icaew case study exam time

Jag's Journey

Sharing my life experiences including the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification

ICAEW ACA Case Study – How Much Preparation Is Enough?

The ACA Case Study was an exam I had not heard much about in detail before my time came to prepare for the exam. I was always one to book annual leave to ensure I had enough time to revise for the exams, especially as I would sit three at a time . When asking my work friends how much time I would need to book off for the ACA Case Study exam they would state only a day or two . As a lot of the exam is skills based and dependant on the real exam itself, it is difficult to know whether you have done enough preparation. I therefore thought I would write this blog to hopefully help.

Note : you may also want to refer to ICAEW Case Study Made Easy , ACA Case Study Marking Key as well as ICAEW Software Testing for more help on the ACA Case Study exam.

Check out my  YouTube video  if you would prefer watching to reading!

Table of Contents

Advanced information (ai), past aca case study mock exams, planning sheets, how much preparation is actually needed, how similar are these mocks to the real exam.

The AI is provided six weeks before the ACA Case Study exam. When the AI was released, I of course took a look to see what industry the business was in. For me, it was Beal the magazine company. As expected, I then read the whole AI when I had more time and went through, very slowly, with the highlighter.

Here is a checklist I have pulled together for what information you need to ensure to pull out of the AI:

• Details of who the report will be from so you can form your disclaimer – join my journey for a draft disclaimer included on the overall timing sheet with a draft structure for the report too
• Benchmarks/targets/key performance indicators (KPIs) for Requirement 1 – this will give you quick and easy marks in the real exam if you state whether these have been met or not
• The relevant PY figures from the AI for Requirement 1 – join my journey to receive how I laid this out and set it up for my Case Study as well as a blank template for your own that you can populate and copy in your exam
• For Requirement 2 and 3 you will need to pull out assumptions and these will come from the AI. The AI should also help you with the calculations for these. For my case study, I was able to pull out at least a page of assumptions from the AI!
• Business issues and wider context that you can put into any of the exam requirements such as whether the industry is competitive
• The ethics marks you should be able to easily identify these from the articles at the end of the AI

Something to consider is whether you need to practice past ACA Case Study mock exams. Now, I studied with Kaplan who really did not focus on the real potential exam much at all to begin with. Even when the AI was out, we would still be going through past paper exams. This was very frustrating at the time but in hindsight, it was definitely beneficial .

We actually ended up going through four ACA Case Study mock exams both in class and as homework and then ran through the real AI and two mocks for this too. Given each mock exam is four hours long, this was definitely not fun. However, timing is KEY with this exam and it is very important to nail timing . If you mess up your timings, leading to an incomplete report as a result, this could result in failure . If you need help with timings, join my journey to receive my timings sheet.

I would therefore strongly recommend practicing at least a couple of ACA Case Study mock exams. Not only will it help ensure you are able to stay on top of your timings but another plus is that it does really help you to understand the mark scheme . The more you practice, the more you start to figure out where the marks/”diamonds” come from and how the mark scheme actually works. For example, knowing which figures are in bold and are needed or how conclusions and the Executive Summary needs to be written.

If you have joined my journey, you should also have been sent some blank planning sheets . These were very helpful when I was studying for the ACA Case Study so I thought I would share these. I only really went into detail on this planning sheet for Requirement 1. This requirement is quite predictable based on the AI in the sense that you should be able to grasp whether the areas of interest are revenue, gross profit and operating profit for example.

What is nice is that the AI purposely gives you three years of management accounts. The AI actually gives example analysis of the year-on-year movements too where they use a range of different numbers and movements. This should help you to prepare for Requirement 1 so you can get an idea of what kind of analysis comments , such as revenue mix, may score a “diamond”. However, a lot of this information and the marks are in the real exam so make sure to pull all of this information into your answers.

I thought it would be helpful if I showed you my Requirement 1 planning sheet for Beal so you can get the gist of how I did this:

Essentially for the Requirement 1 planning sheet I would draft it out similarly to how I have done. Include PY comparison figures so you have these to hand such as PY revenue growth or revenue mix. Also ensure to include business issues and wider context points and recommendations . If your AI mentions any benchmarks/targets/KPIs I would note to comment on whether they were met. Additionally, if there are any bank loan covenants to comment on a breach based on overdraft, note this down. A draft conclusion can also be made based on past mark schemes.

