Looking at Exam Papers

Looking at Exam Papers

GCSE in Business Studies (5308)

(Double Award)

Development of the exam: background

The Government’s agenda for vocational learning:

‘we should be offering young people a wide range of options’

‘we need to better prepare young people for the world of work’

‘we expect all schools to offer work-related opportunities to their pupils, often in partnership with local colleges’

The exam

The exam is untiered and is targeted at students across the full ability range A* - G.

It contains both short and extended answer compulsory questions totalling 90 marks, answered in 1½ hours.

All topics of the Unit are tested in each Series.

The exam:topic weightings

Specification topic Marks %A Documents and

B Make/receive payments

19-27 21-30

C. Costs of a new product or service 1-9 1-10

D. Cash Flow Forecasts and E. Budgets 10-18 11-20

F. Break-even 10-18 11-20

G. Profit & Loss and H. Balance Sheet 10-18 11-20

I. Importance of accounts 1-9 1-10

J. Sources of finance and K. Financial planning

10-18 11-20

The exam: nature of the questions (1)Theme: a ‘single business’ for the first three

papers:Rainfree and Fighting Fit - both are partnershipsMM Sounds - a sole traderproduct (umbrella) or service (gym and ‘Gift Rap’)

New approach in June 2005: a ‘single location’ themean airport – the airport owners plus 3 shops providing

goods (stationery etc) and services (food, car hire)Applied: a Scenario with information introduced Q

by QTrend towards the scenario being a ‘story’ only with the Q

stems introducing key information

The exam: nature of the questions (2)

Templates are used: eg Profit & Loss + Cash Flownote adaptation January 2005 (cash flow)this approach will continue to discourage ‘rote’/give greater Q

flexibilitySelect from alternatives: eg documents, payment

methodsWill continue to avoid ‘write all you know about’ Qs

Simple to complex: eg ‘Incline of difficulty’ + developed answers at end, targeted at A*

This is adapted in practice to ensure a ‘realistic’ approach (eg influence of chronology)

Grading questions and awarding marks

Assessment objectives:AO1: Demonstrate and apply knowledge

60 – 75% (54 – 67 marks) - name, state, explain, describe

AO2: Gather, select, record and analyse evidence10 – 15% (9 – 13 marks) - explain, select, analyse

AO3: Evaluate evidence and present conclusions15 – 20% (14 – 18 marks) - explain, evaluate, give reasons why

Papers are now marked ‘on-line’ with EPEN

Question 1

Similar style to all past papers: alternatives based on scenario business, from which candidates select one

Improving performance?(well answered/easy [only three alternatives] )use past papers for practiceensure candidates give only 1 answer to a part (NB past

questions, there may be two right answers)(General) rehearse selecting and classifying costs for a

wide range of businesses –Public and private; primary, secondary, tertiary

Improving performance

Use past papers for practiceEnsure candidates give only 1 answer to a

part (when using past questions, recognise that there may be two correct alternatives but only one should be chosen)

Rehearse selecting and classifying costs for a wide range of businesses –Public and private;primary, secondary, tertiary

Improving performance Methods of payment

Usually required to explain advantage/disadvantage from the seller’s or the buyer’s viewpoint – this is often overlookedSome candidates are content to state and

not explain/ develop their answer

Improving performance Methods of payment

‘State and explain’ – so some expansion of a ‘basic’ point is expected

Where ‘one’ is in bold candidates must not state two advantages/disadvantages – only one will be marked

Provide practical experience – e.g. of credit/debit cards

Candidates must be able to distinguish between questions/situations that focus on the seller, and those that focus on the buyer: an understanding of the buyer-seller relationship is crucial to success

Improving performance Budgeting

Topic of Budgeting – not well understood

Better answers would be based on explanations such as‘budget = plan;actual occurs, compare against plan;take corrective action’

Improving performance Budgeting

Concentrate on the planning and control aspects of budgeting

‘Variance’ is not stated in Specification but understanding the ‘concept’ of variance is valuable

Practise both written and calculation answers Past paper questions on budgeting should be used

Candidates should know main types – eg sales, production, cash, capital expenditure

Improving performance Balance Sheets and Costs

Review structure, use real examples from public/private sector, from primary/secondary/tertiary industry, practise selecting and classifying from a list

Candidates must follow instructions –may be asked to use a given letter or number coding or name the cost

Continue practising the identification and selection of (eg) fixed and variable costs in specific contexts

Improving performance Break-even:

Table completion (costs and revenues)

and Chart to be constructed Explain changes to breakeven – formula

given to help

Improving performance Breakeven

Full labelling needed on diagramCandidates must be familiar with a variety of

approaches .They must also understand how a change in one item will affect both the lines on the chart and break-even position

