Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Implementation

Business structures the curriculum into a 2-year KS4 and a 2-year KS5 curriculum. The curriculum is a progressive model.

Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.

At Key Stage 4, the Cambridge Nationals in Enterprise and Marketing Course is delivered. Content is structured into topic area within units. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ We endeavour to provide depth of knowledge and uncover real life local context. The curriculum is designed to ensure students understand enterprise and marketing concepts, can design a business proposal and market and pitch a business proposal. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

At Key Stage 5 the Cambridge Technicals in Business is delivered. Again, content is structured into units. The curriculum is designed to ensure student develop knowledge of the business environment, working in business, customers and communication, introduction to human resources and the principles of project management. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible. Business teachers have designed knowledge webs to identify connectivity.

The Business Department is a member of Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals member groups and works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all. The department is also a member of the Economics Business and Enterprise Association and utilises the materials provided by this association to develop practice. Teachers also attend exam board meetings to continually renew practice.

Pedagogical approach

The pedagogical approach for business adheres to the LLT Teaching and Learning Policy. Subject specialists deliver the business curriculum through 50,55-minute lessons per fortnight

Rosenshine and ‘Teach Like a Champion’ strategies are implemented in all lessons and lesson episodes are designed to enable students to store knowledge into the long-term memory.

Lessons

Tasks and activities are engaging and whenever possible are linked to local context, careers and progression and develop cultural capital. Examples include case studies relevant to the local area and employer involvement through project planning tasks.

Lessons are structured to enable students to review/retrieve prior knowledge and activate it to make connections with new learning. This is through ‘Do It Now’ tasks at the start of each lesson

In each lesson, students are informed what they are learning and what the outcomes for the lesson are. We call these ‘WALT’ (What we are all learning today,) and ‘WILF’ (What I’m Looking For.)

New information is delivered in small steps and models are provided to support student understanding.

Lessons provide opportunities for students to practice applying their new learning. This may include guided and/or independent practice such as case study work, extended questions, scenario focused activities.

Questioning is used to inform adaptive teaching, and this includes techniques such as ‘right is right’ to ensure students accurately and clearly articulate their responses.

Students are asked to complete practical based activities such as reports based on market research and market segmentation to allow students to apply their knowledge of this area.

Students develop essential knowledge and then apply it in activities that ‘bring it all together.’ This ensures they connect knowledge and learning.

We assess an ever-expanding curriculum; assessment takes place in the form of formative and summative assessment tasks. These are carefully considered and link directly to the curriculum intent for the half term. Summative assessment samples from the whole curriculum to date – not just what has been most recently taught.

Clear ‘essential knowledge reading’ activities are provided to support reading development and provide depth and breadth to the curriculum. Examples of reading for Business students includes business journals focusing on how businesses apply theory in their organisation, case studies of local and national businesses and how they apply business theory and concepts, texts to enable Business students to deepen and broaden their knowledge of the Business world and online reading materials to consolidate knowledge developed in lessons.

Literacy

In Business, teachers clearly communicate their subject discipline using appropriate vocabulary. This includes the use of command words, vocabulary lists, Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary.

In Business we provide opportunities for extended writing and ensure students make appropriate vocabulary choices and are able to clarify, summarise and give reason. Teachers ensure students have sufficient time to plan this and do this well.

Oracy is developed through: Voice – using tonal variation clarify or pronunciation and voice projection, pace of speaking, body language (gesture, expression, eye contact) and voice projection. This is practiced when students deliver presentations to an audience discussing key business concepts at KS4 and 5.