COURSE FACTSHEET
Advanced Level Foundation — Business studies module Who is this course for?
Recognised by widest choice of quality universities
The Kings Advanced Level Foundation is based on A-level syllabuses, taught by A-level teachers, assessed against A-levels and moderated by an independent Advisory Board of external examiners. As such, it is one of the most highly academic and successful pathways to leading UK universities.
Kings does not work with a narrow range of university partners. This is because our Advanced Level Foundation is based on, and linked to, A-levels. It is therefore automatically recognised and accepted by the widest choice of universities. Out of the Top 25 universities listed in the Times and Sunday Times 2019 rankings, 20 have accepted Kings Foundation students.
Pearson assured
Benchmarking against A-Level grades
Key Facts
The Kings Advanced Level Foundation has Pearson assured status, awarded after an annual Pearson audit of quality assurance.
Typical top 30 university offers to students following the Programme are based on their normal A-level offers. The Programme is benchmarked against A-level grades as follows:
Start dates: 7 January, 8 April*, 1 July*, 9 September 2019; 6 January, 6 April*, 29 June*, 7 September 2020 (*Extended version) Locations offered: Oxford
London
Bournemouth Brighton
Level: Minimum IELTS 5.5 (standard version); IELTS 4.0 (extended version). Completed 11 – 12 years of schooling. Minimum age: 17 Length: 1 Academic Year (3 terms). Or Extended Advanced Level Foundation of 4 – 7 terms (including 3-term Advanced Level Foundation) Lessons: Average 21 hours per week (plus homework and private study) Class size: 8 – 12 Learning outcomes: à Raise academic qualifications to UK university entrance level à Raise English to university level à Develop learning and self study skills for degree level
Advisory Panel Standards for the Programme are set by an external and independent Advisory Board which meets three times each year to ensure best practice, moderate marks where required and hear appeals.
Assessment Paper
Weighting
Term 1 Assessment
30%
Term 2 Assessment
35%
Term 3 Assessment
35%
Typical A-level offer
Typical Kings Foundation offer
A*A*A*
80%
AAA
75%
AAB
70%
ABB
65%
BBB
60%
CCC
50%
Extended option Students with lower language levels can join an extended programme of 4 – 7 terms (including the 3-term Advanced Level Foundation), from IELTS 4.0. It offers practical content designed to provide a bridge into UK academic life. The main focus is developing suitable language proficiency for the Advanced level Foundation with concentrated IELTS lessons, but as the course is made up of English language classes and some 1:1 or small group study, it has the flexibility to also provide bespoke academic study skills and subject enrichment. The course can also include a Maths GCSE if required.
Advanced Level Foundation
Sept
Jun
Apr
Jan
Sept
Jun
Apr
Jan
Sept
Jun
Pathways
Vacation
Advanced Level Foundation IELTS 4.0
Extended Foundation IELTS 5.0 IELTS 4.5
Extended Foundation Extended Foundation
Top 20 university Top 20 university
Vacation
Advanced Level Foundation
Vacation
Top 20 university
Vacation
Advanced Level Foundation
Vacation
Top 20 university
Advanced Level Foundation
Vacation
Top 20 university
COURSE FACTSHEET
Course structure and content The programme is highly flexible, and able to adapt to the needs and academic aspirations of each student. It does this through a combination of core modules and a series of elective modules which can be combined in different ways to create main subject streams: Main subject streams à Business à Engineering à Life Sciences and Pharmacy à A rchitecture à Media and Communications à Humanities and Social Sciences à Mathematics, Computing and Science
Core modules are: à Communication and Study Skills à Data Handling and Information Technology Elective modules are: à A rt and Design à Biology à Business Studies à Chemistry
à Economics à History à Human Geography à Law à Mathematics à Media à Physics à Psychology à Politics and Government
2018 – 19 Sample academic timeline September
October
November
December
January
February
September starters
10 Sept: term starts Student induction
20 – 28 Oct: half term
University fairs/visits
14 Dec: term ends CSS Assessment 1 (Written) End of term exams
7 Jan: term starts
14 – 17 Feb: half term CSS Assessment 2 (Presentation) University fairs/visits
January starters
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—
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—
7 Jan: term starts Student induction
14 – 17 Feb: half term University fairs/visits
March
April
May
June
July
August
September starters
22 Mar: term ends Assignments* End of term exams
8 April: term starts Assignments*
Assignments*
14 June: term ends CSS Assessment 3 (Listening and Reading exam)
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—
January starters
22 Mar: term ends Assignments* CSS Assessment 1 (Written) End of term exams
8 April: term starts Assignments*
Assignments*
17 – 18 June: 2 day break CSS Assessment 2 (Presentation)
CSS Assessment 3 (Listening and Reading exam)
2 Aug: term ends
*students spend two weeks on each assignment and do three in total — one for each of their ‘elective’ modules. Please note that specific dates are subject to change.
