GCE Business from September 2015

Course structure

The content of the course has been divided into four themes to be taught over two years.  If you are delivering the A level there is no prescribed order but if you are planning to enter students for the AS level exams in the summer 2016 series you must teach Themes 1 and 2 in the first year because the AS exams assess the content of Themes 1 and 2.

You may choose to teach Themes 1 and 2 in parallel with, for example, two teachers taking a theme each and delivering that theme for the year.  If you do this, it is important that each teacher is aware of what the other is teaching and that both seek to make links between the content of the two themes.  Theme 1 includes Marketing and People; Theme 2 covers Finance and Operations.  Students will require an understanding of how the different areas link together.

Teaching the themes in sequence might mean covering Theme 1 up until Christmas and Theme 2 in the New Year. Integrating the content for the students is equally important with this approach.

Resources

The ‘Teaching Support’ section on the qualification page includes a course planner, scheme of work, mapping guide (from the 2008 specifications to the new specification) and a Getting Started Guide which can act as a course companion for you as you plan lessons through the year.

Pearson has published a textbook to cover all four themes.

Hodder has published a Year 1 textbook and will be publishing a Year 2 textbook.

There are other published resources available.  For more details, please subscribe to my e-Updates.

Training

A number of half-day training events to help you prepare for Themes 3 and 4 will take place in 2016.

• 4 March in London Code: 15BAB01/01
• 15 March in Birmingham Code: 15BAB01/02
• 12 April in Manchester Code: 15BAB01/03
• 20 April in Leeds Code: 15BAB01/04
• 28 April in Taunton Code: 15BAB01/05

Networking

A facebook group has been set up for GCE Business. 

You can search on twitter using hashtags #theme1, #theme2, #theme3 and #theme4

If you want to find other teachers in your area who are keen to join you in a local network you can place a notice in my monthly e-Updates.  Please e-mail me with the details you want me to include.

I do hope that the start of term goes well and that you enjoy teaching the new GCE Business course.  To keep in touch with the latest news please sign up to my e-Updates.