AAT syllabus changes All the

AAT AQ2016 to Q2022 – the new Level 2 explained

Karen Groves explains some of the differences between AQ2016 and Q2022 for new Level 2 AAT students starting their studies in September

AAT will launch Q2022 on the 1 September 2022 and from this point, any students registering will be starting the new qualifications.

So how will the new Q2022 affect you as a student?

The first difference is that you will pay AAT a one-off fee for each level, which covers you for the duration of the qualification (three to five years on average). For the Level 2 Certificate in Accounting the cost will be £172, which is paid as a one-off payment (there are no instalment options for Q2022). This enables you to have full access to the AAT Lifelong Learning portal, which includes lots of revision activities; for example, practice assessments, green light tests, e-learning and much more. You must have registered with AAT to be able to enter for the exams.

Now for the assessment changes AQ2016 Bookkeeping Transactions – now Q2022 Introduction to Bookkeeping The new unit is very similar to the old unit, in that the underpinning manual double-entry bookkeeping processes are assessed, including business documents, coding, customer and supplier invoices, credit notes, receipts and payments, discounts, cash book, petty cash book, general receipts and payments and balancing the general ledger accounts. The main change is digital accounting systems are now included, so you will understand that entering transactions in a digital bookkeeping system is following the same process as entering the transactions manually. AAT will not be assessing using an accounting software, it is underpinning knowledge only.

AQ2016 Bookkeeping Controls – now Q2022 Principles of Bookkeeping Controls Again, the unit is very similar to the old unit, building on from the first unit, with more focus on understanding a digital bookkeeping system. How your training provider will embed this into your studies will vary, as AAT are no longer assessing the actual use of an accounting software. Topics include producing and reconciling control accounts, bank reconciliations, journals, errors and the suspense accounts and the trial balance.

AQ2016 Elements of Costing – now Q2022 Principles of Costing The new unit includes basic Excel (formatting, and basic formulas); however, the high low method is no longer assessed. You will understand the cost recording systems within an organisation, including inventory valuation and overhead absorption methods, labour payments and calculations, cost behaviour, actual and budgeted costs and income and identifying variances.

AQ2016 Using Accounting Software – no longer assessed As mentioned above, AAT is no longer assessing students on an accounting software package. Each training provider will approach how they cover this in different ways. For e-Careers, we will be including a Sage Business Cloud course immediately after the Introduction to Bookkeeping unit, to ensure our students have not only the skills required to pass their exams, but also the skills that are required within the workplace.

AQ2016 Synoptic – replaced with Q2022 The Business Environment The new unit will include principles of contract law and understanding the external business environment. The old synoptic content, including different types of business entity, the finance function, communicating effectively and the importance of information to businesses, is still being assessed.

So, for new Q2022 students you will now have four exams rather than the current five exams. This does not mean Level 2 has become easier as some students are expecting, the actual guided learning hours have increased slightly.

Transferring from AQ2016 to Q2022 Existing AQ2016 students can transfer to Q2022. However, the advice we are giving to students is to complete the level in full, as you have until September 2023 to take the exams, and then transfer for the next level. The first three units mentioned above are direct transfers if already completed; however, you will need to take the Business Environment exam.

On a final note, remote invigilation exams for Q2022 will not be offered by AAT until September 2023 onwards, so all exams will need to be taken at an exam centre. You can find your nearest exam centre by doing a search on the AAT website. AQ2016 remote invigilation exams will continue to run until September 2023.

If you have any questions, my advice would be to speak to the AAT directly, or your training provider, as they will be able to help. • Karen Groves is an AAT tutor and Faculty Director – Accounting, at e-Careers