Business and Enterprise Department

Yavneh College was granted specialist Business and Enterprise status in 2008. This means that we strive to be a centre of excellence for business, enterprise, mathematics and ICT.

We encourage an enterprise culture throughout the school and to inspire pupils to take responsibility for their own future.  Our specialist status gives pupils an introduction to the world of business and enterprise, supporting the development of entrepreneurial skills such as risk-taking, initiative, problem-solving and communication.

Our specialist status also allows us to support local schools, businesses and other organisations in the Borehamwood area. 

By establishing links with business, our pupils have an opportunity to develop their understanding of the workplace; in turn, the businesses have an opportunity to be involved in a worthwhile and unique project.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

Yavneh College pupils are taught one lesson of Business & Enterprise per fortnight. The course covers the requirements for GCSE-equivalent OCR-accredited qualifications in Enterprise Education and in Careers Education and Guidance.

The aims of the course go beyond the development of pupils’ entrepreneurial skills. In the 21st century, all adults need to be enterprising both in their work and in their personal lives. Businesses need employees who are innovative in their approach to solving problems, can cope with uncertainty & change, communicate well and are able to work effectively in teams. The development of these skills in young people is therefore an essential part of the preparation for adult life.

Highlights of the KS3 course include Enterprise Days, where pupils spend a whole day on enterprise activities, some of which take place on a day trip to France. 

Key Stage 4

The department offers two GCSEs; Business Studies and Business & Communication Systems.

Business Studies GCSE is examined by OCR.  The aims of this specification are to:

  • Encourage candidates to be inspired, moved and changed by studying a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study
  • Allow candidates to gain an insight into related sectors such as economics and accounting
  • Prepare candidates to make informed decisions about further learning opportunities and career choices
  • Appreciate the range of perspectives of different stakeholders in relation to business and economic activities.

The specification also requires an approach in which business activity and business behaviour are considered from a variety of perspectives. These perspectives include the:

  • Interests of different stakeholders in business
  • Need for sustainability in business
  • Effect of business activity on the environment
  • Increasing importance of ethics in business decision making
  • Globalisation of business activity.

Business & Communication Systems

The aims of this specification are to enable learners to:

  • Engage actively in the study of business in order to develop as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
  • Use an enquiring, critical approach to distinguish facts and opinions, to build arguments and make informed judgements
  • Develop and apply their knowledge, understanding and skills to contemporary issues in a range of contexts
  • Appreciate the range of perspectives of different stakeholders in relation to business and economic activities
  • Consider the extent to which business and economic activity can be ethical and sustainable.

This specification will:

  • Provide candidates with an introduction to communication systems and the business context within which they operate
  • Allow candidates to explore and suggest improvements to business communication systems, considering the impact on the business and its stakeholders
  • Develop the practical skills needed to maintain and use business communication systems based on standard office software
  • Develop a detailed understanding of business communication systems, including the main hardware and software components, and how these systems are operated

Candidates are assessed through a range of different methods and the specification focuses on the development of skills which are useful for further study and for the workplace.

Sixth form

Students study A level Business Studies, examined by OCR.  This specification enables candidates to:

  • investigate different types of organisations in various business sectors and environments, recognising that they face varying degrees of competition;
  • identify business problems;
  • plan appropriate investigations into such problems;
  • develop a holistic understanding of business and enterprise;
  • make justifiable decisions using both qualitative and quantitative methods, taking into account opportunity cost.

The AS specification includes the following core knowledge, understanding and skills:

  • Marketing;
  • Accounting and finance;
  • People in organisations;
  • Operations management.

Facilities

Business & Enterprise is taught in dedicated teaching rooms, well-resourced with state-of-the-art ICT facilities. These include:

  • New purpose-built industry-standard network
  • Blanket Wi-Fi coverage throughout the campus
  • Powerful desktop PCs
  • Microsoft Xp + Office 2003 as standard
  • Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Web Standard
  • Digital cameras
  • Scanners
  • Digital camcorders
  • Colour laser printers
  • Over 100 Wi-Fi laptops in banks for use in classrooms
  • 40 Wi-Fi laptops in banks in the Learning Resource Centre
  • State- of-the-art PC and Visualiser setup in each teaching room
  • Two dedicated ICT suites with 28 networked desktop PCs.  Three further suites will open in 2009
  • Remote access to pupils’ work and pupil email

Enrichment

The Business & Enterprise Department runs a very popular Enterprise Club as part of the school’s enrichment programme. Activities undertaken to date include virtual stock market trading, planning a school radio, setting up and running a school shop.