WJEC GCSE Business specification (3510)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your WJEC GCSE Business exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official WJEC GCSE Business specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official WJEC GCSE Business (3510) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official WJEC specification PDF.
Specification overview
This WJEC GCSE Business qualification introduces learners to the business world, encouraging them to become commercially minded and enterprising individuals. Learners develop as critical and reflective thinkers, building knowledge of business activity across a range of local, national and global contexts. The course promotes an understanding of the interdependent nature of business functions and the importance of enterprise, ethics and sustainability. Learners will use both qualitative and quantitative data to analyse and evaluate business scenarios, supporting the development of problem-solving and informed decision-making skills that are relevant fSubject content breakdown
1. Business activity
- Nature of business activity: enterprise, business environment, interdependence
- Providing goods and services: consumer vs producer goods, sectors
- Business enterprise: entrepreneur roles, risks and rewards, support sources
- Business planning: importance, role and content of business plans
- Aims and objectives: SMART targets, stakeholder impact, conflict
- Business ownership: sole trader, partnership, ltd, plc, co-operatives, charities
- Business growth: methods (organic, integration, franchising), limitations
- Business location and site: factors influencing location and siting
- Interdependence of business functions: operations, finance, marketing, HR
2. Influences on business
- Technology: digital tools, e-commerce, m-commerce, communication
- Ethics: ethical behaviour, conflicts, stakeholder impacts
- Environment: sustainability, green practices, impact on business
- Economy: income, unemployment, inflation, interest and tax rates
- Globalisation: trade, multinationals, EU, single market
- Legislation: employment, consumer protection, intellectual property
3. Business operations
- Production: job, batch, flow, technology in production
- Quality: expectations, assurance methods, importance
- Supply chain: procurement, logistics, stock control, stakeholder impacts
- Sales process and customer service: stages, delivery modes, good service
4. Finance
- Sources of finance: internal and external for start-ups and growth
- Revenue and costs: calculations, break-even, profit use
- Profit and loss: construction, interpretation, GPM and NPM
- Cash flow: forecasts, solutions for cash problems
- Financial performance: use of data to evaluate and inform decisions
5. Marketing
- Identifying and understanding customers: segmentation by age, gender etc.
- Market research: primary/secondary, qualitative/quantitative, evaluation
- Marketing mix: 4Ps and strategic integration
- Product: life cycle, branding, USP, design, innovation
- Price: strategy types (penetration, skimming, cost-plus, etc.)
- Promotion: advertising, social media, method selection
- Place: distribution channels, e-commerce, multichannel retail
6. Human resources
- Recruitment: processes and methods, job specs, selection tools
- Training: on-the-job vs off-the-job, context-specific choices
- Motivation: financial and non-financial methods, workforce impact
- Organisational structures: flat/tall, communication, evolving practices
Assessment structure
Unit 1: Business World
- Written examination: 2 hours
- 100 marks, 62.5% of qualification
- Mix of short answer and structured questions
- Based on stimulus material covering all content areas
Unit 2: Business Perceptions
- Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 60 marks, 37.5% of qualification
- Data response questions
- Covers all content areas, drawing on full course knowledge
Key tips for success
Doing well in your WJEC GCSE Business isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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