Business Diploma | Earlscliffe Sixth Form, Folkestone

BTEC Business Extended Diploma

At Earlscliffe, we are committed to equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to succeed, not only academically, but also in the dynamic world of business and entrepreneurship.

The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business is a two-year, highly practical programme, formally equivalent to three A-levels.

It offers a modern alternative to traditional academic pathways, combining rigorous study with hands-on experience. Designed to build both analytical and commercial understanding, this course is the perfect springboard for university degrees in business, finance, law, or marketing.

Course Overview

The Extended Diploma is primarily assessed through coursework and pre-release case study tests (88% of marks), complemented by traditional examinations (12% of marks).
This structure is ideal for students who prefer continuous assessment over final exams.
Includes 18 hours of teaching per week.
English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is studied alongside the Extended Diploma to support academic development and ensure readiness for university study.

Course Modules

The course features 13 engaging and practical modules that combine essential business knowledge with real-world application. Modules may be subject to change.

Mandatory Units	Optional Units
Exploring Business	Digital Marketing
Developing a Marketing Campaign	Creative Promotion
Personal & Business Finance	Market Research
Managing an Event	Branding
International Business	Relationship Marketing
Principals of Management	Cost and Management Accounting
Business Decision Making

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The Extended Diploma emphasises real-world experience, encouraging students to apply their knowledge through projects, campaigns, and case studies. This approach ensures graduates are confident, capable, and career-ready, equipped with the tools to thrive in competitive business environments.

Grading System

The Extended Diploma is graded as follows:

Distinction (D)
Merit (M)
Pass (P)
Near Pass (N)
Unclassified (U)

University Progression

A small list of examples of universities and degree courses that accept the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business for entry:

Bristol University	Business & Management
The University of Manchester	Management
Exeter University	Business & Management
Durham University	Marketing & Management
Queen Mary University of London	Business Management

With strong university progression routes and a curriculum tailored to real-world success, it’s the perfect springboard for ambitious international students.

Small class sizes and intensive teaching

Even in the most popular subjects we insist on small classes. The reason for having small classes is very simple. The greater the amount of individual attention that the student receives, the greater the chances are that the student will achieve better grades. In a small class, teachers are able to get to know the students, no student is a passenger and everybody has to contribute. In addition, small classes create safe environments in which students are more willing to participate.

We allocate intensive, lesson-based teaching to each chosen subject, and this is complemented by a student’s own dedication outside the classroom. In our rigorous and well-structured lessons, meaningful and positive relationships are built, a determined work ethic is created and each student achieves their full potential.

English language support

EAP (English for Academic Purposes) is a fundamental part of our school. The individual English language needs of each student are taken into account by their teacher and lessons are planned accordingly.

Our teachers are very experienced with EAP and they employ a wide range of methods to help support the development of the students’ English language skills.

The specifics of the support will depend very much on each students’ needs and the course they are doing. For example, GCSE students may have to read works of fiction and produce book reports, whereas A-level and BTEC students will have to learn subject-specific terminology, in context, and take part in frequent vocabulary tests.

To find out more about teaching English at Earlscliffe please click here

Homework

Homework is completed in the evenings and at weekends. Students are allocated at least two hours each evening as quiet study time in their rooms, which is supervised by their House Managers. While many students do less homework on Saturdays, almost all students use Sundays to do some serious, extended study in their own time.

Each course module has an extended reading section, with books, articles and texts recommended as additional reference material. This information will be given to the students by the subject teachers and is also available on the school’s Independent Study website. Students have access to daily newspapers and weekly journals like ‘The Economist’, ‘The New Scientist’ and ‘The Spectator’ – titles they should be reading in their free time to improve their understanding of the wider issues relating to their academic subjects.