This subject provides students with a formal introduction to the commercial world. They learn about the various functions of business organisations and the ever-changing environment within which firms operate. This is an invaluable subject for students to study, it empowers as consumers now and in the future as either employees or owners of their own enterprises.

This subject is not available at Key Stage 3.

Over the two years, students will study among other things, marketing, human resource management, production and finance. The course aims to make students understand the dynamics of a business and appreciate the many factors that business people have to take into account when making decisions.

Students are examined through a controlled assessment and two externally assessed exams

We offer two courses at AS-level / A2-level; Edexcel’s combined Economics and Business Studies and OCR’s pure Economics. (For details of the Economics course please see the Economics page.) The two courses differ in content and appeal to students with different skills sets. Economics and Business is a highly applied course and those who choose it tend to have a background in the arts and humanities. The two subjects combine to make a uniquely broad course. There are two modules at AS-level: Developing New Business Ideas and Business Economics, here emphasis is placed upon examining how firms start-up and then operate in the UK and Global Economy. In the A2-level they look more deeply into the Global Economy with a module on International Business. The other A2-level module, Economic Environment and Business, looks more widely at the domestic conditions that firms operate under, including those created by government activity.

The Department seeks, whenever possible, to simulate business environments in the classroom by creating business problems for students to solve individually or in teams. Students are also encouraged to investigate the world of business beyond the lessons by watching programmes, such as the Dragons Den and the Apprentice, and to regularly read articles on business news websites or in the press.

The Department has taken students to visit businesses in Paris, Brussels and Heidelberg and is also considering visits to major companies based in the UK.

Some student comments on Economics and Business Studies course:

‘The course allows you to not only learn about how businesses work and the economy operates. It’s interesting to have a mixture of these as it gives you a wider understanding.’
‘The course is really interesting as it is good to learn about concepts that you can see being applied in the real world.’
‘It gives you good understanding of business which will help you in the future when you enter the working world.’
‘Business Studies examines the principles and techniques employed in organisations, whereas Economics focuses upon the national and global context. I intend to study it at University.’
‘The knowledge you gain in this subject helps with everything!’
‘Interesting, relevant, current and fabulous. We like it so it must be good!’