Students with an A Level in Business Studies have access to a wide range of possible careers and higher education opportunities.

You learn and use a variety of transferable skills throughout the course. These include:

• Collecting and analysing financial and other economic information from different sources
• Development of written communication skills
• Development of problem-solving and evaluation skills

These skills are in great demand and are recognised by employers, universities and colleges as being of great value. Universities have many discreet Business Courses as well as Foundation Business Courses which can lead to specialisms, such as Accounting, Personnel Management and Marketing.

Five or more GCSEs Grade 9-4 or equivalent, including English and Mathematics. Grade 4 in Business if studied.

The course provides an interesting, relevant and current insight into a range of issues and activities affecting organisations in the modern business environment. Issues include:

• The impact of globalisation
• The importance of environmental and ethical objectives
• The pace of technological developments

The course will help you to develop an understanding of business organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value. In looking at this from the perspective of different stakeholders, a range of different disciplines are employed, taking an integrated approach in analysing the complexity of decision-making.

You will also have the opportunity to develop a range of skills including analysis, problem-solving, decision-making and interpreting data in a variety of formats.

There are 3 exam papers at A Level, all lasting 2 hours. Each paper is worth a third of the total A Level. All three papers consist of a variety of question types and can assess any of the information studied over the two-year period.

There is one teacher of business studies in the school. She has a BA Hons in Business Studies and 18 years' experience teaching the subject, ten of which have been spent teaching A level business. 

Business Studies results are always amongst the top achieving subjects at A level and have improved virtually every year, since the introduction of the sixth form here at Forge Valley. Students perform significantly better than average for “other similar centres” and “all AQA centres”.  

In the past, students have studied a range of subjects alongside business studies. Students often combine Business with Geography, Sociology, Criminology and Psychology. Mathematicians will frequently pick business studies A level, for a pathway into accounting. 

Yes, according to a report carried out by the Financial Times. 
“Business and administration is by far the most popular degree subject in the UK, accounting for 342,970 student enrolments in the 2017-18 academic year, more than those taking maths, computer science or engineering and technology combined”. The report also states that Business degrees are popular because they offer the best guarantee of post-study employment of all but professional degrees such as medicine and dentistry. There was a further increase of 5% in 2018 – 2019, further proving the popularity of this subject at degree level. 

An A Level in Business can also provide a solid foundation for other subjects such as Economics, Accounting and Marketing, to name a few.  

Qualifications in the subject, both at A level and beyond, can open the door to a significant number of careers. The most popular are roles in accountancy and finance, marketing and advertising, retail, sales, business consultancy and human resources.