Contact
Head of Department: Mr C.Cooke
c.cooke@kingsway.stockport.sch.uk
Business Studies Curriculum Intent:
At TKS, we believe the study of Business is important because it shapes everyone’s daily lives. We all interact with Business every day. An understanding of how Business works is therefore essential for everyone from conducting their own personal finances to managing and motivating a group of individuals under your control. Many students go on to form their own businesses or work in large multi-national organisations and within the department we strive to give students the confidence to take risks and provide them with the ambition of being our future ‘business leaders’.
The foundations of Business are built on a fundamental understanding of why small businesses are formed. We study risk/reward in setting up small businesses. Students then learn how these small, localised businesses transform into large multinational global organisations. Pupils will learn the skills required to set up a business for the first time as well as the different functions of a large organisation (HR, Finance, Operations, Marketing). Students also learn how external influences affect businesses and their individual decision making.
The explicit knowledge that learners are expected to acquire in the Business curriculum is built up over time. Students begin by learning the skills of an entrepreneur as well as what the requirements are to start a small business. Learners are then expected to apply this knowledge to case study examples to form detailed analytical arguments. Students are then encouraged to form their own opinions on a variety of different subjects, forming their own opinions and judgements as they use the procedural knowledge to link real life case study examples.
The Curriculum is planned and sequenced so that the end points that it is building towards are clear and that pupils develop the knowledge and skills, building on what has been taught before, to be able to reach those endpoints. Learners develop their skills throughout the course. The Skills we expect our students to learn are clearly defined so that both pupils and teachers can track individual progress.
Our business curriculum is aspirational because we teach an ambitious and wide-ranging curriculum which is accessible for all. We are proud to teach concepts that are challenging yet engaging to provoke detailed analytical thoughts and responses.
We nurture learners’ curiosity by bringing the subject to life. Students are encouraged to learn about modern day events which shape the business world. Students are encouraged to keep a log of news items which they can bring into their business knowledge which helps them develop their higher analytical skills when writing detailed essay-based questions. In addition to this, pupils are given opportunities for rich discussion around a range of topic areas which are current to the changing economic environment.
These are some recent examples- Artificial Intelligence, Post Office Scandal, Red Sea Crisis, Cost of Living Crisis- Recession in the UK, Mittlestand- German Economic Model, Russian Energy Crisis, Leaving of the European Union, UK Debt time bomb.
As part of the Business curriculum, learners are encouraged to read broadly around the subject as they can read about famous entrepreneurs and their real-life stories as to how they became successful, with the vast majority from humble backgrounds. Students are encouraged to keep reading records where they can log their own reading over time. Within class students use detailed case studies based on real life events which can be challenging in their reading content. All pupils have access to knowledge organisers which enable students to develop their business vocabulary over time. Students are encouraged to use high level business terminology in their answers.
The Business curriculum supports our young people to deepen their understanding of the world around them via the use of up-to-date case study examples. Students for example will be encouraged to have a knowledge of key economic data such as interest rates, inflation, economic growth and unemployment which feeds into the decision making of businesses in
We also support pupils to be compassionate and keep each other safe by learning key skills which will help them in their future lives. Students for example will have a knowledge of debt management and understand the reasons why people might take out personal finance but also the pitfalls of taking out too much debt. Students also have a deep understanding of not-for-profit organisations as well as pressure groups who hold the actions of businesses to account.
In Business we adopt or construct a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils (including pupils with SEND), the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
Our business curriculum is inclusive and celebrates differences because we learn about being ethical in society. Business isn’t just solely the pursuit of profit but keeping all stakeholders in society happy. Students learn about companies who have been successful based on their ethical values as well as several organisations where their reputation has been dented by bad publicity. Students learn about inequality in society and how there is still a long way for society to close the gap on income inequality, gender and race.
Beyond our classrooms, we provide meaningful enrichment opportunities such as Extra-curricular share club, Reading outside of the classroom, Regular guest speakers, Business visits
Fundamentally, the study of Business at The Kingsway School will enable our young people to positively contribute to society because they will learn skills that are transferable to not only their everyday lives but when they come to manage and work with the people around them. By studying real life examples, we hope to make the students enjoy business so that many of them study business related subjects further in their careers as well as those that become the managers and business leaders of the future.
Business Milestone Knowledge Trackers
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