version 1.0 General Certificate of Secondary Education Business Studies 2004 Specification A This specification should be read in conjunction with: Specimen and Past Papers and Mark Schemes Examiners’ Reports Teachers’ Guide AQA GCSE 3132 This specification will be published annually on the AQA website (www.aqa.org.uk). If there are any changes to the specification, centres will be notified in print as well as on the website. The version on the website is the definitive version of the specification. © Assessment and Qualifications Alliance 2003 COPYRIGHT AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specimen units and mark schemes/teachers’ guides. However, the registered centres for AQA are permitted to copy material from this specification booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Set and published by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance. Printed in Great Britain by Unwin Brothers Limited, The Gresham Press, Old Woking, Surrey, GU22 9LH. The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales 3644723 and a registered Charity 1073334. Registered address Addleshaw Booth & Co., Sovereign House, PO Box 8, Sovereign Street, Leeds LS1 1HQ. The AQA was formed by the merger of the Associated Examining Board (AEB)\Southern Examining Group (SEG) and the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board (NEAB). Kathleen Tattersall, Director General. General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 - Business Studies A Contents Background Information 1 The Revised General Certificate of Secondary Education 5 2 Specification at a Glance 7 3 Availability of Assessment Units and Entry Details 8 Scheme of Assessment 4 Introduction 9 5 Aims 11 6 Assessment Objectives 12 7 Scheme of Assessment 13 Subject Content 8 Summary of Subject Content 15 9 The Business Environment 16 10 Business Structure, Control and Organisation 18 11 Organising to Achieve Objectives 19 12 People in Organisations 21 3 Business Studies A - General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 Key Skills and Other Issues 13 Key Skills – Teaching, Developing and Providing Opportunities for Generating Evidence 23 14 Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social, Cultural and Other Issues 29 Centre-Assessed Component 15 Nature of the Centre-Assessed Component 31 16 Guidance on Setting the Centre-Assessed Component 37 17 Assessment Criteria 39 18 Supervision and Authentication 46 19 Standardisation 47 20 Administrative Procedures 48 21 Moderation 49 Awarding and Reporting 22 Grading, Shelf-Life and Re-Sits 50 Appendices A Grade Descriptions 51 B Record Forms 52 C Overlaps with Other Qualifications 55 4 General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 - Business Studies A Background Information 1 The Revised General Certificate of Secondary Education Following a review of the National Curriculum requirements, and the establishment of the National Qualifications Framework, all the unitary awarding bodies revised their GCSE syllabuses for examination in 2003. onwards. 1.1 National Qualifications GCSE has the following broad equivalence to General National Framework Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ). GCSE GNVQ Two GCSE Grades D-G One 3-Unit GNVQ Foundation Grades A*-C Intermediate Four GCSE Grades D-G One 6-Unit GNVQ Foundation Grades A*-C Intermediate 1.2 Changes at GCSE Key Skills All GCSE specifications must identify, as appropriate, opportunities for generating evidence on which candidates may be assessed in the “main” Key Skills of Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology at the appropriate level(s). Also, where appropriate, they must identify opportunities for developing and generating evidence for addressing the “wider” Key Skills of Working with Others, Improving own Learning and Performance and Problem Solving. Spiritual, moral, ethical, All specifications must identify ways in which the study of the subject social, cultural, can contribute to an awareness and understanding of these issues. environmental, health and Details of how this specification provides opportunities for candidates safety and European issues to develop this awareness and understanding can be found on pages 29 and 30. ICT The National Curriculum requires that students should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capacity through the use of ICT tools to support their learning. In each specification candidates will be required to make effective use of ICT in ways appropriate to the needs of the subject. 5 Business Studies A - General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 In each of the areas of the Subject Content there are opportunities for the use and development of ICT skills. Page 17 includes examples of websites which contain information on the business environment. Page 18 includes suggestions for sites relating to finance, forming a company and growing a business. There are suggestions for research into various companies, banks and finance and marketing at home and abroad on page 20. On page 22, there are suggestions for internet research into people in organisations. Pages 23 to 28 outline opportunities for teaching, developing and providing opportunities for generating evidence in respect of all Key Skills, including ICT. The use of ICT in the internally assessed work is encouraged (see pages 35 and 36). Tiering In most subjects the scheme of assessment must include question papers, targeted at two tiers of grades, ie A* - D and C - G. A safety net of an allowed Grade E will be provided for candidates entered for the Higher Tier who just fail to achieve Grade D. The questions will still be targeted at A* - D. Citizenship From 2002, students in England will be required to study Citizenship as a National Curriculum subject. Each GCSE specification must signpost, where appropriate, opportunities for developing citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding. Further Guidance Further guidance to assist in teaching and learning in respect of this course can be found in the Teachers’ Guide. This includes suggestions for course delivery and schemes of work, further guidance on choice of coursework assignments and internal assessment, advice on using and developing Key Skills and a resources list which will include websites in addition to those given on pages 17 to 22 of this specification. 6 General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 - Business Studies A 2 Specification at a Glance Business Studies A This is one of two specifications in GCSE Business Studies offered by AQA. This specification, Specification A, involves one written paper, based on a pre-released Case Study, and coursework chosen from six Options which are developments of Core Subject Content areas. Specification B involves two written papers and coursework which can be on a theme taken from any area of the Subject Content. Candidates may, if they wish, choose to take a third paper rather than attempt coursework. Specification B also includes a short course which requires candidates to take one written paper with coursework or two written papers. There are two tiers of assessment: Foundation (G–C) and Higher (D-A*). GCSE Business Studies A Written Paper 75 % of total marks Foundation Tier 2 hours Higher Tier 2 hours Coursework 25 % of total marks Foundation Tier Candidates must select and submit task(s) based on one Option only. Grades A* - G 3132F Business and change Human Resources Higher Tier Business Support Services Information and Communication Technology 3132H Enterprise Production 7 Business Studies A - General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 3 Availability of Assessment Units and Entry Details 3.1 Availability of Assessment Examinations based on this Specification are available in the June Units examination series only. 3.2 Entry Codes Normal entry requirements apply, but the following information should be noted. The Subject Code for entry to the GCSE award is 3132. 3.3 Prohibited Combinations Candidates entering for this examination are prohibited from entering for any other GCSE in Business Studies in the same examination series. Each specification is assigned to a national classification code, indicating the subject area to which it belongs. Centres should be aware that candidates who enter for more that one GCSE qualification with the same classification code, will have only one grade (the highest) counted for the purpose of the School and College Performance Tables. The classification code for this specification is 3210. 3.4 Private Candidates This specification is not available for private candidates. 3.5 Special Consideration Special consideration may be requested for candidates whose work has been affected by illness or other exceptional circumstances. The appropriate form and all relevant information should be forwarded to the AQA office which deals with such matters for the centre concerned. Special arrangements may be provided for candidates with special needs. Details are available from AQA, and centres should ask for a copy of “Candidates with Special Assessment Needs, Special Arrangements and Special Conditions”. 3.6 Language of Examinations All assessment will be through the medium of English. Assessment materials will not be provided in Welsh or Gaeilge. 8 General Certificate of Secondary Education, 2004 - Business Studies A Scheme of Assessment 4 Introduction 4.1 National Criteria This AQA GCSE in Business