Business Studies/Business and Accounting

Young people are growing up in a globalised and dynamic world. New opportunities and challenges will emerge in their lifetimes that are virtually unimaginable today. Developing technologies, environmental and societal challenges, demographics, global competition and changing consumer demand will drive these changes.Studying business helps to equip students with the understanding, skills and attitudes to participate fully in an interconnected world.

Business studies encourages students to develop an appreciation of how their lives are shaped by economic and social factors. They are enabled to make informed decisions, to better manage their personal financial resources and to be adaptable, creative, and enterprising. Business studies also improves their knowledge and understanding of good business practice and of business as a productive activity

First year students choose from a range of subjects, of which Business Studies is one. They continue to study the subject for their Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement. The Junior Cycle Business Studies course is assessed in 4 manners, 2 classroom based assessments, 1 assessment task and a terminal examination conducted by the state examinations comission in June of 3rd year of the Junior Cycle.

CBA 1 is entitled Business in Action. Business in Action gives students an opportunity to actively engage in a practical and authentic learning experience that reflects activities undertaken regularly in the business environment. They will act as consumers, entrepreneurs, managers and decision-makers as they plan and conduct research, analyse data and information, problem-solve and make decisions, use digital technology to manage information, and take action

CBA 2 is entitled Presentation. This Classroom-Based Assessment has two priorities: to give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding to real-life settings, and to develop their communication skills. The Presentation allows students to: develop their self-awareness as learners; to evaluate evidence and reflect on their values; to demonstrate how they can communicate competently using a range of tools prevalent in the business environment; and to make considered decisions and recommendations.

Students complete a written Assessment Task to be submitted to the State Examinations Commission for marking as part of the state-certified examination for Business Studies. It will be allocated 10% of the marks used to determine the grade awarded by the State Examinations Commission. The Assessment Task is directly related to the nature and focus of the second Classroom-Based Assessment, the Presentation, where the knowledge and skills developed by students emerge from their investigation, growing awareness of and presentation of a topic related to the business environment.

The terminal examination that takes place at the end of 3rd year is a 2 hour paper, set by the State Examinations Comission. This paper seeks to assess the skills developed over the 3 years of Junior Cycle, to determine the students knowledge, understadning and ability to apply the principles of Business Studies to new and unseen contexts. It is allocated 90% of the marks used to determine the grade awarded by the State Examinations Commission.

Transition year students study Business as part of the TY programme. During the TY year students usually study one semester of Business, one semester of Accountancy and one semester of Economics. Leaving Certificate students can also study Business Studies.

Teachers:

Fiona Crosby, Charlotte Shevlin, Hannah Kealy, Ryan Carry & Ríona Stewart.

Programme Co-ordinator:

Fiona Crosby

Provision of the Subject in the School

Young people are growing up in a globalised and dynamic world. Studying business helps to equip students with the understanding, skills, and attitudes to participate fully in an interconnected world.

Business encourages students to develop an appreciation of how their lives are shaped by economic and social factors. They are enabled to make informed decisions, to better manage their personal financial resources and to be adaptable, creative, and enterprising.

Within the school, business studies is offered as an optional subject for Junior Cycle. Fifth year students choose from a range of subjects, of which business and accounting are offered. TY take a practical approach in looking at how a business operates. Students have a chance to complete the student enterprise programme which introduces content covered in senior cycle Business.

There are currently four First, Second- and Third-year class periods timetabled weekly. There are two classes per week allocated to TY business for the duration of the year. Accounting also has 2 classes per week in TY. Fifth and Sixth year (Business and Accounting) have two double classes and one single period per week. All class groupings are mixed ability. Business facilitates many opportunities for students in terms of further study and career opportunities.

Planning & Development

Over the course of the academic year, many formal and informal meetings have taken place in relation to planning and development. As a department, we have taken a collaborative approach and share all our resources with each other. The result of this has been that we put together a resource bank of material that promotes active teaching and learning in the classroom. All department members have access to these resources on SharePoint.

This year, we continued to work with local organisations and Business in the Community with our LCA students. The students gain a valuable insight and practical experience in relation to the world of work.

The new Junior Cycle Business course is now embedded in the way we all work. The CBA process, whereby students take part in continuous assessment. Students complete various tasks during the two-year period that have an impact on their final descriptor. This year’s second year students completed the student enterprise awards programme in conjunction with their CBA. This enhanced their CBA and their learning experience. They were extremely successful in this competition winning most innovative product and an award for the business to watch out for in the future.

Award winners 2023/2024

“My Entrepreneurial Journey”

Students were extremely successful in this competition. Congratulations to Maria who goes on to represent Meath in the national final.

Teaching and Learning

The new Junior Cycle Business course allows us to introduce new methodologies into our teaching and learning. Students are encouraged to collaborate with each other in order to maximise their learning experience. Posters, reports, role play, group work and presentations are used regularly to assess the level of understanding along with the traditional method of written exams.

The approach taken for both Junior and Leaving Certificate Business is to link the subject theory with the practical elements of running a business. Students have access to computers for the subject which helps us support this approach.

Class tests are given regularly. First and Second Year students sit a one-hour exam at the end of the year. In Fifth and Sixth Year, students also receive class tests monthly and a report is sent home. At the end of Fifth Year, students sit a 1.5 hour exam.

Information to Parents and Students

The subject is promoted to parents and students at the school Open Evening and the Senior Options Evening attended by both Third Year and TY students and their parents. Information is distributed to all students before they select their Leaving Certificate subjects.

Students attend parent teacher meetings with their parents where their progress is monitored and discussed in detail. Parents have access to their child’s online school report.

The results achieved in the state examinations in business subjects from some of our students continue to be of a high standard and in many cases are rewarded nationally.

During the course of the year, all Business teachers completed in-service training on the new Junior Cycle programme for Business. Leaving Certificate Business teachers also completed in-service training, attending Senior Cycle Business Workshops faciliated by the PDST.

Subject Association Membership

All Business teachers are members of the Business Studies Teachers Association of Ireland (BSTAI).

Saothar agus Sonas

Business Studies/Business and Accounting

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