Business studies module structure and content Learning outcomes On successful completion of the Business Studies module students should: à have factual knowledge and understanding of the principles of planning a business and raising finance à be able to apply knowledge and understanding to problems and issues arising from familiar and non familiar business situations à understand the methods of business analysis to investigate business problems, issues and how to implement strategies for success within business environment à evaluate, distinguish between and assess appropriateness of fact and opinion, and judge information from a variety of business sources
Term 1 à Introduction to business studies à Entrepreneurship à The nature of a business à Legal structures à Stakeholders à Business plans à Business objectives à The nature of marketing à Market research à Market segmentation à Market share, size and growth à The marketing mix à The 4 P’s of marketing (product, price, promotion, place) à SWOT and PESTLE Term 2 à Business organisations à Organisational structures à Recruitment
à Selection à Training à Appraisal à Management à Leadership à Motivation and motivational theories à Employer/employee relationships Term 3 à Sources of finance à Costs, revenue and profit à Contribution à Break-even analysis à Budget setting à Cash flow forecasts à Working capital à Income statements à Balance sheets à Ratio analysis
Continued overleaf æ
COURSE FACTSHEET
Recommended reading
Sample enrichment activities
Below is a list of text books normally used on this course, as well as books which may help you prepare for your studies prior to arrival. In many cases the textbooks will be supplied by the school, and you may borrow them for the duration of your time at school. However, if you already know what three subjects you want to choose you may prefer to purchase one before you arrive.
à BMW factory visit à Business Enterprise à Bank of England visit à Coca Cola factory tour
à Business Studies Fourth Edition by Hall, Jones, Raffo, Anderton. Published by Folens à New Grade 9-1 GCSE Business AQA Revision Guide à New GCSE Business Edexcel Revision Guide - for the Grade 9-1 Course à Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Business Revision Guide
Alumni who took the Business Studies module Below is a selection of degree courses some of our most recent alumni have gone on to study: Student name
Advanced Level Foundation Modules
University
Course name
Zhonart Ablassanov
Business/Economics/Geography/CSS/Data
University of Kent
Accounting and Finance
Girim Ban
Business/Geography/Mathematics/CSS/Data
University of Edinburgh
Economics and Politics
Aidai Ergeshova
Business/Art & Design/Geography/CSS/Data
University of Exeter
International Relations
Alina Kurmanbayeva
Business/Economics/Government & Law/CSS/Data
SOAS
Politics and Economics
Jingxuan Li
Business/Economics/Mathematics/CSS/Data
University of Leicester
Accounting and Finance
Mai Anh Pham
Business/Geography/Government & Politics/CSS/Data
University of Surrey
Media Studies with Film Studies
Octavie Railet
Business/Geography/Government & Politics/CSS/Data
Queen Mary University of London
Law
Xiangqian Sun
Business/Economics/Mathematics/CSS/Data
Lancaster University
Management and Organisational Behaviour
“
The Foundation is very convenient for international students — it’s a good pathway to university. It’s been very useful, I’ve learnt lots of useful skills for university. It gives you an understanding of how it will be at university. The size of the classes are much smaller here — in my country there were 23 students per class on average, and the real advantage of this programme is that you can pick subjects that you want to study.
”
Alina Kurmanbayeva, now studying Politics and Economics at SOAS
1800 09/18
I was involved in the Business Enterprise club, which was really useful and fun too. I really liked it and it provided us with useful skills.