Be The Future is a social enterprise challenge that addresses a social or environmental issue. The challenge is run in partnership with the Peter Jones Foundation. The closing date is 9 June 2023.
May 2023 Business update
Fri Apr 28 13:45:00 UTC 2023
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Welcome to this May update!
As we move into exam season this month, the section below under the heading '2023 exam series' has information for both teachers and learners, as well as an invitation to apply to be an examiner. There is a useful exam guide you can download for your learners to help them get ready for the exams.
The materials from the Spring 2023 GCSE Business network events are all available. The Network 4 event includes a really useful Exam Technique guide which might come in handy in the remaining lessons.
The case studies adapted from the Financial Times for both GCSE and A level have been mapped against each specification to help you select a case study related to a topic you are covering.
For your non-exam classes, there are two Igniting Enterprise webinars this month as well as the Be The Future social enterprise challenge. The Be The Future entry deadline is 9 June.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 4 May | Igniting Enterprise - Curtis Thompson |
| 18 May | Igniting Enterprise - Josh Wintersgill |
| 17 August | Results Day for A level and IAL |
| 24 August | Results Day for GCSE and International GCSE |
Circular economy [GCSE 2.1.4; A level 1.3.1]
A ‘circular economy’ is one in which products continue to be reused, refurbished and broken down so that parts and materials are used for as long as possible.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Be The Future challenge links to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These activities provide a starting point to raise awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals and the interconnected nature of our world.
As the revision season is now fully under way and learners begin to turn their focus towards the summer exam series, we’ve put together 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.
Do take a look at the guide and please pass it on to your learners if you think it will be useful for them.
The Summer 2023 support page provides updates and information from Ofqual and the Department for Education (DfE) relating to the summer 2023 exam arrangements for GCSE, AS and A level.
This includes information on
- grade boundaries
- contingency days
- a letter from Ofqual
Our May/June 2023 timetables are available on our website.
Examiner vacancies for Business
We are currently recruiting Associates for GCSE and A level Business, and we are looking for experienced teachers and teachers who are completing their initial training years as newly qualified teachers.
Associates are teachers we contract and pay to mark or moderate Pearson qualifications. By working as an Associate on a qualification, it provides teachers with a deeper insight into the requirements of the specification, which can allow them to provide more knowledgeable support to both colleagues and learners.
In addition, the Associate roles provides an excellent personal development opportunity, with regular training events, networking with different teachers, and the chance to progress to more senior Associate roles, which allows a deeper understanding of the wider qualification development processes.
If any teachers at your centre are interested in working as an Associate on the qualifications below, they can apply using the links in the tables, depending on their personal circumstance.
This guide provides students with information about this year’s arrangements for qualifications regulated by Ofqual (which includes BTEC qualifications).
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
The spring 2023 network events have now all been held. We hope to be able to resume these events in the autumn.
You can access the materials used in these events and a recording of each event on the qualification page.
Spring 2023 Network 1: the 12 mark question
Spring 2023 Network 2: the skill of Application
Spring 2023 Network 3: Paper 2 mock marking
spring 2023 Network 4: Exam technique
This resource map aims to match your needs as a teacher to a resource which can help tackle this need. It will tell you what resources are available.
Webinar 1
Paul Gilligan, CEO and co-founder of the Magical Mushroom Company, shares his thoughts about innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable futures.
Webinar 2
Priscilla Israel, COO and co-founder of STICKY, shares her thoughts about digital technology changing the face of transactions, innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Each webinar has been divided up into short snippets which relate to an aspect of the specification.
Webinar 3
Richard North, President of the Wow Stuff company, shares his insights into the competitive world of product innovation in the toy industry.
Webinar 4
Ria Sejpal, Founder & Creative Director of the sustainable fashion company Lilabare, shares her passion for local, regenerative and circular fashion systems.
Webinar 5
Emma Sweeting, Founder of Sweetings Greetings share insights into the world of personalised art products that bring delight to customers.
New case studies uploaded on Tuesday mornings using the Financial Times as the main source.
