In reply to Julie's query/comments, here's my experience having just completed the AQA AS/A2 pilot.
I did cover the A2 profit and loss a/c in about 75 minutes. Partly this was because I had already dealt with types of profit in the first year, but also because questions on the p and l a/c rarely turn up - balance sheets have far more potential for exam questions - so I gambled with the time available.
Generally the A2 was less rushed than the AS pilot, but I'm not sure if that will apply next year. It was harder getting through the AS this year than it was on last year's pilot, which I suspect is due to students now taking more subjects plus key skills. I do wonder if next years A2 will also be under more time pressure than my pilot groups, having level 3 key skills, retakes of any of their 12 first year exams, plus possibly sitting A2 units in January.
I'm thinking about planning a scheme of work based on only 25 teaching weeks, allowing for exams disrupting most of January and from mid-May, and to allow time for my own mocks and some revision. That will mean time will be tight, and the AQA scheme of work will have to be cut down to fit the time available.
Hope this is of some use,
Alan Jones
p.s.
I haven't got a copy of the paper 6 exam synoptic case study that my students sat this morning, but they say it had a lot of waffle-type questions with little solid content except for a decision tree.
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>From: Julie Parton <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: AQA A2 Mod 4 - Accounting and Finance
>Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 13:07:00 +0100
>
>I'm working on putting together a programme of study and materials for the
>above portion of the A2.
>
>The more I look at the teacher handbook the more worried I become about
>reaching all the topics to the level of rigour required by A2 and in the
>timescale suggested in the handbook - the total time "allowance" of 34 hours
>matches pretty closely to my own time allocation.
>
>I know that some members of the list were in the pilot group. How did you
>get on with this? For example is it feasible to get students to an A2 level
>of understanding on the Profit and Loss Account in 1 hour?
>
>Bear in mind that for the first topic in the handbook the scheme points to
>Units 21, 22 and 24 in Marcouse's book and only Unit 21 is pointed to later
>on. AND Units 22 and 24 are A2 units.
>
>I have a real concern that I will need to make the final few lessons in Year
>12 really intense in order to cover the ground adequately BUT the Y12 will
>be too exhausted to take it in! A simple answer is probably NOT to do this
>unit first. HOWEVER ... if A2 students need to resit a unit then surely it
>is would be Marketing, Accounting and Fince given that so many students lack
>confidence when they see numbers.
>
>What are others planning/doing? Any advice greatfully received!
>
>Julie Parton
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