Business
The Team:
- Mrs Rebecca Smith - Director of Applied Learning
- Mrs Lesley Wilford - Assistant Principal Empower Academy Improvement
- Mrs Sue Facey - Director of 6th Form
Overview
The Business Department is located in the Applied Learning Suite in the Empower Academy. It consists of a dedicated Business area and computer suite. We currently have four full-time Business Specialists teaching in the department.
We boast a well-resourced department with access to computers, scanners, colour printers, digital projectors and several interactive whiteboards
Business is increasingly popular at both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.
Year 9 students are studying OCR Cambridge Nationals Business and Enterprise worth one GCSE. The course links well to the applied A-level and provides students with a broad range of business knowledge and skills.
Pupils in Year 10 and 11 are following the OCR National Certificate in Business which is equivalent to four GCSE grades A-C (This course ceases to exist in 2015) At Key Stage 5 students study the OCR Applied Business course, a 2 year course leading to two A-levels. Students have flexibility of choice and can opt to study AS, Double AS, Single A level or Double A level.
The department adopts a skills based learning approach where we encourage our students to improve interpersonal and communicative skills in conjunction with ICT skills and presentation skills.
Course delivery is carried out through a variety of teaching strategies including visiting speakers, video conferencing with businesses and management presentations at case study businesses.
Recent industrial links have included London Dungeons, Arup Engineering, Alton Towers, Cadbury World, Shepherd Neame and The London Dungeons.
The department boasts excellent results at both GCSE and A-Level with students here achieving a 100% pass rate last year. 36% A Grade at GCSE and 55% A-B Grade at A-Level
Our Mission Statement:
The Business Department. “Sharing, Co-operating and Motivating For Success”.
Mrs Rebecca Smith
Director of Applied Learning