Edexcel GCSE in Business Key skills development suggestions © Edexcel Limited 2009 1

Edexcel GCSE in Business Studies (2BS01)

Edexcel GCSE in Business Communications (2BC01)

Edexcel GCSE in Business Studies and Economics (2BE01)

Edexcel GCSE (Short Course) in Business Studies (3BS01)

Key skills development suggestions

Here are the key skills development suggestions as mentioned on page 84 of the specification.

Key skill (Level 2) Application of number

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

N2.1 Interpret information from a suitable source.

Unit 2 Gathering primary and secondary data with a rationale.

N2.2 Use your information to carry out calculations to do with:

a amounts or sizes

b scales or proportion

c handling statistics

d using formulae.

Units 1.3 and 3.3

Using data to: a estimate sales and revenue b draw break-even charts c interpret results from cash flow

analyses and break-even charts d use formulae to automate a cash

flow forecast.

N2.3 Interpret the results of your calculations and present your findings.

Units 1.3, 2 and 3.3

Presenting findings in suitable formats with an explanation of what the data indicates and what trends can be deduced.

Edexcel GCSE in Business Key skills development suggestions © Edexcel Limited 2009 2

Key skill (Level 2) Communication

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

C2.1a Take part in a group discussion. Units 1.1 and 1.3

Discussion of ‘what is an entrepreneur’? Creating a visual caricature of an ‘entrepreneur’.

C2.1b Give a talk of at least four minutes.

Units 1.2 and 1.3

Presenting a business idea in Dragons’ Den format.

C2.2 Read and summarise information from at least two documents about the same subject. Each document must be a minimum of 500 words long.

Units 1.4, 1.5 and 5.2

Collecting data from newspapers and the internet about changing patterns in consumer spending caused by external influences such as changing interest rate. Summarise the information explaining the impact on local businesses.

C2.3 Write two different types of documents each one giving different information.

One document must be at least 500 words long.

Units 1.4, 3.1, 4.2 and 4.3

Creating own enterprise, maybe as part of the 14-16 Enterprise Agenda. Carrying out research, designing a marketing mix and producing documentation for potential stakeholders. Create a database of the results.

Key skill (Level 2) Information and communication technology

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

Unit 2 Using information from a variety of sources for the assignment.

ICT2.1 Search for and select information to meet your needs.

Use different information sources for each task and multiple search criteria in at least one case.

Units 3.1 and 4.3

Developing ideas from C2.3 to create a flat file database from a questionnaire to facilitate multiple search criteria.

ICT2.2 Enter and develop the information to suit the task and derive new information.

Units 1, 3 and 4

Presenting a justified plan for the business using the data collected to support their case.

ICT2.3 Present combined information such as text with image, text with number, image with number.

Units 1, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.3

Producing a newsletter, using DTP, to keep ‘customers’ informed. Graphs showing, for example, ‘response to customer demand’ could be included. A logo could be designed and used.

Edexcel GCSE in Business Key skills development suggestions © Edexcel Limited 2009 3

Key skill (Level 2) Improving own learning and performance

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

LP2.1 Help set targets with an appropriate person and plan how these will be met.

Unit 2 Working with the teacher to establish and agree an action plan for the research element.

LP2.2 Take responsibility for some decisions about your learning, using your plan to help meet targets and improve your performance.

Unit 2 Creating a diary with interim deadlines and targets. These could be used to identify problems in advance and consider remedial action.

LP2.3 Review progress with an appropriate person and provide evidence of your achievements.

Unit 2 Building into their plan occasions to review the level of the work produced and for formative assessment to help improve the quality of the final submission.

Key skill (Level 2) Problem solving

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

Units 1 and 3

Reviewing a cash flow forecast/break-even analysis and discussing with peers/teacher ways of solving the problem.

PS2.1 Identify a problem, with help from an appropriate person, and identify different ways of tackling it.

Unit 5 Looking at real-life problems, for example trade-offs, poverty, with help from peers or outside speakers, for example pressure groups.

Units 1 and 3

Updating their data and suggestions, for example via an electronic, spreadsheet to see the results of the changes.

PS2.2 Plan and try out at least one way of solving the problem.

Unit 5 Making informed recommendations to improve the standard of living.

Unit 1 Presenting the results of changes to the cash flow and explaining what they did and why it solved the problem.

Unit 3 Presenting the results of changes to the break-even analysis and explaining what they did and why it solved the problem.

PS2.3 Check if the problem has been solved and identify ways to improve problem-solving skills.

Unit 5 Evaluating the difficulties of putting good ideas into practice, for example. NIMBY principle, prejudices, financial capability, capacity to bring about change.

Edexcel GCSE in Business Key skills development suggestions © Edexcel Limited 2009 4

Key skill (Level 2) Working with others

Unit Opportunities for development or internal assessment

Units 1.2 and 1.4

In creating their own enterprise, allocating roles for the enterprise and presentation.

WO2.1 Plan work with others.

Unit 2 Working with the teacher to establish and agree an action plan for the research element.

Unit 1 Holding meetings to monitor the progress each team member was making towards the Dragons’ Den presentation and take action if needed.

WO2.2 Work co-operatively towards achieving the identified objectives.

Unit 2 Working with the teacher to agree deadlines and progress points to ensure the task is completed.

WO2.3 Review your contributions and agree ways to improve work with others.

Unit 1 Once the presentation has been completed, receiving feedback from the audience about the effectiveness of the presentation and how it could have been improved. The group could hold a meeting and conduct an internal SWOT analysis.

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