This document provides guidance for students completing a controlled assessment on investigating a small local business. It specifies that students must choose an actual small business to study, which is defined as a sole trader, partnership, or private limited company, not a franchise or large public limited company. It recommends sources for finding a suitable local small business to research, such as local business directories and websites. The document outlines the tasks, research, and marking scheme for the controlled assessment, emphasizing the need to collect high-quality research from multiple sources in the initial three-week research period before writing up the assessment under strict exam conditions.

1. GCSE
Business Studies
Unit 2 Investigating Small Business
Controlled Assessment

2. Unit 2 Investigating Small Business
Controlled Assessment
Unit 2 “Investigating Small Business” is based on what
you have learnt for Unit 1
“Introduction to Small Business”

3. Tasks
Your controlled assessment
MUST be on a
SMALL LOCAL business

4. What does it mean by a small local
business?
The exam board (Edexcel) specifies that the business
that you choose to investigate could be local and
should be a small business. A local business could be
in the Sandhurst area or near to where you live. A
small business is usually a Sole Trader, Partnership
or Private Limited Company (Ltd) NOT a Public
Limited Company (plc). They may employ a number of
people but only be based out of one office or shop – be
careful not to choose a Franchise, often these appear as
small businesses but are part of a much larger one (plc)

5. What does it mean by a small local
business?
Here are some useful websites that you could use to identify a
small local business which you can investigate for your
controlled assessment:-
• http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/epsom-and-
ewell/business-guide
• http://www.townpages.com/surrey/epsom/
• http://www.freeindex.co.uk/south_east/surrey/epsom/
Another great business to investigate would be one that is
owned by your family, family friend or that you have a contact
at.

6. Mark Scheme
• The controlled assessment is out of 40 marks
– Research 12 Marks
– Present Information 8 Marks
– Analysis 12 Marks
– Evaluation 8 Marks
• Read the mark scheme carefully
• Get feedback on your practice controlled assessments
– Where did you lose marks?
– Where could you have gained extra marks?

7. Research
• You must collect research during the first three weeks after
the June Half Term
• This research needs to handed in BEFORE your write up
lessons
• Once you have started your write up you CANNOT add to
your research
• Your write will be completed during two weeks

8. Sources of Research
• Research can include any of the following:-
– Interviewing the business owner / manager
– Completing a customer questionnaire - avoid open questions!
– Using the business’s website
– Using business websites
– Using review websites
– Observation
– Newspapers and Magazines
– Pictures or photographs
– Price lists, menus or catalogues
– Maps
• Look at the initial guidance given to you by the exam board on
what you need to find out, further guidance will be given to you
after the half term on the research you could collect for your
controlled assessment task

9. Research
• The research is subject to limited control. This means that
you can carry out research outside of school and at home
as homework as well as in the lessons, of which you will
have 3 weeks Teachers can give feedback and guidance
on your research but it must be your own work.
• Good research will lead to a better chance of getting the
highest marks when you complete your write up - printing
30 pages from Wikipedia is not good research!
• You earn more marks from having research from more than
one source

10. Student Research Log
• Students must
keep a record of
the research they
collect
• The log must be
kept with their
research
DATE TIME SPENT ACTIVITY
Tuesday 8th June ¾ Hour Internet Research – the company’s website
Saturday 12th June 30 minutes Observation on local shop – the business’s and competitors

11. Write Up
The Write Up is completed under controlled conditions
• NO internet
• NO email
• NO memory sticks
• NO music
• Teachers cannot give feedback and guidance
• Must print off and save your work at the end of
each lesson
ONLY ONE CHANCE