In college we did go through and do a few more planning sheets to Requirement 2 and 3 but I did not really use these given the reduction in predictability. It looks like I have more sheets stapled to the Requirement 1 sheet photographed. However, there are all actually blank (sorry to disappoint) . I pulled this together myself but it may be worth going through this with a friend or study buddy . This may speed up time and it does help with this exam if you all write the same!

It does actually sound like I did a LOT of preparation for the ACA Case Study exam. Looking back, I guess I actually did. Here is a list of points that I think you must do :

• Read the AI and pull out everything I have said above!
• Practice a couple of past mock exams to time so you can nail timings and understand the mark scheme – depending on how well you do, you may need more practice.
• Draft a table with the PY figures for Appendix 1 so you can copy this out into the exam and get started almost straight away
• Practice a mock exam based on your AI . Hopefully you are with a training provider so you have access to this or see the next section for an alternative

Anything else on top of this is just an added bonus , such as the next section of this blog. The Requirement 1 planning sheet is not a must do but it really is worthwhile if you do have the time. You could also draft some standard recommendations for Requirement 2 or 3. I have included a photo of a some I had made below for Beal.

Given the above bullet points, I think you should not need to spend more than a few days on preparing for the ACA Case Study exam outside of college. It is very skills based in terms of how you structure and write your report. Many of the marks are going to be in the real exam so through practice, you should get better at knowing how to pull this out and where to include it in your report.

ACA Simplified/Paradigm Shift Mock Exams

Many of you have probably heard of the ACA Simplified or newly named Paradigm Shift ACA Case Study mock exam pack . I did actually get these for my ACA Case Study exam, where I was given five mock exams. It definitely was not needed to pass but I do think it helped. I did not practice any of these but did read through the mark schemes, understood the calculation workings and took these into the exam with me. Given there are so many mocks, I made a quick reference guide for each mock so I could easily identify the relevant mock.

The reason I wanted the mocks is because I found for my case study Beal that the Requirement 2 and 3 calculations were quite difficult. In all honesty, even though I love Maths and know I am good at it, I did always find these tricky. These mock exams give examples of potential calculations that could come up as well as model appendices to address these. The mocks were therefore helpful in this sense.

The mocks were actually quite similar to the real exam in terms of the scenarios that came up. Such as an increase in the magazine price for one of the requirements. I was able to apply how the calculation was done in the mocks to the real exam. This is likely to be the case given the AI indicates a limited number of potential scenarios and I was given five mocks.

You do need to bear in mind that many of the marks/”diamonds” for the real exam will be based on the information given in the real exam . This of course cannot be predicted and so you cannot just copy the mock answers. The same exam will never come up so application is required and given the time pressure, you do need to know what you are doing. That being said, you can probably copy the business issues and wider context points.

If you have other Advanced Level exams to revise for, try not to get too carried away with the ACA Case Study. SBM also helps with Requirement 1 as there is an overlap with the performance analysis.

I hope this helps and good luck!

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Exam modules

To become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant you must study and pass 15 exam modules focused on different aspects of accountancy, finance and business. Designed to provide you with in-depth knowledge across a broad range of topics, each of the ACA qualification modules are directly relevant to the work that you will do throughout your training. While the modules are split over three levels: Certificate, Professional and Advanced, the modules can be taken in any order, except for the Case Study which must be taken last.

Certificate level

• 1.5 hour computer-based assessment.
• Can be completed at any time at approved test centres.

These modules will introduce you to the fundamentals of accountancy, finance and business.

Most ACA students complete the Certificate Level within the first year of their training agreement.

Read more about the Certificate level

ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (ICAEW CFAB)

The Certificate level of the ACA also make up an independent qualification, ICAEW Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business. This can be completed independently of the ACA. 

ICAEW CFAB is a globally-recognised qualification in finance, accounting and business. It is open to everyone and can be studied independently or via a tuition provider.

The six exams can be completed in any order and are assessed via computer-based assessment at a local exam-centres.

ICAEW CFAB can be achieved in 12 months. Upon completion, you will receive your ICAEW CFAB qualification certificate and you can choose to carry on and complete the ACA.

