonstrating their depth and breadth of understanding of business
- develop and apply quantitative skills relevant to business, including using and interpreting data.
Links to useful resources
- Tutor2u for Business - http://www.tutor2u.net/
- GCSE Edexcel Business - http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/business-2009.html
- GCSE Business Resources http://www.businessstudiesonline.co.uk/GcseBusiness/Activities/activitymenu.htm
- Dragons Den - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006vq92