Business Studies

Te Aka Pouhoko, Pouoha Tōpū O Aotearoa

Business Studies Profile

The purpose of this statement is to provide members with NZCETA policy on business studies in secondary schools. It can be used to:

  • Provide input to the development of an individual school’s policy statement;
  • Provide information to be used in curriculum co-ordination exercises;
  • Develop an individual school’s prospectus and curriculum programmes;
  • Provide information for use with students, parents and the wider school community.

Business Studies is about how individuals and groups of people organise, plan, and act to create and develop goods and services to satisfy customers.

Business Studies students will have opportunities to understand the integral role of business in society and the economy through exploring enterprise culture, gaining knowledge and understanding of good business practice and of business as a productive activity and acquiring greater financial capability.

Business Studies programmes will address the New Zealand Curriculum requirements relating to the Principles, Values, and Key Competencies (Thinking, Using language, symbols and texts, Managing self, Relating to others, Participating and contributing): as well as the individual school’s Mission Statement and Strategic Goals.

Students of Business Studies will further develop the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum (and ngā uara me ngā waiaro or values and attitudes of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa) through fostering qualities such as initiative, resilience, and resourcefulness and skills such as problem solving, co-operation, decision making, negotiation, and communication skills.

Issues such as sustainability, citizenship, enterprise, and globalisation (see the future focus principle of The New Zealand Curriculum ) are central to both business and the study of business.

Business Studies has learning objectives that describe the intended outcomes at Levels 6, 7 and 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum. The teaching of Business Studies at Level 5 of the New Zealand Curriculum covers achievement objectives from Social Sciences.

Programmes including content, delivery and assessment should reflect the curriculum principles stated in the New Zealand Curriculum Framework and the individual school’s charter.

At Years 9 and 10 schools offer a variety of programmes to enable students to achieve business studies education objectives. Business Studies is offered as a course of study at Years 11, 12 and 13.

Business Studies Landscape

The teaching of Business Studies follows the Key Competencies, Values and Principles of the New Zealand Curriculum. The New Zealand Curriculum does not state specific achievement objectives for Business Studies at levels 6, 7 and 8 so learning objectives have been developed to describe the intended outcomes for this subject. At Level 5 of the New Zealand Curriculum the teaching of Business Studies covers achievement objectives from Social Sciences.

To read more about the New Zealand Curriculum visit the NZ Curriculum website

Senior Subject teaching and Learning Guidelines for Business

This document includes the Learning Objectives; Indicators of content; Context elaborations and links to both the New Zealand Curriculum and the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Refer to: Senior Subject Teaching and Learning Guidelines

CETA Business Studies Handbooks

There are booklets for Levels 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum. These booklets have been developed to assist schools and teachers when designing and implementing programmes for Business Studies appropriate for The New Zealand Curriculum; the Business Studies Learning Objectives and assessing using the NCEA Achievement Standards. It further develops the Senior Secondary Teaching and Learning Guidelines for Business Studies published by the Ministry of Education.

Programme Planning

When designing a programme for any level of Business Studies (Level 5 – 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum), the documents to refer to are the New Zealand Curriculum, the Senior Subject Teaching and Learning Guidelines and the CETA handbooks.

Business Matrix

The matrix outlines the Achievement Standards available for assessment at Levels 1, 2 and 3 (Levels 6, 7 and 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum).

Achievement Standards

Level One: 24 credits available – 12 external credits and 12 internal credits

Level Two: 27 credits available – 12 external credits and 15 internal credits

Level Three: 33 credits available – 12 external credits and 21 internal credits

Refer to: Achievement Standards

The following documents are all available on the NZQA Business Studies web page.

Assessment Specifications – these are published at the start of each year and they detail any specific details about that year’s external examination. These are available at each level on the NZQA website.

Past Exam Papers – the past NZQA examination papers are available on the NZQA website, along with assessment schedules (answers).

Examiner’s Reports – every year the examiner writes a report about the previous year’s examination. These are available in March/April of the year following the examination. These are known as assessment reports on the NZQA website.

Exemplars – Sample examination papers for new standards http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/subjects/business-studies/annotated-exemplars-2/

TKI exemplars – these are examples of internal assessments that are designed to be used in class after adapting them specifically for your school. New exemplars are written for new standards.

National Moderator’s Report – every year the national moderator in Business Studies writes a report on the previous year’s internal assessment. This is available March/ April on the NZQA website. Refer to: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/search.do?query=business&view=reports&level=01

National Moderator’s Newsletters – at various times during the year the national moderator in Business Studies publishes a newsletter that details specific information on current internal assessment issues. Refer to:  http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/subjects/business-studies/moderator-s-newsletter/february-2018/

Clarification Documents – the national moderator in Business Studies periodically writes a document for a specific internal achievement standard clarifying any issues with the assessment of that standard. Refer to: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/subjects/business-studies/clarifications/

Best Practice Workshops – the national moderator runs workshops and cluster meetings around New Zealand and online covering the internal assessment in Business Studies, dates and venues of these workshops are detailed on the NZQA website. Refer to:  http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/events/best-practice-workshops-assessment-and-moderation/

Scholarship

At present Business Studies is not offered at Scholarship level.

Other Resources

Useful websites:
https://www.business.govt.nz/ 
https://www.nzte.govt.nz/ 
http://www.mbie.govt.nz/