There are already twenty two case studies available.
| Case study | Topic areas - Theme 1 | Topic areas - Theme 2 | |
| 1 | Philips | 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.4 Motivation 2.4.2 Understanding business performance 2.4.1 Business calculations 2.3.3 Managing quality |
|
| 2 | Deliveroo | 1.4.3 The marketing mix 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.2.2 Price 2.3.2 Working with suppliers |
| 3 | Tik Tok | 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 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.2 Technology and business |
2.2.4 Place 2.3.4 The sales process |
| 4 | Adidas | 1.1.3The role of business enterprise 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.3 The marketing mix 1.5.3 Legislation and business |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.2.1 Product 2.2.3 Promotion |
| 5 | Joules | 1.1.2 Risk and reward 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
|
| 6 | BP | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.5.2 Technology and business |
2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.1.3 Business and globalisation 2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.3.1 Business operations 2.5.2 Effective recruitment 2.5.3 Effective training and development |
| 7 | Amazon | 1.5.4 The economy and business | 2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.4.2 Understanding business performance 2.5.2 Effective recruitment |
| 8 | Primark | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.2 Technology and business |
2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.2.4 Place |
| 9 | NHS | 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.2 Effective recruitment 2.5.4 Motivation |
|
| 10 | Ford | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.5.2 Technology and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.2.1 Product 2.3.1 Business operations |
| 11 | Halfords | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.5.2 Effective recruitment |
| 12 | Wilko | 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.3.3 Cash and cash-flow 1.3.4 Sources of business finance 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.4 The economy and business |
2.4.1 Business calculations 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 13 | Boohoo | 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.4 The economy and business |
2.4.1 Business calculations 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 14 | Workforce management | 1.5.1 Business stakeholders 1.5.3 Legislation and business |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.5.2 Effective recruitment 2.5.3 Effective training and development |
| 15 | Office working | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.2 Business location |
2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business 2.5.1 Organisational structures 2.5.2 Effective recruitment |
| 16 | Diageo | 1.2.3 Market segmentation 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.3.4 Sources of business finance |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.2.2 Price |
| 17 | Pandora | 1.4.2 Business location 1.4.3 The marketing mix 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.2.4 Place 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions |
| 18 | Brewdog | 1.4.2 Business location 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influence |
2.1.3 Business and globalisation 2.5.4 Motivation |
| 19 | Airlines | 1.5.3 Legislation and business 1.5.4 The economy and business |
2.1.2 Changes in business aims and objectives 2.1.3 Business and globalisation 2.1.4 Ethics, the environment and business |
| 20 | Nestle | 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.4.1 Business calculations 2.4.2 Understanding business performance |
| 21 | Inflation | 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits 1.5.4 The economy and business 1.5.5 External influences |
2.1.1 Business growth 2.1.3 Business and globalisation 2.3.2 Working with suppliers |
| 22 | Starbucks | 1.1.1 The dynamic nature of business 1.1.3 The role of business enterprise 1.2.1 Customer needs 1.2.4 The competitive environment 1.4.1 The options for start-up and small businesses 1.5.5 External influences |
2.1.1 Business growth |
As announced in July the business contexts for GCSE sections B and C, and A level sections A and B will now be given in a source booklet rather than in the exam paper.
We have reformatted the 2021 and 2022 exam papers to allow learners to see the new paper format which will be used from 2023 and to allow learners to experience the new style for mock exams.
These booklets offer a basic template for teachers and learners and include:
- specification content
- key terms
- a case study
- exam-style questions
- explanations of command verbs
The booklets can be customised by adding images, a school logo, and further questions. If you look on the qualification page you will see that there are two files for Topic 1.4.1. One of them has been customised to provide an example of how this can be done.
They really are an excellent resource.
Results Day: 24 August 2023
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources
For help with:
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
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.
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.
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.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Business: Welcome to Pearson
This online training is designed for teachers who are new to delivering the International GCSE Business specification.
Module 1 focuses on teaching the course and will give you an understanding of the content of the qualification and how to cover it, course/lesson planning, understanding the assessment and preparing students for it, and a brief overview of support from Pearson available to teachers.
Module 2 will give you an understanding of how the content is assessed by reviewing the assessment objectives and mark schemes, practise applying the mark schemes using exemplar student work, as well as an understanding of how marks were determined.
Module 1: 3 October 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
Module 2: 10 October 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
Understanding assessment and improving delivery in International GCSE Business
In this training delegates will:
- Be introduced to the idea of assessment objectives: what are they and why they are used when writing examination papers.
- Analyse recent question papers and learn which types of question match the different assessment objectives.
- Investigate different assessment objectives, considering how questions that use a levels-based mark scheme have been answered by looking at feedback from previous exam series.
- Discuss strategies for teaching to try and make sure students can access questions targeting different assessment objectives.
