Business

GCSE Maths grade 5 or above

GCSE English Language grade 5 or above

5 GCSE’s at grade 4 or above

No prior study of Business required

year1

Theme 1: Marketing and People

You’ll explore how businesses identify and meet customer needs, and how effective leadership and people management support success.

Key topics include:

Market research and customer behaviour

Marketing strategy and positioning

Recruitment, training and motivation

Leadership and decision making

Theme 4: Global Business

This theme explores how and why businesses expand globally.

You’ll learn about:

Globalisation and emerging markets

International marketing and operations

Cultural and ethical considerations

Global strategy and risk

year2

Theme 2: Managing Business Activities

This theme focuses on the financial and operational side of running a business.

You’ll explore:

Raising and managing finance

Resource management and productivity

Break-even, cash flow and investment appraisal

Influences such as economic and legal factors

Theme 3: Business Decisions and Strategy

You’ll analyse data, evaluate performance and consider how businesses make long‑term strategic decisions.

Topics include:

Decision‑making techniques

Competitive strategy

Innovation and change management

Strategic analysis tools (e.g., ratios, analytics)

skillsDeveloped

Throughout the course, you’ll build skills in:

Critical thinking and problem solving

Communication and structured analysis

Interpreting and applying data

Ethical and global awareness

Decision making and evaluation

Lessons combine clear explanations, case studies, group tasks, exam practice and independent research. We make sure concepts feel accessible by using real business examples and breaking tasks into manageable steps.

Your final grade is based on three exam papers:

Paper 1: Themes 1 & 4

Paper 2: Themes 2 & 3

Paper 3: Synoptic investigation based on a pre‑released context

You’ll complete regular assessments and receive personalised feedback to help you stay on track.

Dedicated classrooms and digital resources

Real business case studies

Revision and support materials

Access to online learning platforms

There are no required additional costs. Optional revision guides or enrichment opportunities may involve a small cost.

What can’t you study with [course name]? (H2 title) subjectCombinations

Business works well with subjects like:

Accounting

Psychology

Sociology

Maths

It is not advisable to take both Business and Economics A-levels together, as some universities (in particular, Russell Groups) consider them to be too similar in content to be accepted as two separate subjects. Students should check that is accepted by their University of Choice.

Business A Level supports progression into:

Business, Marketing, Management, HR or Finance degrees

Higher and degree apprenticeships

Careers in management, marketing, retail, HR, finance, operations or project management

You may have opportunities to take part in:

Employer talks and workshops

Enterprise and business challenges

UCAS and careers preparation events