Business Studies GCSE (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

Business GCSE covers six areas:

  • Business activity
  • Marketing
  • People
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Influences on business
  • The interdependent nature of business

To be successful at Business you need:

  • Literacy skills – comprehension, terminology
  • Numeracy skills – basic, KS3
  • An interest in business!

Assessment

Business Studies is assessed through four skills

AO1 – Knowledge

AO2 – Application of skills, planning and carrying out tasks

AO3 – Analysis and evaluation, reasoned judgements, conclusions

You sit two external exams (worth 50% each)

1 hour 30 mins, multiple choice, data response questions

Psychology GCSE (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

The task of understanding human (and animal) behaviour is challenging and extremely interesting.

This course allows students to study psychology at an introductory level, yet also gain enough insight into the subject to allow them to complete the course with a rounded knowledge on a range of psychological approaches, issues and processes.

Topics studied include:

YEAR 10 (50%)
Investigating Behaviour, Criminal Behaviour, Development & Psychological Problems (50%)

YEAR 11 (50%)
Investigating Behaviour, Memory, Obedience & Sleep and Dreaming (50%)

Assessment

All assessment is examination based and there is no coursework or controlled assessment for this course. All three examinations take place at the end of the second year.

  1. Year 10 topics (1 hour 15 min)
  2. Year 11 topics (1 hour 15 min)
  3. Research in Psychology (1 hour)

Geography GCSE (Humanities Faculty)

Course Summary

Geography is a subject that explores the interaction between humans and a landscape of often extreme environments.

For the ‘Physical Geography’ section of the course students study topics such as tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, rivers, glaciers and coasts. There is an emphasis on comparing the reactions of rich and poor countries to geographical issues, such as the effects that the 2011 Japanese tsunami had compared to the 2004 Asian tsunami which killed more than 250,000 people.

Human Geography involves studying changing cities in the UK, major cities in the rich and poor world, and relevant issues such as food management, energy supply and the changing economic world. These are topics that feature highly in modern lifestyles and often appear on both global and local news programmes.

There are two fieldwork visits as part of the course.

Assessment

Exam 1 – Living with the physical environment (35%)

Exam 2 – Challenges in the human environment (35%)

Exam 3 – Geographical Applications, including fieldwork (30%)

History GCSE (Humanities Faculty)

Course Summary

There are four key elements to History GCSE, these are:

  1. Germany 1890-1945: a period study including a focus on the rise and fall of Hitler
  2. Conflict and tension, 1918-1939: a wider world depth study from the aftermath of World War I to the outbreak of World War II
  3. Britain: health and the people: a thematic study from the Black Death to the NHS
  4. Norman England, 1066 to 1100: a British depth study focusing on life under Norman Conquest and control

Assessment

There are two examination papers at the end of the two years of study.

There is a keen emphasis on the development of historical skills as well as on a sound knowledge and understanding of the various elements of the course.

The study of History at GCSE level will help students to develop a broad range of analytical, organisational and written skills that will equip them well for future study and employment.

Religious Studies GCSE (Humanities Faculty)

Course Summary

The opportunity to develop a range of skills that will be useful in both academic studies and future life.

The topics covered will be relevant to a wide variety of careers including journalism, medicine, policing, and law and is a good companion subject to subjects such as history, psychology and English.

The course aims to promote an enquiring, critical and sympathetic approach to the study of religious and ethical issues, helping you to identify and explore questions about the meaning and purpose of life, and to reflect on religious views and your own responses to social and moral issues.

The course consists of three units:

  1. Beliefs, practice and ways of life of a main religion – 50%
  2. Belief and practice of a second religion – 25%
  3. Philosophy and ethic – 25%.

Assessment

The qualification has no coursework or controlled assessment but instead consists of three written examinations corresponding to the above units.

These exams will assess the knowledge and understanding of the topics learnt as well as the skills of analysis and evaluation in considering and responding to religious, ethical, philosophical, and social questions.

You do not need to be a religious believer to study RS, all you need is a real interest in questioning why the world is as it is!

Curriculum Maps for Social Sciences Subjects

Curriculum Maps for Humanities Subjects

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