Version 1.0: 09/05 Copyright © 2005 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. abc General Certificate of Secondary Education Business & Communication Systems 3126 3126/1F Paper 1 Foundation Tier Mark Scheme 2005 examination - June series Mark schemes are prepared by the Principal Examiner and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation meeting attended by all examiners and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation meeting ensures that the mark scheme covers the candidatesresponses to questions and that every examiner understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for the standardisation meeting each examiner analyses a number of candidatesscripts: alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed at the meeting and legislated for. If, after this meeting, examiners encounter unusual answers which have not been discussed at the meeting they are required to refer these to the Principal Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of candidatesreactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one years document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. 3126/1FAQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 2 1 Total for this question: 8 marks Circle the correct answer to each of the following questions. (a) Laura Andrews would give a message about a social event to her employees using a: (1 mark) Notice (b) Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers have to make sure that (1 mark) Equipment is safe (c) Which of the following should be taken away from gross pay when calculating net pay? (1 mark) Tax (d) During a meeting, the minutes of the previous meeting are: (1 mark) Agreed (e) One disadvantage that employees find with teleworking is: (1 mark) Feeling lonely (f) Using the information below, calculate how much commission would be earned. (1 mark) £150 (g) One disadvantage of an open plan office is that it can be: (1 mark) Too noisy (h) Which of the following actions is most likely to prevent employees from getting repetitive strain injury (RSI)? (1 mark) Taking regular breaks AQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 3126/1F 3 2 Total for this question: 18 marks (a) Explain how each of the items below would be useful to Laura when she is travelling. 3 marks for each item: 1 + 1 mark for suitable examples of how it might be used or benefits of use, +1 mark if use is in context of Going Away. (i) Digital camera (3 marks) Can be used to photograph holiday destinations (1 + 1) which can then be emailed back to the office (1). (ii) Mobile telephone (3 marks) Used to keep in touch with the office while on the move (1) so Laura can answer any questions her employees may have (1) and pass on up-to-date information about holiday destinations (1). (iii) Laptop computer (3 marks) Laura can use it to keep in touch with the office by email (1) perhaps sending information for the brochure (1) which will mean they will have the information before she gets back (1). 1 mark each for any three from: noticeboard, memo, meeting or face-to-face or presentation, report, email (also accept written, verbal, electronic but only 1 mark for each of these, ie not written and memo, or verbal and meeting, or electronic and email) 1 x 3. Do not allow telephone, fax or letter. (ii) Explain one advantage to Going Away of each of the methods that you have listed in (i) above. (6 marks) 1 mark for each advantage and 1 for development (1 + 1) x 3. Award valid points even if marks have not been given for method. Points must be valid in the context given. No repeated points. For example: • notice board/memo/report: employees can read information whenever they have time (1), so anyone who is absent will still get the message (1). • Meeting/presentation/face-to-face: employees can ask questions which can be answered immediately (1), so increasing their knowledge of the destinations (1). • Report/memo: employees will have detailed written record (1) which they can refer back to in the future (1). • Email: Laura can simply forward the reports she made on her laptop while away (1) saving time and paper (1). (b) Laura needs to tell the travel consultants about the new destinations that she discovered on her recent travels. (i) Name three methods of internal communication that Laura might use to do this. (3 marks)3126/1FAQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 4 3 Total for this question: 13 marks (a) (i) A customer has come into Going Away and would like to travel from London to Chester by coach. His needs are as follows: he would like the journey to take no more than 4 hours; he would prefer not to change coaches; he does not want to spend more than £25.00. Using the information in the table below, explain how suitable each coach company would be for this customer. (8 marks) 1 mark for each relevant piece of information extracted from the table, up to 2 for each company. Eg: Get There: within time limit/3½ hours (1), within budget (1), no changes (1). Coaches RUs: within time limit/4 hours (1) within budget (1), no changes (1). Coaches 2U: within time limit/4 hours (1), within budget (1), no changes (1). Star Coaches: takes too long/5 hours (1), within budget (1) but change required (1). (1 + 1) x 4. (ii) Recommend, with reasons, which coach company might be the best for this customer. (3 marks) 3 marks for justification of company chosen: must demonstrate some comparison with other companies for marks. Eg: Coaches 2U because it is cheaper than the others (1), allowing him to save £3.00 (1) and does not require such an early start as Get There (1). Or Get There because it will get him to Chester earlier than the others (1) giving him two hours more time to spend there (1) compared with Coaches 2U and one hour more than Coaches RUs (1). Or Coaches RUs because it allows him to start later (1) giving him more time to get to the coach station (1) one and a half hours longer than for Get There (1). (b) State two ways in which Laura can make sure that customer data are kept secure. (2 marks) 1 mark each for any valid method of security, either physical or software, maximum 2 marks, eg: Password protection (1) Make regular back-ups (1) Train staff to log off when not using machines (1) Install adequate locks (1) Install a firewall (1) Use anti-virus software (1). AQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 3126/1F 5 4 Total for this question: 12 marks (a) Laura wants