Course Summary

The AAT qualification is designed to teach you practical skills that you can transfer directly into your workplace or that can aid your accountancy career progression.

An AAT Certificate offers you a professional status which is recognised by employers and reflects your knowledge, understanding and skills.

When you complete the AAT training, you will be able to use the letters MAAT after your name to reflect your professional competence as an accountant.  This accreditation will present you to employers and clients as a credible, up-to-date professional.

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is the professional organisation you will join.   Through this organisation, you will be able to draw on the support and expertise of AAT members across the globe.

On the Level 2 course, you will learn how to use manual and computerised accounting systems for the purchase ledger, sales ledger, general ledger and double entry bookkeeping.

This part-time programme also offers places for Level 2 AAT Apprenticeships.

Entry requirements

You will need GCSE grades A-C in Maths or you may have experience of working in an accounts office.  You will be required to complete an interview prior to the course and you need to be self-motivated.

It would benefit you to have completed the Level 1 in Computerised Bookkeeping.

Course Content

Basic accounting module 1

This incorporates principles and procedures related to:

• Processing business transactions
• Financial documents
• Payments for customers and suppliers
• Developing skills in processing ledger transactions
• Preparing an initial trial balance.

Basic accounting module 2

You will develop the skills of maintenance and reconciliation of a cash book through:

• Accurately entering receipts and payments
• Balancing off the book
• Reconciling with bank statements
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK banking system and related organisational activities
• Petty cash transactions
• Understanding the importance of the journal as a primary accounting record
• Maintaining control over debtors and creditors, aided by preparation and use of debtor and creditor control accounts
• Non-standard bookkeeping transactions
• Double-entry bookkeeping records
• Working effectively in accounting and finance
• Developing transferable skills and effective working in an accounting environment
• Teamworking skills
• The ability to work independently
• Demonstrating 'workplace-ready' standards of literacy and numeracy
• Basic costing
• Understanding cost recording systems within an organisation and how best to respond to requests for information relating to costs and expenditure
• Recording and extracting information, and using a costing system to provide information for management.

Computerised accounting

• Selecting and using computerised accounting or bookkeeping software
• Electronic input and process data for orders, invoices, receipts and payments
• Preparing management and period-end reports.

How will I be assessed?

You will gain your AAT qualification through online assessment exams set by the professional body for accounting technicians, and through a project.

Are there any additional costs or specialist equipment required?

As part of your AAT course, you will need to purchase resource books to aid your revision.

What can I do after this course?

After the course, you could progress to a further part-time course such as the AAT Level 3 in Accounting.  Alternatively, you may wish to go into further employment in an accounts or business environment.  We can help you if you are considering an apprenticeship programme or a full-time Business course.

Financial services are a recognised area for skills development.  The sector includes employment opportunities providing bookkeeping for small companies or, with further study, other careers in professional and financial services including corporate recovery, insolvency services and forensic accounting.