Module 1: 26 September 2023 at 08:00 - 10:00 GMT
Module 2: 28 September 2023 at 08:00 - 10:00 GMT
Results Day: 24 August 2023
We're introducing a regular International GCSE November series, first running in November 2023. The November series is being introduced to best meet the needs of students requiring International GCSE exam opportunities outside of the full May/June series, and it will replace the existing January series from 2024. This will result in just May/June and November series going forward for International GCSE.
Why are we moving to a November exam series?
Due to the pandemic, circumstances meant that we needed to follow a November International GCSE exam series in 2020, 2021 and 2022. As the November series seemed to be well received, we consulted schools to understand whether there was a preference for a permanent November exam series or reverting to January.
November was the preferred option for most schools; not just for resits, but also for learners studying on a January–December academic year.
The timetable is below.
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
Pearson want to give teachers the chance to have their say on Business GCE resources! Therefore, if you would be interested in taking part in a 45-minute chat with our Publishing Manager, and giving some feedback on the 2015 GCE Business Student Book, please sign up below!
Anyone who takes part gets a £30 Amazon voucher after as a thank you for your time and input.
Three-Day Course For Teachers New To Business A Level
This course is a serious attempt to prepare teachers to deliver Business Studies for the first time. It includes direct instruction on how to teach elasticity, accounts & ratios, investment appraisal, ethics and many other key topics.
Plenty of exam questions and student answers are looked at to establish the right level – A Level.
Delegates receive a memory stick with a wealth of Ian Marcouse’s resources. Now in its 23rd year, it is used regularly by top-performing schools and colleges.
An unsolicited email from a recent delegate “I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the last 3 days, I have learnt so much and look forward to taking everything I have learnt into the class room.” J. Hyland, Northgate School
June 26th – 28th 2023: Cavendish Conferences, Central London or Online (run over 5 days) or Mem stick only.
How to book:
Email: marcouse@btopenworld.com. Price: £399. Memory stick only is £199. All items VAT-free. Full BACS and company details are included on every invoice.
Webinar 1
Paul Gilligan, CEO and co-founder of the Magical Mushroom Company, shares his thoughts about innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable futures.
Webinar 2
Priscilla Israel, COO and co-founder of STICKY, shares her thoughts about digital technology changing the face of transactions, innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Each webinar has been divided up into short snippets which relate to an aspect of the specification.
Webinar 3
Richard North, President of the Wow Stuff company, shares his insights into the competitive world of product innovation in the toy industry.
Webinar 4
Ria Sejpal, Founder & Creative Director of the sustainable fashion company Lilabare, shares her passion for local, regenerative and circular fashion systems.
Webinar 5
Emma Sweeting, Founder of Sweetings Greetings share insights into the world of personalised art products that bring delight to customers.
New case studies uploaded on Tuesday mornings using the Financial Times as the main source.
There are already twenty two case studies available.
| Case Study | Theme 1 | Theme 2 | Theme 3 | Theme 4 | |
| 1 | Nestle | 1.2.1 Demand 1.3.5 Marketing strategies |
2.3.1 Profit 2.5.1 Economic influences |
3.4.3 Shareholders versus stakeholders | |
| 2 | Transatlantic Travel | 1.1.1 How competition affects the market 1.1.2 Market positioning 1.3.2 Ways to build a brand |
2.5.1 Exchange rates | ||
| 3 | Heinz | 1.1.1 Market share |
2.3.1 Ways to improve profitability |
3.1.4 Impact of external influences | |
| 4 | Instagram |
1.3.2 Branding and promotion | 2.5.2 Legislation | 3.4.4 Business ethics | |
| 5 | Primark | 4.3.1 Marketing 4.3.3 Cultural factors 4.4.2 Ethics |
|||
| 6 | Next | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing | 2.3.2 Business failure 2.4.3 Stock control |
3.2.2 Mergers and takeovers | |
| 7 | Amazon | 1.4.2 Recruitment, selection and training | 2.2.1 Sales forecasting 2.3.1 Profit 2.4.1 Production, productivity and efficiency |
||
| 8 | Chicken | 1.2.2 Factors that lead to a change in supply 1.2.3 Markets |
2.2.3 Break even | 3.1.4 Impact of external influences | 4.1.2 International trade and business growth |
| 9 | Honda | 1.1.1 The market 1.3.3 Pricing strategies |
4.2.4 Reasons for global mergers and Joint ventures | ||
| 10 | Renault | 1.1.3 Market positioning 1.3 Marketing mix and strategy |
2.3.1 Profit 2.5.1 Economic influences |
||
| 11 | AnMouf | 1.2.1 Demand 1.2.3 Markets |
3.1.4 Impact of external influences | ||
| 12 | Asda |
