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Business Studies at Heart of England School
Heart of England School is currently striving to establish itself as a specialist Business and Enterprise College. We are an excellent provider of business education and place a significant emphasis on seeking ways to secure continuous improvement for our students through establishing a framework for learning that sets high expectations and provides positive reinforcement for achievement at all levels.
The school as a whole has worked hard to provide educational experiences at all Key Stages that nurture the desire for learning, that are informative, creative in their approach to problem solving that develop the skills needed for learning and that deliver content which is relevant and challenging.
Links with cluster primary schools are strong and curriculum enhancement opportunities, business and enterprise days and regular liaison with these schools ensures a lively enthusiasm and keen awareness of business and enterprise issues even before students take their first tentative steps into secondary school life.
When students arrive at Heart of England it isn’t long before they engage with a Key Stage 3 curriculum punctuated with experiential learning through business activities, ‘Insight into Industry’ days ‘Junior Achievers’ clubs, a challenging PSHCE curriculum and a whole range of opportunities designed to enable students to explore skills development and immerse themselves in the discovery of business and enterprise related issues.
At KS 4 students have their first opportunity to pursue discreet specialist business courses and the curriculum provides a broad spectrum of choice with GCSE Business Studies, Applied GCSE Business Studies and the new combined Business Studies and ICT course available to everyone. Students can enjoy a whole range of curriculum enhancement opportunities as part of their KS4 experience, opportunities that are monitored and co-ordinated by specialist teachers and experienced business advisors, for example:
Business students take part in ‘Project Business UK’, a seven-week certificated course supported by the Solihull Young Enterprise Association which introduces different aspects of business to students by using real world exemplars and guest speakers from the worlds of industry and commerce.
Business students have access to a series of supported self study guides that outline everything they need to know about running a business. The guides have been several years in development in association with Guilsborough School, Northamptonshire and have been designed to exploit the natural intelligence of students using a technique known as accelerated learning.
Business students have the opportunity to ‘learn by doing’ through actually setting up and running their own class businesses. These enterprise activities operate not only to inform learning but also as a vehicle through which to support some of the many charities with which the school has close links.
All students have the opportunity to take part in work experience. Applied GCSE students in particular will benefit from extended work experience placements together with regular visits during blocked lesson time to a range of business placements.
Extensive access to school ICT facilities is provided to enable on line research and the use of interactive learning software and students will have the opportunity to work towards their Level 2 IT Key Skills award.
Master Classes are available for gifted and talented students and these are supported by the Manufacturing Foundation.
Business students will also have the opportunity to take part in the running of a school bank. The school bank is a facility run by students for students in association with HSBC and it is a particularly popular activity for students following vocational courses.
“In 2002 30% of all students who took GCSE Business Studies at Heart of England School achieved a grade A or an A*.”
“One student achieved an examination score that was in the top 5 in England & Wales; in a year when a record 30,000 students sat the examination.”
Student experiences and achievements at KS4 provide an excellent platform for further study and achievement at Key Stage 5. The curriculum continues to offer breadth in the range of courses available. Students inspired by their experience of applied GCSE courses can pursue Vocational ‘A’ level qualifications in Business Studies, Leisure and Tourism and Health and Social Care. Traditional ‘A’ Level courses in Business Studies, Economics and Law are available and a tutor supported on line ‘A’ Level in Accounting is another popular option.
Curriculum enhancement opportunities continue to be a prominent feature of the business related curriculum at KS5:
Master Classes are being developed for Gifted and Talented students and these classes are supported by the Manufacturing Foundation, the Solihull Education Business Partnership and the University of Warwick.
A system of mentoring emerges at KS5 where business students of different ages are encouraged to support one another through active debate, peer group study sessions and trouble shooting activities.
Specialist training has been provided to staff to ensure that we have experts in all aspects of business education including specialist in the optional advanced level modules.
Our commitment to enterprise activities as a vehicle for learning is undiminished. All students, not just those electing to study a business related course, are given the opportunity to benefit from a highly successful Young Enterprise scheme. Involvement in national competitions and partnerships with successful and well established organisations like Young Enterprise allows us to foster an ethos of participation and team work where students engage in collaborative learning activities that are challenging, sustained and well supported. We have produced several Solihull Champions over the years as well as a number of regional finalists. This achievement was recognised most recently when our regional finalists for 2003 were selected to represent the Borough in the ‘Enterprise Olympics’ a competition that involves teams of students from over 15 different countries responding to challenges set to them by the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Right Honourable Gordon Brown.
All students have the opportunity to take part in work experience and this is used extensively to enhance and improve business education. The school has recently affiliated to the Centre for Education and Industry at the University of Warwick and is actively using this link in a bid to establish itself ultimately as a centre of excellence in the provision of work related learning.
“In 2002, 100% of students who took ‘A’ Level Business Studies at Heart of England School passed and 79% of these students achieved a higher grade A – C.”
The Department seeks to provide a range of experiences and learning opportunities for students to enable them to grow and develop as individuals. We make every effort to raise the ceiling of student expectations. By developing creative and dynamic approaches to problem solving, by engaging in rewarding, well supported educational programmes that underpin learning we strive not only to raise achievement but to help students of all abilities to forge partnerships with friends, teachers and business advisors and establish a love of learning. We anticipate that students will have fun, will experience something worthwhile and memorable and emerge with a sense of accomplishment through participation.
“Business Education at Heart of England School is often excellent and never less than good!” ~ Ofsted
