A-Level Accounting

Studying Accounting helps students to understand the responsibilities of the accountant and the impacts of their recommendations on a business and its stakeholders in a modern economy. A Level Accounting will enable you to develop a range of transferable skills including numerical reasoning and communicating in a timely and professional way.

You will build knowledge and understanding of key financial and accounting concepts, principles and techniques including bookkeeping, financial reporting and supporting management decision-making. This will develop your ability to solve problems logically, analyse data methodically, make reasoned financial and non-financial choices and communicate these to stakeholders effectively.

A level Accounting is a two-year linear course. The course is split into Year 1 and Year 2 content. Aspects of financial accounting and management accounting are covered over the duration of the course. Year one focuses on developing a sound grounding of financial and management accounting with a focus on topic areas such as introduction to the role of the accountant in business, the double entry model, accounting concepts used in the preparation of accounting records, preparation, analysis and evaluation of financial statements and marginal costing. Year two builds on many of the topic areas from Year one including a particular focus on limited companies, the interpretation, analysis and communication of accounting information as well as the impact of ethical considerations.

There are 2 external examinations written at the end of Year 13.

Each of these is a 3-hour written paper worth 50% of your final grade.

Below is a summary of the assessment methods used:

Paper 1: Financial Accounting Paper 1

• Multiple choice

• Structured questions

• Extended answer questions

Paper 2: Accounting for analysis and decision-making

• Multiple choice

• Structured questions

• Extended answer questions

Internal Assessment – You will be internally assessed throughout your course in a variety of ways including formal assessments that allow us to check your progress and offer tailored support to help you progress.

Students must have achieved at least five strong passes (to at least Grade 5) at GCSE level, including English Language and Maths.

Many of our scholars choose to read Accounting at university or gain employment through one of the many advanced accounting apprenticeship programmes in the county. An advanced apprenticeship is a popular and cost-effective way of obtaining professional qualifications such as ACCA and CIMA or degree.

If you decide not to take accounting further then you could use your A Level in Accounting to secure a place at university reading a related subject such as marketing, finance, human resources, or administration.

Alternatively, you could go straight into studying for a professional qualification such as ACCA or CIMA.