ACCA help!!

[461098]

I have recently completed my L4 AAT and am looking to go on and do ACCA. I work in a relatively small practise in Sheffield (12 employees). Another colleague is studying ACCA (passed 8/11 exams - 3 exemptions).

I have been researching different providers in light of a meeting with my employer next week. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have looked at BPP, Kaplan and First Intuition. I personally would prefer classroom learning as apose to distance learning.

What sort of agreement should I be negotiating, e.g. paid/unpaid days off for study? Roughly how many days off for each exam? Just paying for the lessons or should I look to have a 'questions day' added in with a couple of exams? Do people pay for their exams themselves (£105)? etc.

ANY help would be appreciated as I don't really know what the par is! I've tried Google, but not a lot on this...

[Countdown]

461098 said:

I have recently completed my L4 AAT and am looking to go on and do ACCA. I work in a relatively small practise in Sheffield (12 employees). Another colleague is studying ACCA (passed 8/11 exams - 3 exemptions).

I have been researching different providers in light of a meeting with my employer next week. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have looked at BPP, Kaplan and First Intuition. I personally would prefer classroom learning as apose to distance learning.

What sort of agreement should I be negotiating, e.g. paid/unpaid days off for study? Roughly how many days off for each exam? Just paying for the lessons or should I look to have a 'questions day' added in with a couple of exams? Do people pay for their exams themselves (£105)? etc.

ANY help would be appreciated as I don't really know what the par is! I've tried Google, but not a lot on this...

There isn't any "standard" agreement. It all depends on your employer and what their policies are. IME small practices are the worst in times of study support simply because they can't afford the luxury. The best places used to be Public Sector or one of the large regional or national firms.

With the theoretical "Perfect" employer you might get

(i) Day release (or TOIL if you're studying in the evenings/weekends)
(ii) Revision leave
(ii) Exam leave
(iv) Paid tuition fees/ paid revision fees / paid exam fees / paid exam resit fees
(v) Pay rise / promotion on completion of successful exams

What might be reasonable is

(i) Time off for day release and one day per exam (0.5 day revision, 0.5 day for exam)
(ii) Fees for first exams attempt paid for

[CaptainSlow]

Take a look at local colleges/unis that may offer evening/weekend study. These are much cheaper than BPP et al and quite often use the same tutors.

[anonymous-user]

My knowledge is completely out of date, I qualified 40 years ago and ICMA, but at that time the two places in the UK to go to were, West Bromwich College of Commerce and Sheffield College of Further Education, so I'd reiterate the advice to have look in the public sector before you commit to a private course.

[Lostprophet]

I used first intuition... they were brilliant. That was about 10 years ago though. Didn't like BPP

[461098]

Thanks all for your replies, I will take these in to the meeting and hope to negotiate a mutually agreeable 'deal'!

I've done a fair amount of research on what things cost, I'll just put them to the MD and see what he says. I've found that ~£600 teaching course,~£100 per exam, ~£100 for books, 6 days off for each exam seems average, £74 for annual membership with ACCA, £74 for each exemption application (F1-3).