Qualifications Update:Higher AccountingCrowne Plaza Glasgow

10 December 2013

Qualifications Update:Higher AccountingCrowne Plaza Glasgow

10 December 2013

Developing qualifications Developing qualifications - drivers- drivers

• Progression

• More open and flexible requirements

• Assessment which supports learning

• Refreshed and relevant contexts for learning

• Personalisation and choice

• Robust and credible

Key pointsKey pointsHigher Accounting Higher Accounting

• Provides learners with a deep understanding of the dynamic world of business by developing skills in communicating essential financial information.

• The development of skills explicit to the Course will enable learners to successfully produce, interpret and analyse financial information.

• Encourages working with others

• Allows for further progression and depth of study at a later date

• Added Value is assessed by an assignment with the focus on: Breadth, Challenge and Application. Offers opportunities for personalisation and choice

Purpose and aims of the CoursePurpose and aims of the CoursePurpose

To enable learners to understand, and make use of, financial information so that they can prepare accounting statements and analyse, interpret and report on an organisations financial performance

Aims• Understand the significant function that accounting performs in industry and

society• Develop accuracy in the preparation, presentation, interpretation and analysis

of relatively complex accounting information.• Apply relatively complex accounting concepts and techniques in the

preparation of financial information • Develop an understanding of a range of sources of finance• Apply the use of information technology in accounting tasks

Unit StructureUnit StructureNational 5 Higher

Preparing Financial Accounting Information

Preparing Financial Accounting Information

Preparing Management Accounting Information

Preparing Management Accounting Information

Analysing Accounting Information

Analysing Accounting Information

Conditions of the AwardConditions of the Award

• Unit Assessment• Assessed on a pass/fail basis within Centres • Verified by SQA to ensure that assessment judgements are consistent and

meet national standardsCourse Assessment

• Assignment - 50 marks• Question Paper - 100 marks

Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14 Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14

Sept 13 CfE Update Letter

Oct 13 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)

Feb 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)

Mar 14 Coursework General Assessment Information

Apr 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)

May 14 Update Mandatory Documents

Jun 14 Update Unit Assessment Support

Accounting Unit Assessment at Higher

Adam StephensonQualification Development Consultant

Accounting Unit Assessment at Higher

Adam StephensonQualification Development Consultant

Unit assessment - recapUnit assessment - recap• Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence

Requirements in Units

• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment encouraged

• Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments

• More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support purpose Unit Assessment Support purpose

As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to:

•Assess your candidates

•Adapt for your own assessment programmes

•Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support at HigherUnit Assessment Support at Higher – key features – key features

• Valid from August 2014

• Complements and supports learning and teaching

• Designed to encourage professional judgement

• Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence

Outcome 2Evaluate business performance, based on accounting analysis, to make business recommendations

2.1Using analytical techniques to perform calculations on accounting information and to evaluate the results

Candidates are required to use two analytical techniques to perform calculations, from the following range: ratio analysis (investment ratios)marginal costing (limiting factor)marginal costing (special order)investment appraisal

2.2Making appropriate recommendations based on the results of accounting information

Candidates are required to accurately evaluate and make recommendations based on the results of their analysis.

Unit assessment support Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approachespackages at Higher - approaches

Package 1 • Unit by Unit approachPackage 2 • Portfolio approach Package 3 • Combined approach

Assessment Support Package ExampleAssessment Support Package ExamplePreparing Financial Accounting Information• Role of financial accounting• Partnership• PLC• Manufacturing concerns• Period-end financial statements

Preparing Management Accounting Information• Role of management accounting• Costing• Budgeting• Overhead analysis

Analysing Accounting Information• Business analysis• Decision making

AccountingHigher Course Assessment

Adam StephensonQualification Development Consultant

AccountingHigher Course Assessment

Adam StephensonQualification Development Consultant

Course Assessment at HigherCourse Assessment at Higher• Course Assessment at National 5, Higher and

Advanced Higher assesses Added Value

• Courses at Higher are normally assessed by one or two Components

• Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present

• Controlled Assessment of setting, conducting and marking

• For Accounting there are 2 Components – Question Paper and Assignment

Higher – Question PaperHigher – Question Paper• Set and marked by SQA.• All questions to be completed by

candidate• Section 1 (40 marks) – one question • Section 2 (60 marks) three 20 mark

questions

Higher – AssignmentHigher – Assignment• Set and marked by SQA.• 50 marks.• 3 hours to complete.• Candidates will make use of

spreadsheet and word processing software to complete some of the tasks.