Avonbourne School
A Business & Enterprise College
KS4 information
Through our teaching, we want to:-
- Give a sound grounding in ICT and Business knowledge that will provide a solid foundation for pupils in their use of ICT and business skills in their daily lives
- Provide awareness of the use of ICT and Business skills in the workplace and its importance in society today
- Provide pupils with the confidence to implement the skills required to problem solve in a Business environment when using ICT.
ICT:
Pupils in KS4 work towards their Certificate in Digital Applications (CiDA) qualification
CIDA has been designed to prepare pupils for the real world of work or further education. It has been designed to stimulate creativity and develop real-world, practical skills that will motivate learning across a wide range of subjects.
After following the CIDA course pupils will be able to:-
- Select and use digital applications appropriately and produce high quality outcomes.
- Use digital applications for achieving a goal, rather than for their own sake.
- Have enhanced creativity and communication skills.
- Be equipped with skills that will be needed in the workplace or in further education or training.
- Manage Projects.
- Free work from a paper format and instead be confident in the use of electronic formats, making your work organized, searchable, dynamic and transportable.
- Reflect critically on pupils’ own and others’ use of digital applications.
Pupils complete 2 units of work
Unit 1 - Using ICT
We live in an age of information overload;TV, radio,text messaging, web and e-mail, telephone, video, DVD and CD, to say nothing of newspapers, magazines and face-to-face conversations. How do we manage all the information we receive? How do
we judge it’s usefulness? How can we present it clearly and effectively so it communicates the message we want to convey? These are all issues addressed by the course in Using ICT, which will also teach you how to critically evaluate your own work, and the work of others.
Unit 2 – ICT in Enterprise
Have you ever thought about starting your own enterprise? Digital technology has a major role to play in most enterprises these days. In this unit you’ll learn ways of identifying potential opportunities, financial planning, market research and creating a visual identity for an enterprise. Among the other skills you’ll develop will be planning and project management, and reviewing and critically evaluating your own work and that of others.
How is the course assessed?
Each unit is assessed via a summative project in which you apply the knowledge, skills and understanding you have acquired throughout the course. Pupils then present the project in an eportfolio (a website that you have to build). This is marked by staff and externally moderated.
Pupils have to complete a project for each unit toward the end of each unit. The project is an important and sizeable piece of work, which requires at least 30 hours of classroom time to complete.
The course is the equivalent of 2 GCSE’S A*-G. The summative project for each unit will be completed under exam conditions so you will have to be prepared to work hard, and be self motivated.
Pupils have to be prepared to meet coursework deadlines and attend weekly catch up clinics if necessary to complete tasks or work missed through absence.
Business Studies:
At KS4 we offer the GCSE in Applied Business
The aims of the GCSE in Applied Business are to:
• Prepare pupils for progression to employment and/or further training in the business sector.
• Increase knowledge and understanding of the business sector through the investigation, analysis and evaluation of a range of business activities, functions and processes.
• Develop awareness of the considerations involved in business activity.
• Promote a critical and analytical approach to problem solving within the vocational context.
• Empower pupils to take progressive responsibility for your own learning and development.
This qualification is suitable if pupils want to look for employment in the business world.
The specification consists of three compulsory units, which are equally weighted at 33% each. Two of the units are internally assessed through the production of portfolios, and one is externally assessed by a written test.
The Unit content is as follows:-
Unit 1: Investigating Business
Pupils will investigate two contrasting businesses. Pupils will look at their aims and objectives, types of ownership, location choice, structure, functional areas, communications’ arrangements, market competition, economic conditions and environmental constraints.
Pupils must complete a portfolio of work for this unit. The portfolio will be internally assessed.
Unit 2: People and Business
Pupils will investigate a medium to large-sized organisation. Pupils will then carry out a review of the role of stakeholders, employee job roles, employer/employee rights and responsibilities, conflict resolution, recruitment, customer service and consumer protection.
Pupils must complete a portfolio of work for this unit. The portfolio will be internally assessed.
Unit 3: Business Finance
Pupils will learn how to review transaction records and payment arrangements. Pupils will know how to conduct break even, cash flow and budgetary management. Pupils will also learn how to construct profit and loss calculations, use of balance sheets, sources of finance and carry out financial planning.
This unit is assessed by an untiered external test of one and a half hour’s duration. The test will involve a combination of short and extended answers.
The course is demanding. It is the equivalent of 2 GCSE’S A*-G so pupils have to be prepared to work hard, be self motivated and be able to meet coursework deadlines.
