Business Intent, Implementation & Impact

INNOVATE . FOCUS . ACHIEVE

At Boldon School, all aspects of the school ethos, ‘Innovate, Focus and Achieve’ are underpinned across each subject area. In Business, we strive to embed these principles within our curriculum:

Innovate: To create innovative and progressive schemes of work which are well-sequenced to ensure excellent student outcomes.

Focus: A clear drive and focus key threads for reading, writing and spoken language;
A relentless drive to sharpen key knowledge concepts and ensure understanding of portable themes.
To ensure that all lessons widen the scope and appreciation of grammar, vocabulary and subject content.

Achieve: The aim is to ensure proficiency in reading, writing and oracy; this is key to social mobility. Our robust curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in knowledge and understanding which lead to academic and personal success. We want our students to enjoy the subject, and be inspired to be innovative in their responses, to focus on skill acquisition and implementation and, ultimately, to achieve their true potential. Students will be well-skilled to succeed in their next steps, whether it be education, further training or the world of employment.

Each of our curriculum areas are carefully designed with the students at the heart of our thinking. The intent is for the framework for each programme of study in the National Curriculum to be well planned and sequenced to enable all students to build their knowledge and skills towards the agreed end points at each key stage. We consider how this is taught in order to support our students and ensure this is implemented effectively. For the desired impact to be reflected in the outcomes that students achieve through the education they have received.

This is embedded across each subject area: Business and Enterprise

Intent:

The KS4 BTEC Enterprise curriculum has been developed to ensure students are able to achieve high standards and outcomes and be fully prepared for a modern business world.  BTEC Enterprise provides students with the platform to develop and enhance skills needed by successful entrepreneurs.  Both skills and knowledge are learned in a sequential order.  Our assessment structure is designed to ensure students can apply their knowledge while developing business skills through exploring ideas, planning, pitching micro–enterprises and developing promotions.  In addition, learners will be taught how to problem solve, examine, make connections, develop, communicate and collaborate. Learners will develop their research, presentation and self–reflection skills.  At Boldon, students thrive in BTEC Enterprise and we have many examples of learners proceeding to university, apprenticeships and into the world of business.

Implementation:

The BTEC Enterprise course consists of three components, one component is externally assessed and two components are internally assessed. 

  • Exploring Enterprises

Internally assessed

30% weighting of total course

  • Planning for and Pitching an Enterprise Activity 

Internally assessed

30% weighting of total course

  • Promotion and Finance for Enterprise

Externally assessed

40% weighting of total course

Learners will thrive from outstanding teaching and resources, all teachers are actively involved in regular training courses to enhance subject knowledge and to be in line with cutting edge research to develop our teaching pedagogy and knowledge of the world of modern business.  Students are assessed at the end of each unit alongside high level questioning and regular feedback to inform students of progress. Each student is provided with summative assessment criteria which exemplifies distinction standard criteria. 

Impact:

Exam results from BTEC Enterprise historically are above national average. BTEC Enterprise is one of the most popular subjects that students opt for during the options process. Student voice is used to survey the impact of students learning and enjoyment of the course, based on the outcomes the curriculum is structured to suit all needs. Regular learning walks are conducted from senior members of staff within the faculty aligned with the monitoring calendar. All data is analysed by the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Head of Faculty. There is a wide range of examples of students pursuing a career and studies at sixth form and going into the world of business.  Students regularly inform us how much they enjoy studying enterprise and learning a wide range of skills and developing business knowledge.