1.3.4 Distribution 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing 1.4.2 Recruitment, selection and training 1.4.3 Organisational design |
|||
| 13 | Amazon Warehouses | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing 1.4.3 Organisational design |
4.4.1 Impact of MNCs on the local economy | ||
| 14 | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing 1.4.4 Motivation in theory and practice |
2.5.2 Employee legislation | |||
| 15 | Doc Martens | 2.3.1 Profit 2.5.1 Economic influences |
4.3.1 Marketing 4.2.3 Assessment of a country as a production location |
||
| 16 | Halfords | 1.3.5 Marketing strategy | 2.5.1 Economic influences | 3.1.4 Impact of external influences | 4.1.5 Trading blocs 4.2.5 Global competitiveness |
| 17 | Women entrepreneurs | 1.5.2 Entrepreneurial motives and characteristics 1.5.6 Moving from entrepreneur to leader |
|||
| 18 | Food shortages | 1.2.2 Supply 1.2.3 Markets |
4.1.5 Trading blocs | ||
| 19 | Online to Offline shopping | 1.3.4 Distribution 1.3.5 Marketing strategy |
2.5.3 The competitive environment | 3.1.2 Theories of corporate strategy 3.2.2 Mergers and takeovers |
|
| 20 | BrewDog | 1.4.1 Approaches to staffing |
3.1.2 Theories of corporate strategy |
4.2.1 Conditions that prompt trade 4.2.4 Reasons for global mergers or joint ventures 4.3.3 Cultural/social factors |
|
| 21 | Nestle | 1.3.1 Product/service design | 2.5.1 Economic influences 2.5.3 The competitive environment |
3.1.2 Theories of corporate strategy 3.4.3 Shareholders verses stakeholders |
|
| 22 | Prime | 2.2.1 Sales forecasting 2.5.2 Legislation |
3.1.4 Impact of external influences 3.2.1 Growth |
As announced in July the business contexts for GCSE sections B and C, and A level sections A and B will now be given in a source booklet rather than in the exam paper.
We have reformatted the 2021 and 2022 exam papers to allow learners to see the new paper format which will be used from 2023 and to allow learners to experience the new style for mock exams.
From 2023 onwards, the wording of the level-based descriptors for the 8, 10 and 12 mark questions will change to provide transparency in examiners’ marking approach and greater clarity for teachers and students.
These exemplars have been produced, following teacher feedback, to ensure the approach to marking is accessible to both teachers and students in preparation for final course assessment.
The senior team for GCE Business is made up of practising teachers, so we understand how important it can be to share our knowledge, understanding and the practice of marking, especially with respect to answers relating to Levels of Response questions.
Contained in this booklet is a selection of student responses taken from the summer of 2022 series, complete with the level and appropriate marks awarded. After each response is a commentary which should help to explain the level and raw mark awarded.
These selected responses aim to illustrate to teachers and learners the difference between Level 3 and level 4 responses, to clarify examiners’ approach to marking and to help students access the higher mark bands.
This document considers:
- key assessment differences between the specifications
- key content differences between the specifications
The Economics Factory now has digital versions of the Anforme A level Business books.
Results Day: 17 August 2023
For help with:
- free support and networking
- free resources
- paid-for resources
For help with:
- building your own question papers (examWizard)
- the key command verbs
- grade boundaries and statistics
This online training is designed for teachers who are new to delivering the International Advanced level Business specification.
Module 1 focuses on teaching the course and will give you an understanding of the content of the qualification and how to cover it, course/lesson planning, understanding the assessment and preparing students for it, and a brief overview of support from Pearson available to teachers.
Module 2 will give you an understanding of how the content is assessed by reviewing the assessment objectives and mark schemes, practise applying the mark schemes using exemplar student work, as well as an understanding of how marks were determined.
Module 1: 07 November 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
Module 2: 14 November 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
This online training is designed for teachers who are delivering the International A Level Business specification.
This training will give you an understanding of how assessments are structured for the qualification and how your teaching can be adapted to help your students’ performance on examination papers.
The training is comprised of two 'standalone' modules which are booked separately.
Module 1: 21 November 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
Module 2: 28 November 2023 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
Results Day: 17 August 2023
Subject advisor
Colin Leith
Business
Email :
Facebook :
Phone :
+44 (0) 344 463 2535
(Teaching Services team | Mon-Fri, 9am - 5pm GMT)