Read more about ICAEW CFAB

ICAEW CFAB is a qualification on its own, but it’s also a stepping stone to the ICAEW Business and Finance Professional (BFP) designation.

BFP provides you with professional status, recognises your achievements and supports you with your development as you progress in your career.

By gaining the designation, and adding the BFP letters to your name, you demonstrate your ability to stay up to date in your profession, and show a strong understanding of ethics and a commitment to professional development.

You can start your journey to BFP and complete the requirements while studying for ICAEW CFAB, or once you complete it.

• Find out more about BFP

Professional level

• 2.5-3 hour paper exam.
• Flexible to fit around your training agreement.
• Can be taken in one of four sittings each year.

The 'Business Planning: Taxation' and 'Business Strategy' modules are more advanced and link to the Advanced Level of the ACA qualification.

Read more about the Professional level

Credit for prior learning

Credit for prior learning (CPL), also known as exemptions, are available for some of the Certificate level and Professional level exam modules. If you have studied a related subject at university, you may be eligible to apply for exemptions for up to eight modules. 

Check our CPL Directory to see if you can apply for credits.

Advanced level

The Corporate Reporting and Strategic Business Management modules have been designed to test your understanding and strategic decision making at a senior level.

You will be presented with complex real-life scenarios, which expand on the Professional Level modules.

The Case Study presents a complex business issue which encourages you to problem solve, identify the ethical implications and provide an effective solution.

It must be completed last, and is aimed to test all of the knowledge gained throughout your studies training.

Read more about the Advanced level

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Case study mock exam pack. relevant practice..

As we have explained on the other Case Study pages on this website, Case Study is fundamentally unlike the other ACA papers because it is marked with a unique "closed form" markscheme in which you can only attract credit if the idea in your exam answer matches the points on the finalised ICAEW markscheme. This is a potentially harsh marking approach and without a good understanding of what points are likely to be on the markscheme, you'll be relying on luck to pass. The other important aspect of preparing for Case Study is that it is a long, 4-hour exam (the longest of all the ACA papers) and one where you must pass all the different elements of the examination (Executive Summary, Requirement 1, Requirement 2 and Requirement 3) or you will be failed by the examiners, no matter how brilliant the other parts of your response may have been. We have therefore created our live Mock Exam Pack to give you 5 opportunities to practise your planning, timing and general exam technique, all within the context of learning points which are likely to be given credit in your own exam. As experienced creators of Case Study Mock Exam Pack since 2013, we have a very good understand of what points are likely to score, so we build these into our full markscheme examples. We also provide example model answers where we write up all our ideas, under the right headings and making the points nice and snappy, creating examples that are actually achievable by a good candidate in the time available. We round off the Mock Exam Pack with detailed Tutor Debrief videos of all 5 Mocks, and a supporting set of over 400 quick-fire questions on the Advance Information so that you can actively learn the content rather than just reading and re-reading the Advance Information yet again! Scroll down the page to learn more about our Mock Exam Pack. July 2024 Mock Exam Pack release schedule Mock 1 - 7 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 2 - 14 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 3 - 21 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 4 - 28 June 2024 by 23.59 UK time Mock 5 - 5 July 2024 by 23.59 UK time The release dates for our November 2024 Mock Exam Pack will be 20 September, 27 September, 4 October, 11 October and 18 October 2024

Prepare to pass.

We have no idea why certain other tuition providers allocate so much course and homework time to past paper Case Study examples. Okay, so doing past papers is obviously of some benefit, but for us, it makes much more sense to focus on the live Case Study Advance Information which will provide the basis of your examination attempt. Using our Mock Exam Pack, you get 5 opportunities to hone your exam technique while also learning about likely scenarios for the real exam (simply not possible by doing past papers!). With our expertly-prepared markscheme grids, we can help you understand what sorts of point to make in your own answer, again all based on points that can actually be tested in your exam (simply not possible by doing past papers!). Our commentaries on our marking grids also explain how we put the Mocks together and what we were trying to test, enhancing your knowledge of the live set of Advance Information.

Some stats on our Mock Exam Pack.

The July 2024 edition of our Case Study Mock Exam Pack will be the 25th edition of the Mock Exam Pack since our first Mock Exam Pack was published in 2013. This means we have accumulated vast knowledge and experience, which we distill into our student-focused approach and realistic question papers.

