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Innovative
blended learning
solution
Studying ACA
with First Intuition
Contents
Welcome to First Intuition
About ICAEW
The ICAEW exams
Our flexible learning solution
Classroom courses
Online learning and self-study
Course structure
Monitoring and reporting trainee progress
Contact details
Page 3
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A fresh approach First Intuition was formed in 2007 by a group of former BPP directors with the aim of becoming the first choice accountancy school for employers and
students. With expert tutors, flexible study options and first class facilities and customer service we are confident that our offering is the best in the
country.
Welcome to First Intuition
First Intuition has already
established itself as a leading
provider of accountancy tuition,
with 3 of the Big 4 accountancy
firms now using us for training.
where people count
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Why choose us Expert tutors all our tutors are
employed full time and have many
years teaching experience
Flexible study options an innovative
blend of online and classroom study
to minimise business disruption and
save you money
Small class sizes all classroom
courses are capped at 30 students
Unrivalled study support our tutors
give their mobile and home phone
numbers for out-of-hours support and
give one-to-one feedback on marked
assignments
Exam-focused course notes written
by our tutors
City centre locations within easy
reach of major transport links
First class facilities internet café
area with free refreshments, internet
access, free wi-fi and study room for
private study
Great value we don‟t have the same
corporate overheads as the larger
tuition providers so we price our
courses competitively
PQ Magazine’s College of the Year
in 2010 based on student feedback
This innovative ICAEW
training programme is
endorsed by the LSCA,
the largest district society affiliated with
the ICAEW.
The ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) is
one of the most highly respected professional accountancy bodies in the world, supporting 136,000 members worldwide.
To qualify you must complete:
15 study modules / exams
450 days of technical work experience (TWE)
Initial professional development (IPD)
Structured training in ethics (STE)
First Intuition is here to help trainees to pass the exams.
About ICAEW
Contact ICAEW
Chartered Accountants Hall
Moorgate Place
London
EC2R 6EA
Tel 020 7920 8100
Email [email protected]
Studying ICAEW The most common entry routes are as follows:
Graduates in any discipline may start the ACA qualifica-
tion, and those with a relevant degree may obtain credits
against some of the exams.
School leavers with at least two A-Levels and three
GCSEs (grades A-C) may also study for the ACA but will
typically require a longer training contract.
AAT - ACA fast track is open to students who have
completed the AAT qualification. These students may
obtain credits based on the exams passed and prior work
experience and may complete the ACA qualification in
just two years.
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“Join ICAEW and become part
of a community of leading global
accountancy professionals.
When you become a member,
you will be awarded the highly
respected ACA designation
which is recognised globally.
You will also gain access to
world leading information
resources, technical guidance,
advisory services and local
member networks.”
Training agreement
ACA students must have a training agreement
separate from their employment contract. This
sets out the employer‟s commitment in terms
of study support (eg the basis of any study
leave given) and the standards students are
expected to achieve in relation to their training.
The student commits their time and effort into
studying and completing all the other elements
of the ACA. The training contract must be for a
minimum of three years (unless students are
recruited under the AAT fast track route).
The ICAEW exams The ICAEW exams are amongst the most rigorous professional accountancy
exams. They test basic knowledge of technical subjects and, later on, the
ability of students to apply that knowledge to practical situations.
AD
VAN
CED
STAG
E
PRO
FESSIO
NAL S
TAG
E
Business
Strategy
Financial
Management
Financial
Accounting
Financial
Reporting
Taxation Audit and
Assurance
Business
and Finance
Management
Information
Accounting Law Principles of
Taxation
Assurance
Technical Integration
Business Reporting
Technical Integration
Business Change
Case Study
Application modules
Knowledge modules
Knowledge module subjects are computer based exams of
1.5 hours duration which can be attempted at any time. We hold
regular computer based exam sessions so trainees can choose
an exam time that suits them, once they have completed their
studies for each module. The pass mark is 55%.
Application module subjects are written exams of 2.5 hours
duration. The pass mark is 55%.
Advanced stage technical papers are written exams of 3.5 hours duration and the case study is
4 hours. The exams take place in July and December each year. The pass mark is 50%.
Credit for prior learning
Graduates with a related
finance or business degree
may be eligible for credits
(exemptions) from some
modules at the Professional
Stage.
The ICAEW allows four
attempts at each paper,
though individual firms‟
training contracts may
specify otherwise.
