Department Details: Business and Economics Department

Department Details: Business and Economics Department

1.  Departmental Overview; including the departmental vision

The Business and Economics department offers a strong academic pathway at both key stage four and five. Compared with national results our performance is successful, at both key stages. Over the past few years the department has undergone many changes towards developing our vocational path in order to meet our learner’s needs. This change has enabled the department as well as the students to benefit from better academic performance across both key stages. Furthermore, we have also worked closely with local businesses to enrich pupils learning experiences and enable them to apply their theoretical knowledge into practice. Our vision for the department is to continuously flourish and seek opportunities to improve students’ academic as well as employability skills.

2.  Curriculum overview

At key stage four we currently have two GCSE Business Studies sets in both years 10, 11 and one set of GCSE Economics group in Year 11. Students are taught in mixed ability sets. The specification followed at key stage four is:

·  AQA Economics (100% exam)

·  Edexcel GCSE Applied Business (60% controlled assessment and 40% exam)

At key stage five students are given a variety of options in an effort to alter their further studies towards their abilities.

·  Business Studies A level (Edexcel)

·  Economics A level (Edexcel)

·  BTEC Level 3 in Business (Edexcel)

·  BTEC Level 2 in Business (Edexcel)

For those students who do not perform well in their GCSE results we offer a one-year course in BTEC level 2 Business, which enables them to have another opportunity to progress into further education.

3.  Examination results

Most of our students have successfully managed to either go on to further education or secure employment after completing their qualification at Harlington School. We have had excellent results at key stage 4 and 5:

Key stage 4

·  GCSE Applied Business- above national average (73% *A-C in comparison to national average 65%)

·  GCSE Economics- below national average however all students have made 3lp or 4lp of progress

Key stage 5

·  Business: Alps rating 3 (good)

·  BTEC Level 3 Business: Apls rating 2 (excellent)

·  Economics: Alps rating 2 (excellent)

·  BTEC Level 2 in Business- 100% pass rate

4.  Resources and rooming

We are a well-resourced department and work as a team to develop and share resources. All of our classrooms have been fitted with interactive whiteboards and computers. We also have access to laptops within the department if needed.

Miss Nasanin Jana

Curriculum Leader for Business and Economics