>100,000

Taking into account our 5 question papers, 5 marking grids, 5 example student-standard model answers and our other tips and tricks content, each Mock Exam Pack contains over 100,000 words of content (about the same length as a novel!). All lovingly prepared under extreme time-pressure to help you as much as possible.

Practice makes perfect.

Since passing Case Study is all about exam technique rather than technical brilliance, it is vital that you do plenty of practice before the exam to work on things like time management, writing style, interpretation of the question and, most important of all, understanding the points that are likely to be on the final ICAEW markscheme. Because if your idea doesn't match the final ICAEW markscheme, you won't get any credit for your point! Harsh, we know, which is why we have got your back through our Mock Exam Pack.

Fully updated for 2024

As always, we will carefully work through the learning points from the 2023 past papers to ensure that our advice and example markschemes are fully up-to-date, ensuring that you are exposed to points that are likely to score. The Case Study examiners are always subtly evolving the examination so it is important that we keep on top of this "cat-and-mouse" game!

Key Points Summary

To make the most of the "open-book" nature of the Case Study exam, we will provide you with our Key Points Summary PDF, an alphabetically-organised summary of key "re-useable" points from the Mock Exam Pack. This will avoid you taking too much content into the exam as everything will be nicely condensed and organised for you. On the day, you must of course use your judgement when using any pre-prepared ideas, but our Key Points Summary PDF will put everything at your fingertips so that you can make your choices as quickly as possible!

Supporting video content

Making the most of advances in technology, recent editions of our Mock Exam Pack have been provided with supporting video content, allowing us to go into certain areas in a bit more detail than in a purely PDF format. Our online platform also allows us to provide over 400 quick-fire questions on the Advance Information so that you can learn it inside-out.

What our students say.

I bet your tutor team are probably feeling more of a strain than us students when it comes to the Case Study exam, seeing the huge amount of work that fits into six weeks. It's rather impressive, particularly with the Mock Exam Pack,  the on-demand videos and the patience of the tutor, to go through things over and over again. I honestly feel that you leave no stone unturned for Case  Study. I find the on-demand videos so useful. I feel it helps to refresh points in my head. Thank you as always.

I have just got my results for Case Study and I'm really happy to say that I managed  to pass with 60% on my first attempt. I am really glad that I came to you guys for my first attempt, which allowed me to adequately prepare myself both content and skill wise for the exam day. Thank you very much for all your  help (via TIS and e-mail conversation) throughout the past month and a half!

Thank you, and in particular to my tutor, for helping me pass my Case Study resit in November. The approach to technique and having 5 different Mock Exams based on the live set of Advance Information really helped and I felt so much more prepared going into this exam than the first time. I've already recommended the book and technique to others in my office. Thanks again.

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your help and materials over the last three exams, as I had some great news on Friday that I passed my Case Study exam first time!! I was delighted to pass with 63% and found your books, Mock Exam Pack and TIS scripts really helpful towards this result. I shall be thoroughly recommending you to my colleagues!

Finally passed the Case Study exam. Thank you so much for all of the content, especially the Mock Exam Pack. Thank you again!

My son passed his Case Study exam and it went really well. He qualified on Friday, so very proud! He said without a doubt, that the Cracking Case book and Mock Exam Pack got him through. We only found out about you near to the exam day,  but he only read your book and studied the Mock Exams. Thank you so much, I wish everyone knew about you!

I passed the Case Study exam with 58% - thank you very much for the help!

Thank you for the tuition course. I managed to pass Case Study with a score of 78%, an improvement from 46% on my first attempt. I will recommend your course to fellow colleagues. Thanks again.

I passed Case with a mark of 61. Thank you for all your help and support - will definitely recommend you to others!

I passed my Case Study exam!! So happy and relieved, thanks very much!

I have passed Case Study at the first attempt only because of your company. Coming from academia, I had tremendous trouble accepting what the other tuition providers were doing or how they attempted to provide tuition. The combination of the Cracking Case book and the Mock Exam Pack can yield results if the student is willing to spend the required preparation  time.

