Syllabus changing in 2011

twinmeister

I was considering taking a year out between Intermediate 2009 and coming back to finish Technician by June 2011, once I'd got a bit more experience.

Our tutor advised against this as he said the whole AAT syllabus will change in the academic year 2010-11, which may make things complicated for those who are part way through the qualification. He said it would be easier to finish the Technician in June 2010 before the changes come in.

Has anyone else been told this?

jow774

The AAT's qualification licence is up for renewal on 2010 so I would assume that is why the qualification is changing.

twinmeister

License with whom?

Lordy, lordy, please don't tell me I'm studying for a potentially redundant qualification.

A-Vic

I heard the same thing - quick question

If by chance you didn't complete Depolma next year you wouldn't have to re-do the whole sylabus to come in line with new standards would you?

jow774

Ive asked my tutor the same thing as after the ecr exam it looks like Technician is hold for me for a bit.

NeilH

Hi

When the qualification last changed (2003) the older standards and the new ran along side each other for a while. Also, students were only required to complete a full level under each set of standards, not the entire AAT scheme. I actually have Intermediate under the pre 2003 standards and Technician under the 2003 standards. Since each level is a level in its own right anyway, you shouldnt have too much of a problem going from Intermediate/Adv Cert old to Technician/Dip new.

As for whom the licence is with, the AAT qualifications are approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and have to be reapproved every so often. All qualifications in the UK are updated every so often, it's just the AAT's time.

Neil

PAMDILL

Don't delay too long if you don't finish a level under one set of standards, I had to redo the whole of Intermediate level as I did.

NeilH

PAMDILL wrote: »

Don't delay too long if you don't finish a level under one set of standards, I had to redo the whole of Intermediate level as I did.

How long had it been since you had started the old standards and came to start the new, how much of intermediate had you completed? When the standards changed back in 2003, the exams for the old standards were recognised for transfer to the new standards (although I feel the AAT weren't particulalry clear on this at first). As for the skills tests, it should have been a case of only needing to do some extra work to make the "old standards" skills tests upto the "new standards" requirements.

Neil

Pinchy

This concerns me a lot as even though I think I may have passed FRA, therefore completing Level 3, I am in no hurry at all to continue onto Level 4! I need a least 1 if not 2 years break for many reasons and I just pray that I am not penalised for that.

There must be a cross over period...please AAT post something offically to reasure us!

NeilH

Pinchy wrote: »

This concerns me a lot as even though I think I may have passed FRA, therefore completing Level 3, I am in no hurry at all to continue onto Level 4! I need a least 1 if not 2 years break for many reasons and I just pray that I am not penalised for that.

There must be a cross over period...please AAT post something offically to reasure us!

When standards have changed in the past, students have only needed to complete a level under one set of standards, not all levels under the same standards. I myself completed an old version of Intermediate and the current version of technician.

Neil

Bluewednesday

NeilH wrote: »

When standards have changed in the past, students have only needed to complete a level under one set of standards, not all levels under the same standards. I myself completed an old version of Intermediate and the current version of technician.

Neil

Me too! I seem to remember that the transition period was quite generous as well, lasting a few years!

Pinchy

AAT Response

I was so concerned that I emailed Paul directly and this was his response -

As usual it seems lots of people are saying a lot of things that have no basis in fact!


Here are a few relevant points.

· There will be new standards from September 2010.

· The assessment strategy (this is about how we assess each unit, whether by project, exam or simulation) for the new standards is currently working its way through our committee structure. Once it has been approved at Board level and approved by the regulatory authorities we will release it publically.

· We will continue to accept achievement reports for current standards and exams will still be available for the current standards, after we launch the new standards. However, the duration of the validity of current standards, and the number of ‘overlap’ exam sittings has yet to be finalised.

· If you complete a level and take a break, you will not be required by AAT to go back and re-do it before you can start the next level. Where people can get problems is if they stop studying having part completed a level and then take a break of such a length that the standards they were studying previously are no longer valid when they are ready to resume. This can get horribly complicated and is a situation best avoided – get the certificate, then take a break, is my advice

· All the necessary details about the new standards and the changeover arrangements will be communicated to students and training providers in good time via Accounting Technician, the website and direct email.

Best wishes.

Paul Bowen

Deputy Exams Manager

AAT