Accounting A Level.
Passionate about Money!
Board: AQA.
Why should I study this subject?
Accounting is a new subject at Battle Abbey School, having been introduced in 2009. The subject opens many opportunities for future careers in finance and management and is often studied to enhance an understanding of all areas of the business world. After all every business person needs to know how to make a profit and how to control cash, especially in the current economic climate!
What is it about?
ACCN1- Introduction to Financial Accounting
This paper introduces the fundamental skills of accounting from double entry bookkeeping, which is the recording of financial information, through to the preparation of the financial statements, namely the Income statement which calculates profit, and the Balance sheet, which states the value of the business.
ACCN2- Financial and Management Accounting
This paper develops financial skills by moving from the preparation of financial statements for a sole trader onto those for a limited company with shares and debentures. But it also covers management accounting by introducing the concept of budgetary control on day to day spending, as well as how to analyse financial information to make decisions on profitability, liquidity and investment.
ACCN3- Further Aspects of Financial Accounting
This paper continues the preparation of financial information by moving onto the financial statements for partnerships. Skills are also developed on how to produce financial data when records are incomplete or lost. But the most important aspect of this paper is international accounting, which is a response to the growth of the global market. Financial information produced in one country should be understood by everyone throughout the world!
ACCN4- Accounting for Management and Decision Making
This paper covers management accounting by looking into the decisions that business people have to make on a day to day basis- for example whether to invest in new machinery, how to control costs, how to assess recent business performance by comparing it to budgeted data and how to set the selling price of a product or service to make a profit.
How will I be assessed?
There are 2 AS examinations in the first year- ACCN1 and ACCN2, and 2 A2 examinations in the second year-ACCN3 and ACCN4.
There is NO coursework and none of the examinations contain long essay style questions.
What skills do I need?
A logical approach as well as some numerate skills, but this is not maths purely the preparation and understanding of financial information.
In summary
If you want a career in any area of financial or business world or you want to run your own business, an understanding of money is vital. Don’t let the taxman or bank manager confuse you!
And remember money makes the world go round!
M- management skills in decision-making
O- opportunities to be successful in investment
N- new skills in understanding finance
E- expertise in controlling resources especially cash
Y- YES to studying Accounting A level
About the teacher
Jacqueline Halls-Bryan, who runs the course, is a published author. A2 AQA Accounting by Halls-Bryan and Merrills is a textbook for A2 students on the A level course and is the AQA recommended textbook.
Jaqueline Halls-Bryan was appointed Chief examiner for A level Accounting in November 2009, having been Principal Examiner since 1996 and written over 40 A level exam papers, often making students famous by using their names in questions! Jacqueline is also Chief examiner for the Business, Administration and Finance Diploma at level 3 (A level standard) for AQA and last November became Principal Examiner for the international Accounting A level for CIE.
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