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Business

BTEC

We’re in the business of moulding the next generation of entrepreneurs

We’ll get you started by introducing business basics. Then we’ll move straight into marketing – a cornerstone of successful businesses. 

We’ll investigate development, including market research and identifying the right audience, and product fit, making sure what you’re offering is what your customers need. 

You’ll find out much more about marketing and promotion in the lesson further down this page.

Then we’ll move into how businesses make money and staying on top of your accounts and budgets.

Events management comes next, before we talk about trading across the globe – an ever more integral part of entrepreneurship for many companies in the 21st century.

Managing organisations and teams is next on the list, followed by your responsibilities as a business – both to your customers as well as ethically and environmentally.

Then we’ll look at winning ways with customer service. Delivering exemplary experiences is what every organisation strives for – and we’ll work together on some practical ways to exceed expectations.

There are loads of differences between the BTEC and A-level Business courses and they’re discussed below. You’ll be doing a lot of practical assignments on this course and may even get your chance to try out what you’ve learned on work experience.

You’ll be learning by doing on this course, addressing challenges regularly faced by businesses. While you overcome these hurdles, you’ll be learning skills crucial to your career’s success.

Your task-based assessments may see you researching how to launch a product, including conducting market research. You might be designing some advertising – as if you were working in a marketing department.

One thing’s for sure. You’ll always be inspired and getting ready for a rewarding career on this BTEC Business course.

What makes this course different from a Business A-level?

This course is a lot more practical. Much of the A-level is theory based. Both courses give you a solid grounding in the art and science of building a business.

BTEC choices

Depending on your GCSE results, you might choose one of three BTEC Business options:

  • Extended Certificate (one-year course) – equivalent to one A-level 
  • Extended Diploma (two-year course) – three A-levels

Diploma and Extended Diploma students have the chance to enjoy a week’s work experience to see their lessons in action.

How you’re assessed

On your BTEC Business course, assessment is by coursework, set tasks, and an exam at the end of each year.

Coursework is assessed by your teachers.

LESSON TIME!

Heard of the PS5? Do you have one? Ever thought about the marketing strategy behind releasing the console?

The PS5 has sold nearly 8 million units compared to the Xbox Series X and S, which have sold less than 5 million units (May 2021)

In this lesson, Mrs Holt takes you through the Marketing Mix using the PS5 as an example, what do companies need to think about before launching a new product:

  • How much should it cost? What is too cheap?
  • What should it look like?
  • Where can people buy it from?
  • How/where should it be promoted?

Over the course of 20 minutes you will join Mrs Holt in considering who is the target audience for the PS5 and how you should advertise to them…is there anything you would have done differently? We bet you can’t guess how much a primetime TV ad costs!

Play Video
What’s a set task?

Set tasks are three hours each and assessed by the awarding body.

You’ll complete them in a test environment on a computer – but to give you every chance to achieve the grades you deserve you’ll be given two weeks before the assessment to do all your research and prepare notes.

You’ll have six hours with your teacher to conduct in-depth research.

You can take up to six sides of A4 notes into the test, including facts and figures. It’s not like an exam where you don’t know the questions.

RESITS

Didn’t get the grades you expected? You can resubmit your coursework or resit set tasks. This means by the time you get to your exam; you should have a really good idea of your final grades to take the pressure off and help you shine.

What’s next?

Accordion Content

The variety of skills you’ll gain on your BTEC Business course will prepare you to either jump straight into the job market or get additional experience studying towards a degree.

If you want to get started right away on your career, you’ll be able to choose from many different roles.

You might even want to explore opportunities in higher or degree apprenticeships.

Diploma and Extended Diploma students regularly choose to continue their studies on finance, accounting, marketing or business-related degrees.

Extended Certificate (1 A Level equivalent)

You will complete 4 units – 2 externally assessed and 2 coursework units.

Extended Diploma (3 A Level equivalent)

You will complete 13 units – 4 externally assessed and 9 coursework units.

 
Entry requirements:

Six passes at GCSE including two at grade 6 or above

Course specific entry requirements:

Grade 4 from English Language

Course duration:

2 years

Assessment methods:

Coursework assignments and exams

Course type:

BTEC Advanced

Exam board:

Pearson

The BTEC National is a practical course – you will learn by ‘doing’. We focus on the types of problems that any business person would face on a daily basis and teach you the ways that you may solve those problems. Your challenge is to prove your knowledge and understanding of business through the coursework, task or exam as appropriate.

For example, the Marketing unit has a ‘task’ based assessment. In that task there may be a business launching a new product and the business wants to make sure that customers will buy the new product to increase profit. The task may require you to complete some market research to find out more about the potential customers, and then suggest and design some advertising, promotion and special offers that may convince the customers to buy the product – just as you may have to do if you worked in the Marketing Department of a real business.

Throughout my time at Xaverian, I have enjoyed the freedom of independent study. The teachers are really fun and friendly and I’m excited to come here every day.

Chester King, Business

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