to make sure that all new employees are given induction training. (i) Why is induction training given? (1 mark) To help new employees to settle in (or any similar valid answer). (ii) State three items of information which induction training might include. (3 marks) Only induction, not job specific. Any three from: health and safety, dress code, company history, company organisation, aims and objectives, layout of building, company policy or any other valid points (1 + 1 + 1). No marks for points already awarded in (a)(i). (b) Employees at Going Away use computer monitors. State two actions that Laura must take to meet health and safety regulations because of this use of computer monitors. (2 marks) Any two valid points, eg ensure workers take regular breaks, arrange for eye tests, ensure workstations meet requirements eg adjustable screens (award marks for specific examples), identify risks, make all reasonable efforts to reduce risks (1 + 1). (c) (i) Give two examples of ways in which Laura might reward the employees at Going Away for their work. (2 marks) Any two valid answers, eg commission on sales of holidays, bonuses for meeting targets, opportunities to travel abroad, staff discount, profit-sharing schemes, chance of promotion (1 + 1). (ii) For each example chosen in (i) above, explain how it would encourage the employees at Going Away. (4 marks) Two marks for valid evaluation of methods chosen, eg commission would encourage them to sell more holidays (1) because they would get more money (1). Bonuses would encourage them to work towards their targets (1) because they would know they would receive a bonus (1). Opportunities to travel abroad would encourage them because they would feel that they could do a better job advising customers (1) with better knowledge of the destinations (1). Allow negative comments, eg staff discount might not encourage them to work any harder if they get it automatically. Must relate to answer to (c)(i). 3126/1FAQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 6 5 Total for this question: 24 marks (a) Going Away is very busy on Saturdays and Laura has decided to advertise for an additional travel consultant to work on Saturdays only. Laura has considered advertising the job in the following ways: • local newspaper; • internal staff noticeboard; • Going Aways shop window. Explain why you think she might have chosen each of these. (i) Local newspaper (3 marks) 1 mark for reason, + 1 + 1 for development in the context of Going Away. Eg local newspaper: reaches a wide selection of local people (1), suitable since travel consultant would not be expected to travel very far to work (1) and people looking for work are likely to look there (1). (ii) Internal staff noticeboard (3 marks) 1 mark for reason, + 1 +1 for development in the context of Going Away. Eg Noticeboard: free to advertise (1), existing employees might know someone interested eg their children (1), applicants would therefore come with a recommendation (1). Not internal recruitment. (iii)Going Aways shop window (3 marks) 1 mark for reason, + 1 + 1 for development in the context of Going Away. Eg shop window: free to advertise (1) likely to be seen by passers by (1) especially those interested in travel/available on a Saturday (1). (b) Going Away is an equal opportunities employer. Explain, with examples, what this means. (4 marks) 1 mark for each valid point up to maximum of 4, eg employer does not discriminate/treat people differently/everyone has an equal chance (1) and up to 2 marks for examples of circumstances when discrimination might occur, eg recruitment, promotion, training, and up to 2 marks for examples of grounds of discrimination, eg race/ethnic origin, gender, sexuality, religion, marital status, disability, age. Maximum 4 marks. Eg employer does not treat anyone differently (1) because of their colour (1) or race (1) when taking on new employees (1). (c) Employees at Going Away receive on-the-job training. What is on-the-job training? (2 marks) 1 mark each for any valid points or examples, eg learning the knowledge/skills needed (1) while actually doing the work (1), eg working alongside an existing employee (1). Maximum 2 marks. Not just in the workplace. AQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 3126/1F 7 (d) Customers can now book their holidays using the internet. As a result of this, Laura no longer needs as many full-time travel consultants; she has therefore asked for voluntary redundancies. Three members of staff have come forward and Laura must now work out how much redundancy payment each person would receive. The amount will be based on the following: one weeks wages for every year worked; only if aged over 21. Using the information below, work out the amount each person would receive. Show your workings. (9 marks) Own figure rule applies. Nisha: £195 (1) x (1) 5 (1) = £975 (1) (4 marks for correct answer) Simon: 0 (1) Pat: £200 (1) x (1) 13 (1) = £2600 (1) (4 marks for correct answer) 3126/1FAQA GCSE Mark Scheme, 2005 June series 8 MARKING CRITERIA FOR QUALITY OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Standard Criteria High Performance Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of 4-5 marks grammar with almost faultless accuracy, deploying a range of grammatical constructions; they use a wide range of specialist terms adeptly and with precision. Intermediate Performance Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of 2-3 marks grammar with considerable accuracy; they use a good range of specialist terms with facility. Threshold Performance Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of 1 mark of grammar with reasonable accuracy; they use a limited range of specialist terms appropriately. Below Threshold Performance 0 marks Having marked the candidates script for subject content, recording the question totals for each question, you must review the script as a whole and according to the bands of marks defined above, decide on the mark to be awarded to the candidate for their quality of written communication including spelling, punctuation and grammar. This mark should be written in the QoWCmark box on the front of the answer book. Then you should add the question total marks together and add the QoWCmark to give the grand total and enter this in the box for the total mark. The grand total for the whole paper (including QoWC) is the mark you should write and encode on the Examiners Mark Sheet.