Most trainees complete
the qualification within
a standard 3 year
training contract.
The advanced stage comprises 2 technical exams and the case
study. The exams cover a wide range of technical material,
including financial and corporate reporting, business strategy,
audit and assurance, taxation, law and ethics. Trainees are
required to apply their knowledge and judgement to business
scenarios, giving advice or determining appropriate solutions
in each question. The case study is based on pre-seen content
with additional information given in the exam itself.
5
Flexible learning Our programme is designed to be completed in a total of 100 study days
over a standard 3 year training contract, with a blend of weekday and
weekend classroom courses and structured online self-study.
Tutor support
Our tutors provide home
and mobile phone numbers
to all trainees for out of
hours study support
We mark all trainee‟s
progress and mock exams
ourselves, giving one-to-
one feedback
We provide tutor counsel-
ling and additional support
for marginal trainees.
Learning materials
We provide a complete set of ICAEW materials for each subject together with our own study
guide to help trainees work through the online self–study parts of the course.
Classroom course sessions are supplemented by our own course notes, which are concise and
exam-focussed. We will use past exam questions from day one of the course so trainees know
what to expect well ahead of the real exam.
Online resources include recorded lectures covering the entire syllabus so trainees can refresh
their knowledge of subjects covered in the classroom at any time, as well as completing the
online modules. We also hold regular chat rooms, forums and webinars for live interaction
throughout the course.
Trainees are encouraged to hand in extra work for tutor marking at any time.
6
Classroom courses
All of our study centres are designed with the student in mind. We provide
free refreshments throughout our courses and provide free wi-fi and internet
access. We also invest in bigger desks and more comfortable chairs than
many of our competitors for a more relaxing and enjoyable study experience.
All our classroom
courses are
capped at 30
trainees meaning
trainees get
more tailored
feedback from
their tutors
Weekday courses
Over a three year training contract you will only need to provide 34
days study leave (plus 4 recommended additional mock days and
the exam days themselves).
We plan a one week introductory course at the start of the
programme to cover the core accounting and assurance subjects,
also giving trainees the opportunity to get to know other trainees
within their cohort.
We then use most weekdays for revision courses in the weeks
leading up to each exam sitting. Inevitably there are a greater
number of weekdays in Year 3 as the exams get more difficult.
Our classroom courses are often shorter than those of our competitors
because we focus on exam requirements and use past exam questions from
day one of the course.
Weekend courses
Academically, weekend
courses are more effective
than evenings, so we plan all
non-weekday courses on
Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekend courses are typically
used as an introductory tuition
course for each of the more
technical modules. Trainees
are then expected to complete
their tuition using our online
resources and to complete
assignments ahead of the
revision course.
7
We ensure that trainees stay motivated to complete the online parts of the
course with rigorous monitoring, setting of assignments and unrivalled study
support.
“The online lectures
are brilliant, really
helpful.”
Current First Intuition
student.
Self-study
We provide a study planner
for every subject. This breaks
down the study material into
manageable study sessions,
and tells trainees which ques-
tions they should attempt at
each stage of the course.
Trainees are expected to use
our online resources as well as
the ICAEW study materials to
learn the subject matter for
each subject.
We monitor trainees‟ progress
throughout all periods of self-
study to ensure they are on
track with their studies and
are adequately prepared for
the revision phase.
We set regular assignments
for trainees to complete and
hand in for tutor marking,
with a full progress exam at
the end of the tuition phase
and a full mock exam after the
revision phase.
Online learning
Our online resources are organised by subject and contain
some or all of the following features (depending on the subject):
Recorded lectures covering every topic within the syllabus
Recorded question debriefs on past exam questions
Quiz style questions to test trainee‟s understanding of the
core areas
Online forums for ongoing discussions and Q&As with tutors
and other trainees within the cohort
Downloadable practice exams and assignments
Relevant press and examiner articles
Each subject tutor provides full contact details to every
trainee. We encourage trainees to call or email their subject
tutors for help and advice whenever they need it. Our tutors
also mark all trainees‟ mock exams and assignments them-
selves, giving tailored feedback and advice so trainees can
improve their performance in the real exam.
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Online learning and self-study
Course structure Our course structure assumes an August intake on a 3 year training contract.
