GCSE (aged 14 to 16)
At GCSE the aim of the course is to give students an idea of what it is like to run your own business. Covering the main areas of finance, personnel, production and marketing much of the material is covered with reference to the school shop, which the students set up and run each year.
Currently generating turnover and profits in excess of £6,000pa
and £2,000pa respectively, the school shop is, to our knowledge,
unique in the North-East in offering students of this age bracket such
a level of responsibility. The course currently pursued is NEAB Syllabus
1411A. A 100% pass rate is normal.
  Getting
ready for...
...the customers
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At A-level the Nuffield Economics & Business course has recently been introduced. This wide-ranging syllabus builds on the GCSE in Business Studies and also introduces the main economic concepts. A demanding coursework component develops investigative skills as students research both local and national companies in their own time, as well as current macro-economic issues. In the 1997/98 year, students have been on business trips to the Tyne Theatre, Sunderland Football Stadium and Ponteland Industrial Estate. Many students go on to study Business and related areas at university.
Student projects have investigated:
Outside the classroom, the Department runs the school’s Young Enterprise (YE) programme. Currently in its second year, we have reached the regional finals of the YE competition once, and achieved a 100% pass rate in both years in the YE examination, around half of all sudents achieving distinction.
The department also co-ordinates the many charitable fund-raising events
in the senior school, which last year raised over £6,000.