I received my Case Study results today and achieved a pass mark of 74 which is higher than I ever imagined!! I didn't even think I would be able to pass let  alone anything else. The skills and techniques you taught were invaluable. The Mock Exam Pack was incredibly useful to get plenty of practice in before the main exam and the ERP was a very helpful summary of the Advance Information which saved me so much time in the exam. This was my first time sitting Case and I am so glad I chose to invest in the materials that you  provide.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, having passed my retake Case Study exam in July 2018. I took your online course and I will definitely recommend TIS to any student. I feel the feedback on a real time Mock Exam was very helpful. I got a good idea of how to hit points in the markscheme and how to write precise short points, in order to stick to the tight time window for this exam.

Happy to confirm that I passed Case! I found it a particularly tough exam so I don't know where I would have been without your mocks and guidance! Thank you again for all of the help!

I passed the Case Study exam and now have no more ACA exams to take!! Thank you so very much for the Mock Exam Pack, as well as the very useful TIS feedback that you gave me for the July 2018  sitting. I learned so much about the Case Study exam technique from your Mock Exams and am very grateful for all the help you have given me. Thank you again.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for your Case Study materials/Mock Exam Pack/TIS marking & feedback and personalised help - I passed with 63, compared to the 38 first attempt that I had with [XXXXXX]. Many thanks again!!

Many thanks to you. I purchased your Mock Exam Pack for the November 2019 sitting. I succeeded in my Case Study exam and increased my mark from 32 to 57. Thanks  a lot!

I bought your Cracking Case book and your Mock Exam Pack and they were worth every penny. I passed Case Study first time around. They gave me lots of tips about the best way to tackle the Case Study and what examiners wanted me to produce on the day. I would definitely not have passed the Case Study with just the notes and training I received from my previous tuition provider. I would recommend your books and Mock Exam Pack to anyone. Thank you for all your  help. Much appreciated.

I failed Case twice (with another provider) and did the True Taste Limited Case in November and finally passed! The course that you offered was exceptionally useful as the hints and tips provided by [tutor name] allowed you to get under the business and treat it as if it's your own. The Mock Exams also allowed me to stick to time and practice over and over again and gave me good  guidelines on how to set the Appendices and the markscheme gave you a good indication on whether I'm hitting those dreaded 40 Boxes.

I'm delighted to say that I passed my resit with the result of 65. I purchased your Cracking Case book, Exam Room Pack, Mock Exam Pack and TIS service for 2 Mock papers. Many thanks for your very helpful study materials and advice! Your methodology is indeed far superior to what I have seen previously.

I have purchased the Cracking Case book and the Mock Exam Pack. I cannot thank you enough for helping me pass Case Study following the process mentioned in the book (gospel-holy bible) along with taking a personal positive attitude and determination whilst attempting the 5 Mocks. I cannot stress enough how thankful I am since this was my sixth attempt, and your company was there for me at every query I made, showing a high level of professionalism.

I found Cracking Case and the Mock Exam Pack very useful in my preparation for my  exam!

Thank you! I am now a newly qualified accountant after passing my Case Study exam last Friday with 81% (first time). The Mock Exam Pack and techniques you taught me on the course really helped boost my confidence going into the exam.

I am pleased to say I passed with 80 marks! I can’t be more grateful your team for all the help in the study materials and I couldn’t imagine a better way to prepare! I have been a loyal user of your materials (esp the Exam Room Notes) for the Advanced Level examinations and they’re SUPER useful (scored 81 for  CR, 70 for SBM and CS score abovementioned), so a HUGE HUGE THANK YOU to the tutors for the hard work and dedication especially with such a challenging  time for the Case Study paper.

I recently purchased your Case Study Mock Exam Pack – brilliantly written and very funny! Thanks!

Many thanks for your help. The Mock Exam Pack and the TIS was very useful.

I got a 78 overall first time thanks to purchasing your Case Study materials! Definitely much more on the ball and clued up about the requirements and how to pass than my other provider. Will definitely recommend you to anyone doing Case Study.

Thank you so much, the Case Study Mock Exam Pack materials have been most helpful. Appreciate all your hard work.

Thanks for providing all the Case Study Mock Exams - they've been really helpful

Thank you so much for writing these Case Study Mocks (particularly during these unprecedented times). I have used your materials for BPT and all my Advanced Level exams and have always found them incredibly helpful!

The Mock Exam Pack was really helpful for my preparation – thank you!!