This topic may test candidates’ understanding of how ICT helps efficiency, so they may benefit from using a spreadsheet to calculate break-even

Although candidates need not memorise the formula they may benefit from discussing the concept of ‘contribution’

Improving performance Business documents

Main difficulty arises in differentiating between Invoice and Statement of Account

Continuing use of ‘real’ documents will help

Use past papers to meet variety of questions formats

Improving Performance Business documents

Study documents or complete Marks are lost because of:Poor knowledge of what happens to

documents, or answers too brief for both marks (eg ‘File it’)

Lack of precise statements eg ‘wrong quantity’ mean many lost one or both marks

Good knowledge of VAT is essential

Improving performance Business documents

Candidates must use - complete, calculate, store – the full range

Clear understanding of the different positions and roles of buyer and seller regarding documents is needed

VAT calculations are neededCorrection of errors and effect of errors on both

buyer and seller:a question may involve finding the error, correcting it,

explaining its effect

Improving performance Cash Flow Forecast

Similar situation/template to most CFF questions:single inflow; specific outflows; total and balance

(b) Applied focus – ‘information in the CFF’Not well answered if not well applied

NB: the mark structure will ensure candidates still achieve marks if some answers to are incorrect, through application of OFR (‘own figure rule’)

Improving performanceCash Flow Forecast

Labelling of rows (usually 1 mark)Practise ‘netting’ balances in CFFsCandidates must be aware of effects on

businesses that have negative cash flowsCandidates must be able to apply their

answers, interpreting the results of their CFF or interpreting CFF balance figures that will be given to them:E.g. what is the likely meaning of the high or

negative/low balance to the business?

Improving performanceCash Flow Forecast

Practise on Excel – not just Cash Flow Forecast but also budget, P&L, break-even

Anticipate specific ICT questions based on specification topics such as these

Candidates should meet a range of ICT-based and ‘traditional’ situations that allow them to explore how different errors affect sales, profits, cash, balances, willingness to trade . . .

Improving performanceProfit and Loss

Similar templatesP&L date required (full date expected)

Templates and related information can vary on occasion – eg

Use of ‘cost’ and ‘revenue’ columnsInformation in a form other than a bulleted list

‘Difficult’ expense (depreciation) is pre-entered to assist

‘Net profit’ or ‘Net loss’ expected as descriptor (‘Net profit’ needing to be shown as negative)


Understanding needed of stakeholdersBasic knowledge is often shown but

not applied –– few score full marks‘Using the information above . . .’

Expect similar questions that require candidates to apply given situations/figures


Candidates should practice profit/loss calculations using given templates and in other (e.g. list) formats

Revenues and expenses from a wide variety of businesses should be covered:Public/private; primary/secondary/tertiary

Stress the importance of the date of financial statements

Practise relating answers to specific situations: limited value in giving ‘textbook’ answers about interests of different stakeholder groups

Improving performanceExtended last question

Always an extended answer at AO2/AO3.

Likely to test key financial concepts (see past papers)

Decisions will be involved: ‘Explain why’ ‘Select’ ‘Recommend’ ‘Justify’ ‘Evaluate’

Improving performance Extended last question

Obey the rubric, e.g.note words in bold,Explain to candidates the importance of the ‘trigger’ words

(action verbs) such as ‘Justify’Apply the Specification topics to real businessesApply the answer to the given businessPractise writing extended answersSimple phrases/answers (e.g. the ‘quick’ and ‘easy’

approach) without context or explanation receive few or no marks

Preparing for future papers

Helping centres maximise student performance

Delivering the unit

Influence/availability of resources:Textbooks – these include

Barrett (Nelson Thornes)Carysforth and Neild (Heinemann)Denby and Thoma (Hodder & Stoughton)Fardon, Nuttall, Prokopiw (Osborne)Jones, Raffo and Hall (Pearson)Surridge (Collins)

Delivering the unitInfluence of JCQ Performance Descriptors

Internet sitesEg vocationallearning.org.uk

Developing vocationalism, sample assignments and scheme of work, critical success factors in delivering . . .

Other resources

Helping the studentsVariety of approaches

Preferred learning styles: an active (vocational) approach is encouraged

ReinforcementTests, quizzesPast papers

Edexcel Candidate Kit

Summary: centres can expect future papers to . . .

follow a ‘single business’ or a ‘single location’ theme

be constructed using the same influencesvary in the number of questions asked (normally

either 9 or 10 in total)be similar in style be designed and laid out to assist on-line marking