June 2024 Business update
Welcome to this June 2024 update.
In this update, the Key Dates section tells you when the exam materials will be made available and the letter from Ofqual (under Assessment) has information about grade setting for this series.
If you are still having problems with our Multi-Factor Authentication, there is some help under 'Other information' at the end of this update.
I hope that your students are getting on well with their exams.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 2 July | Question papers released (uploaded) |
| 16 July | Mark schemes released (uploaded) |
| 15 August | Results day for A level and IAL |
| 20 August | Examiners' reports for A level and IAL released (uploaded) |
| 22 August | Results day for GCSE and International GCSE |
| 27 August | Examiners' reports for GCSE and International GCSE released (uploaded) |
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources from Pearson
- paid-for resources from Hodder
- other paid-for resources
For help with:
- recorded feedback training
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
GCSE Business network events
Thank you very much for supporting our 2023-2024 GCSE Business after-school network events. If you missed any events, the recordings are available in our You Tube Channel.
FT case studies for GCSE Business
This year the case studies have a slightly different format which includes suggested answers.
| Case study | Topic areas - Theme 1 | Topic areas - Theme 2 | |
| 29 | Mars | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.5.1 Business stakeholders |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.3.2 Working with suppliers 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 30 | Deliveroo | 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.2 Business location |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.3 Business and globalisation |
| 31 | Legoland | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.4.4 Business plans 1.5.2 Technology and business |
|
| 32 | IKEA | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.3 Business and globalisation 2.2.2 Price 2.2.4 Place |
| 33 | McDonald’s | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.4.3 The marketing mix 1.5.4 The economy and business |
2.2.1 Product 2.2.2 Price 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions. 2.4.1 Business calculations |
| 34 | Shein | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.2.4 The competitive environment |
2.1.1 Business growth |
| 35 | Mortgages | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
|
| 36 | Sainsbury's | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.2.1 Product 2.2.2 Price 2.2.3 Promotion 2.2.4 Place 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions |
| 37 | Bodyshop | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.4.2 Business location |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.2.1 Product 2.2.4 Place 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.5.1 Organisational structures |
| 38 | Ferrari | 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.2.1 Product 2.2.2 Price 2.2. Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.3.1 Business operations 2.3.3 Managing quality |
| 39 | Greggs | 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.3.1 Business aims and objectives 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.2.1 Product 2.2.2 Price 2.2.3 Promotion 2.2. Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.3.1 Business operations |
| 40 | M&S | 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.2 Effective recruitment 2.5.3 Effective training and development |
|
| 41 | Premier Inn | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.5.4 The economy and business |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.3 Effective training and development |
| 42 | Adidas | 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.3 The marketing mix |
2.2.1 Product 2.2.3 Promotion 2.2. Using the marketing mix to make business decisions 2.3.1 Business operations |
May/June 2024 exam series
May/June 2025 timetable
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free and paid-for resources
For help with:
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
Onscreen exams rollout
International GCSE Business will have the first onscreen assessment available from 2024.
Make sure you’re signed up for the latest onscreen assessment news to find out how to register your school.
The Pearson onscreen sandbox (test environment) gives students all the practice they need to explore the platform’s functionality and build their confidence before they sit their exams onscreen.
It’s easy to register for an account: just click on Register for an account and enter your email address as your user ID.
The materials are digitised in the same platform as the mock and high-stakes onscreen exams and are a good opportunity for teachers and students to get to know the platform and functionality available.
Whilst the user experience mirrors what can be expected from the mocks and high-stakes assessments, please note that any solutions submitted through the sandbox environment by candidates will not be saved.
Modular International GCSE
International GCSE Business is in the last group of subjects to make a modular route available to learners from September 2025.
This means that we will have both a modular and a linear route to achieve this qualification for centres outside the UK.
If you are happy with the linear approach, there is no need to move to the modular route; our linear International GCSEs will continue to be offered and taken widely by learners around the world.
However, if you believe the modular route will be of benefit to your learners, this will be available from September 2025 with the first exams in May/June 2026.
May/June 2024 exam series
November 2024 timetable
May 2025 timetable
For help with:
- free FT case studies
- free resources
- paid-for resources from Pearson
- paid-for resources from Hodder
- other paid-for resources
For help with:
- introduction to assessment
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
A level Business network events
Thank you very much for supporting our 2023-2024 A level Business after-school network events. If you missed any events, the recordings are available in our You Tube Channel.