I’d just like to thank your team for their support and assistance in preparation of the August Case Study Exam. Through your help I managed to obtain a first-time pass (62%) and your Mock Exams were a real game changer for me, helping me feel extremely prepared when sitting for the exam. Due to the Mock Exams, I was extremely familiar with the Advance Information and was very comfortable under exam conditions too. Thanks so much!

I just wanted to personally send a note to express how grateful I am for your service! I bought the 5 Case Study Mock Exams for my resit. Confidence was at an all-time low after I failed the first time round with a 44% result, but the Mocks were massively helpful in my revision. The variety of questions were excellent for practice and the answer packs and markschemes were very thorough, targeted and exam technique focused and because of your help, I managed to get 80% in the Beal exam!

I found the Exam Room Pack very useful. In fact, once I’d read through it and could navigate it fairly proficiently, I didn’t really use anything else in the actual Case Study exam! The Mocks were invaluable too as the scenarios which came up in the real exam appeared in the Mocks in some way, shape or form. Thanks again.

I just wanted to send a massive thank you for helping me with the Case Study exam - I passed with 73%! Thank you so, so much for all your support ... of course, the 5 Mock Exams are THE KEY as these truly helped me so, so much in the exam. Doing the exam was just like doing Mock 6 for me and I was so well-practiced that it didn’t seem daunting, but just another practice test! I have already been suggesting to my juniors to definitely reach out to you when their Case Study exam time comes!

Thanks so much for the book and the Mock Exam Pack. I got 78% and could not have done it without your business. The book made sense and the Mock Exams got me match fit.

Having tried and failed with one of the Big Two providers I was very worried I would never pass. I was recommended your "Cracking Case" book and Case Study Mock Exam Pack and I am happy to say due to you, I have received a regional prize and cannot thank you enough. I would recommend you to anyone sitting the Case Study exam. The Mock Exam Pack is fantastic - I actually enjoyed doing them as I knew they were productive practice and I couldn't have felt any more confident when entering the exam room thanks to you.

I will certainly be recommending your resources - I don't think I would have been sufficiently prepared had I not purchased the Mock Exam Pack.

I have found your resources to be of great help and I will gladly pass on my recommendations to other ACA students.

Hope I pass Case Study using your book and Mock Exam Pack. I am using another tuition provider's Mock Exams but luckily last week I bought your Case Study  Mock Exam Pack. They are very very helpful and I believe the best.

I passed my Case Study exam which was my 2nd attempt (first time  with you) and scored 66% compared to my 1st attempt in November 2018 scoring 34%, so almost doubled my mark! The Cracking Case book was invaluable, I used it to create all my plans for the Mock Exams and used the key tips going forward for the actual exam. It really helped and it's amazing how you compile so much into one book. Everybody should purchase this book!

Both of the exam scenarios were in your Case Study Mock Exam Pack which was really helpful.

I just wanted to say thank you. I bought the July 2019 version of the Cracking Case book, Mock Exam Pack and Exam Room Pack for the July 2019 Case Study sitting - pleased to say I passed first time!

Thank you for taking the time to prepare the Mock Exam Pack and Cracking Case  resources, I found them very useful.

When I sat Case Study previously, I received no valuable technique or high level  tips (something your materials are full of) on the courses I attended with [XXX]. I actually enjoyed revising for the exam this time (using your method) as I had a clear approach when attempting past papers; the Mock Exams were fantastic. I received a "mock pack" of 2 Mock Exams from [XXX] which was 8 pages long so it was such a relief when I saw how detailed (198 pages in total) and focused the 5 Mock Exams provided by you were.

When I sat Case Study previously, I received no valuable technique or high level tips (something your materials are full of) on the courses I attended with [XXX]. I actually enjoyed revising for the exam this time (using your method) as I had a clear approach when attempting past papers; the Mock Exams were fantastic. I received a 'mock pack' of 2 Mock Exams from [XXX] which was 8  pages long so it was such a relief when I saw how detailed (198 pages in total) and focused the 5 Mock Exams provided by you were.

I was with another tuition provider through my employer but was really struggling  to get to grips with Case Study, particularly as I have a learning difficulty that made learning past paper sets of Advance Information a real challenge. Your Mock Exam Pack and Advance Information walkthroughs made all the difference. I ended up passing with 83% and don't think I could have managed any kind of pass without your materials.

