AAT Level 4 Business Skills: no longer a requirement as part of apprenticeship?

The letter is dated 12th May and it states-

"AAT Qualification update

The Level 4 Diploma in Business Skills qualification you're studying as part of your apprenticeship will no longer be a requirement of the new Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards; as such we'll be withdrawing it from our offering, with effect from 31 December 2017.

As you're already registered on the Level 4 Diploma in Business Skills, you'll have until 31 December 2018 to submit all evidence required to complete the qualification. During this time you'll still have access to all the support resources on the AAT study support search to help you.

We advise that you speak to your tutor. They know we're closing this qualification and will be able to advise you on the best options for completing your studies."

I think your best bet is to speak to your tutor, just to get some clarity. I really don't know who thought it was a good idea to throw in an extra qualification at Level 4. Especially now as the qualification is being graded. Just a distraction and a whole load of extra work to do on top. Not to mention very time consuming, if you are also in full time employment. I'm glad to see that it is being discontinued.

AlisonSwanson said:

It's not being discotinued as such it's being replaced by a professional portfolio of evidence covering all of the same stuff, followed by a personal statement / hour long professional discussion in front of 2 assessors appointed by the AAT. You just won't get the separate Business Skills qualification. All on top of the AAT Professional Diploma with Synoptic.

.... I am on the AQ2016 syllabus for my Level 4, so I am already doing the Professional Diploma + Synoptic + Business Qualification.. and working full time. Also, in my opinion the change between AQ2013 and 2016 has been dreadful in terms of learning materials/resources available reflecting the real content of exams. Prime example being the MDCL unit. The transition from Level 3 to Level 4 is a REAL shock to the system in terms of workload and pressure. Not suggesting that it should be easy, but it just feels as if more could be done to prepare students for this.
My other issue is the 70% pass percentage. If AAT Level 4 is deemed on par with the 1st year of a degree then the pass percentage is 20% too high, as most universities only require 50%.... as well as ACCA.

According to my reviewer I have until the end of my apprenticeship date to complete both diplomas and not until Dec 2018 as per AAT's letter. I rung AAT and they back up what they said on the letter, however, my reviewer is adamant that I do not have the extended time and if I do not complete the Business Qual by my apprenticeship finish date, I have not completed my apprenticeship altogether.
Out of interest I queried whether I would still get my AAT diploma certificate (if I complete the AAT course and not the Business)... to which she replied yes, but not completing the whole apprenticeship would "look badly" on my record if I wanted to go ahead and further study ACCA or another qualification via the apprenticeship route.
I agree, the Business Qual is neither here nor there... just added pressure. The qual is for someone who wants to study Business Administration at a supervisory level...

You can just do AAT Level 2 and then move on to ACCA. I know someone who has done that. So basically, just get a solid foundation of basic accounting; double entry, journals etc...
The only downside to that is not being exempt from ACCA F1-F3 knowledge papers. However, it takes longer to complete the whole AAT qualification, than it does doing the 3 ACCA papers so....

Ohhh got you! I'm doing the Business Skills alongside the AAT, I think I would have much preferred to do it your way. It's a tonne of work to do them both together. Done 3 units already, 5 more to go....