Key terms for each theme
FT case studies for A level Business
This year the case studies have a slightly different format which includes suggested answers.
| Case Study | Theme 1 | Theme 2 | Theme 3 | Theme 4 | |
| 29 | Sony | 1.3.5 Marketing strategy | 2.5.1 Economic influences | 3.1.4 Impact of external influences | |
| 30 | Canada | 2.4.1 Production, productivity and efficiency | 4.2.2 Assessment of a country as a market 4.2.3 Assessment of a country as a production location |
||
| 31 | Directline | 3.4.3 Shareholders versus stakeholders 3.6.1 Causes and effects of change |
|||
| 32 | Aldi | 1.5.3 Business Objectives | 4.3.3 Cultural and social factors | ||
| 33 | Airbus | 1.2.1 Demand 1.2.2 Supply |
|||
| 34 | Spotify | 1.3 Marketing mix and strategy |
2.5.3 The competitive environment | ||
| 35 | Social media | 3.1.4 Impact of external influences | |||
| 36 | Spotify | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing 1.4.4 Motivation in theory and practice |
2.4.1 Production, productivity and efficiency | ||
| 37 | iPhone production | 4.1.2 International trade and business growth 4.2.3 Assessment of a country as a production location 4.2.4 Reasons for global merger or joint ventures |
|||
| 38 | Shein | 1.3.3 Pricing strategies 1.3.2 Branding and promotion |
|||
| 39 | Biscoff | 1.2.1 Demand 1.3.2 Branding and promotion 1.5.4 Forms of business |
3.2.1 Growth | 4.3.1 Marketing | |
| 40 | The high street | 1.1.3 Market positioning 1.3.1 Product/service design 1.3.2 Branding and promotion 1.3.4 Distribution |
2.5.1 Economic influences |
3.1.2 Theories of corporate strategy 3.1.3 SWOT analysis |
4.4.2 Ethics |
May/June 2024 exam series
May/June 2025 timetable
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources
For help with:
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
May/June 2024 exam series
October 2024 exam series
January 2025 exam series - timetable
May/June 2025 timetable
Onscreen exams rollout
IAL Business will have the first onscreen assessment available from 2026.
Make sure you’re signed up for the latest onscreen assessment news to find out how to register your school.
This letter from the Chief Regulator includes a section on grading arrangements for this summer.
The Ofqual Student Guide 2024 provides students with information about this year’s arrangements for GCSE, AS and A level qualifications, and explains what support is in place when taking exams and assessments.
Ofqual have also produced a guide for students on coping with exam pressure.
The JCQ also has a range of information and support for students – from coursework and onscreen exams to written exams, along with a checklist for exam day.
Pearson has a Getting ready for exams guide that includes some top tips and advice including:
- preparing for exams
- what happens on exam day
- where to find further support
- what happens once exams are over.
Pearson also offers exam wellbeing support to help you and your students navigate this time – from the run-up to exams, exams day and beyond.
Your students may also like to view our #examspelledout videos that explain all about the assessment process from the writing of the exam papers and modified papers to what happens to exam papers once they’ve left the school, grade boundaries and results.
There is a new support page for you to bookmark – General qualifications assessment support. Here we’ll share news information and updates from Ofqual, the Department for Education (DfE), the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and Pearson, relating to the exams and assessments for our GCSE, AS and A level qualifications.
We’ll be updating it regularly so you know you’ve got all the latest announcements, news, support materials and updates to enable you to teach our qualifications, help your students with their assessments and post-results support, to enable them to progress.
On 15 September 2023 the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) updated its ‘Instructions for the Conduct of Qualifications’ document for the 2023/24 academic year to provide more clarity to candidates, exam officers and teachers given recent changes in technology.
In particular, the use of calculators in exams has been updated in Section 10 ‘Using calculators’. The use of calculators applies to a number of different subjects so please do pass this information to all who need to read it.
Full details can be found in the in the booklet Instructions for conducting examinations 2023-2024 and a set of FAQs about using calculators on the JCQ website.
App-based multi-factor authentication for all users of Edexcel Online was introduced in December, to protect your data and maintain the integrity of our assessments.
This replaced the existing web based multi-factor authentication, and became mandatory on 5 December. All users require access to a smart phone device to receive a verification code to access Edexcel Online.
Based on feedback received this graphic was created to answer some common questions.
Additional guidance on using app based MFA to access the Pearson Portal can be found in the Pearson Portal Authenticator support article.
If you teach any of our Economics or BTEC qualifications, you may wish to check out the monthly updates.
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Business