YEA
R 1
Accounting 4 - 1 5
Assurance 1 1 1 3
Management Information 1 1 3 5
Law - - 3 3
Principles of Taxation - - 3 3
Business and Finance - - 3 3
KN
OW
LED
GE
YEA
R 3
Y
EA
R 2
Subject Weekday
days
Weekend
days
Online
days
Total
days
Financial Accounting 4 4 2 10
Audit and Assurance 1 3 2 6
APPLIC
ATIO
N
Financial Management 3 3 2 8
Taxation 2 4 2 8
Total days—Year 1 6 2 14 22
Total days—Year 2 10 14 8 32
Financial Reporting 3 4 2 9
Business Strategy 2 3 2 7
TI Business Reporting 5 4 2 11
TI Business Change 4 4 3 11
Case Study 4 2 2 8
Total days—Year 3 18 17 11 46
AD
VAN
CED
June
exams
December
exams
July
exams
CBEs
timetabled
throughout
the year
December
exams
The programme starts with an intensive weekday classroom course covering the accounting
and assurance subjects. This gives trainees a grounding in the core subject areas as well as
allowing them to get to know other trainees within the cohort.
Subsequent courses typically comprise a blend of weekend classroom courses and online self-
study at the tuition phase, with courses taking place on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekday
courses are typically reserved for the revision phase and are timetabled in week-long blocks.
We recommend at least 4 additional weekdays are used for completion of mock exams.
9
Monitoring and reporting We monitor trainees‟ performance throughout the course and provide regular
progress reports to firms, including early indications on marginal candidates.
Online activity
is monitored
throughout
the course
and weekly
activity logs
are produced.
Training
managers can
access
activity
reports
online.
We agree
service level
targets with
each firm to
measure our
performance,
including our
pass rates.
YEA
R 1
KN
OW
LED
GE
YEA
R 3
Y
EA
R 2
APPLIC
ATIO
N
AD
VAN
CED
Progress report
A Trainee
Oct 2011
Written progress reports are issued on each trainee after the introductory
course. These include comments on attitude, contribution and
achievement on the course and use easy to follow „traffic light‟ signals to
identify marginal or weaker candidates.
Results report
A Trainee 55%
B Student 42% C Smith 71%
Results reports are issued quarterly, showing results
for progress tests and assignments, ranked by
quartile within the cohort.
Progress report
A Trainee
Sep 2012
Written progress reports are issued after each
introductory classroom phase (at the end of September
and March), again using traffic light signals to identify
marginal candidates.
Results report
A Trainee 41%
B Student 47% C Smith 61%
Results reports are issued at the end of each month
following the written report until the exam month,
showing test and exam results for each subject and
quartile ranking.
Additional report
A Trainee
Sep 2013
Additional ad hoc reports are written for marginal
candidates, detailing additional work or counselling
provided and setting targets for improvement.
Progress report
A Trainee
April 2014
Results report
A Trainee 51%
B Student 56% C Smith 64%
Written progress reports are issued after the introduc-
tory classroom phase (at the end of April) as above,
with additional ad hoc reports on marginal candidates
throughout the study period up to the exams.
Results reports are issued at the end of May and
June showing test and exam results and quartile
ranking.
Resits
We cater for resits by offering a blend of online and classroom revision. Trainees will have
full access to the online resources for the relevant subject, with an additional recorded debrief
tutorial on the exam. One-day classroom question based revision will give trainees the
opportunity for additional guided question practice and face-to-face support from their tutor.
We encourage resit candidates to stay on track with their cohort by taking their resits in
the March and September exam sittings (Application modules).
10
Course leader
Tony Sharples
Tel 020 7323 9636
Course bookings, administration and enquiries
Sarah Habgood
Tel 020 7323 9636
Chief executive
Mike Pennington
Tel 020 7323 9636
www.firstintuition.co.uk
London
Tel 020 7323 9636
Fax 020 7323 9693
Email [email protected]
First Intuition, Conway Mews, London, W1T 6AA
Reading
Tel 0118 950 4173
Fax 0844 880 0476
Email [email protected]
First Intuition, Tangent House, Forbury Road, Reading, RG1 4SB
Cambridge
Tel 01223 360405
Fax 0560 342 6852
Email [email protected]
First Intuition, 35 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1NT
To book courses please download and complete our booking form and return it to Sarah Habgood
in our London office. Please refer to our ICAEW course dates and prices brochure for full details.
Booking and contact details
11
© First Intuition 2011
