Business Studies: OCR GCSE Sources of Finance Simulator

The Sources of Finance Simulator is an interactive GCSE Business Studies resource that turns a tricky curriculum area into a series of realistic decisions students can actually feel. Instead of memorising definitions in isolation, learners step into the role of a business owner and choose the most appropriate source of finance for a situation, then immediately see the consequences of that choice. It’s built around three engaging business contexts— a tech startup, a local bakery, and a clothing retailer—so students experience how the “best” finance option changes depending on the size of the business, its trading history, its cash flow position, and the purpose of the funding.

What makes the simulator especially powerful is how it teaches beyond the headline answer. Students don’t just pick “loan” or “trade credit” and move on; the simulator often adds a second layer of decision-making where they must choose the terms of that finance—such as secured vs unsecured lending, repayment period, APR, monthly repayments, or supplier payment terms. This pushes learning into the kind of applied financial literacy that GCSE exam questions reward: analysing suitability, weighing up cost against risk, and spotting mismatches like using an overdraft for long-term investment or relying on retained profit before a business has even started trading. The feedback is instant and clear, with colour-coded responses and a short “impact” breakdown that reinforces the logic behind the decision, helping students correct misconceptions quickly and build sharper exam technique.