I'm ecstatic to say I passed the Case Study exam and want to say thank you to Paradigm Shift for preparing the Mock Exam Pack as this played an  instrumental part in me passing the exam!

I have found the Mock Exam Pack and the Masterclass Live sessions to be really useful and will be recommending these to my colleagues in the year below.

Thank you for all your help. The Mock Exam Pack and the Exam Room Pack are both very useful and have really helped me prepare for the exam.

Wanted to pass on the great news to say I passed CR and Case! Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. Wanted to say those free sessions I was able to attend and the other 1-hour sessions were super useful and to the point! Additionally, the Mocks for Case gave me the confidence I needed to sit the exam. Continue what you are doing!

Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful Mock Exam Pack - finally passed this exam with 75% and I'm thrilled!

Just wanted to say I passed with 60% and couldn't be happier. The Masterclasses and Mock Exam Pack were vital to me passing and I wasn't anywhere near passing before I purchased them. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

Just emailing to say I passed and wanted to thank you guys for making such useful materials! Honestly would not have passed without the Mock Exam Pack.

Thank you for taking the time to prepare the Mock Exam Pack and Cracking Case resources, I found them very useful.

Hope I pass Case Study using your book and Mock Exam Pack. I am using another tuition provider's Mock Exams but luckily last week I bought your Case Study Mock Exam Pack. They are very very helpful and I believe the best.

I found your Case Study Mock Exam Pack to be excellent preparation - thank you.

I passed my Case Study exam which was my 2nd attempt (first time with you) and scored 66% compared to my 1st attempt in November 2018  scoring 34%, so almost doubled my mark! The Cracking Case book was invaluable, I used it to create all my plans for the Mock Exams and used the key tips going forward for the actual exam. It really helped and it's amazing how you compile so much into one book. Everybody should purchase this book!

Thank you for your top quality product!

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How to Pass the ICAEW ACA Case Study Exam

Updated: Feb 22, 2023

This article offers advice on how to pass the ACA Case Study exam. Written by a multiple prize-winning ACA tutor who scored 92% in the Case Study exam and won the ICAEW prize for the highest score in the world, this is essential reading for any student preparing for their Case Study exam.

How to Ace the ACA Case Study Exam

The Case Study is unlike most other ACA exams as there is very little technical content to learn. Therefore, students who are used to memorising technical concepts and then ‘smashing out the question bank’ will be perplexed when they are presented with 40+ pages of advance information and a Case Study exam paper seemingly testing nothing they have learnt in their other 14 exams.

However, the Case Study is actually very similar to the other ACA exams in that the three exam requirements are always the same, as are the mark schemes. By appreciating the consistency in the exam requirements and the mark schemes, you can develop your exam technique to ensure that you tick all the 'boxes' on the mark scheme and complete your ACA qualification in style.

In light of this, we believe that there are 5 steps to Case Study success:

1. Understand how Case Study is marked

2. Understand what each of the three requirements involve

3. Understand what information is provided in the Advance Information (AI) and what is provided in the exam

4. Learn the Case Study exam technique which ensures that you hit all the boxes on the mark scheme

5. Practice mock exams to master your exam technique

Step 1: Understand how Case Study is marked

The Case Study marking process is objective: there is a set marking key for each requirement and if a student’s report includes a point which is on the mark scheme, they will get the mark. This is not like an academic essay where the examiner forms an overall opinion of the piece of work and then decides whether it is good enough to pass; the Case Study marking grid is rigid. Whilst it can be frustrating that making a valid point which is not on the mark scheme does not score a mark, it does mean that the marking process is very transparent and easy to navigate. Below is an example from a Case Study mark scheme to illustrate what I mean by points and boxes.

Step 2: Understand what each of the three requirements involve

As explained above, the three requirements are broadly the same in each Case Study exam.

R1: Analyse the financial performance of the company

R2: Evaluate a financial proposal

R3: Evaluate an opportunity or issue

The mark scheme for each requirement is also the same. This makes the exam fairly predictable.

By having a look at recent past papers, you will soon start see the consistency in the requirements and build an understanding of what each requirement involves.

Step 3: Understand what information is provided in the AI and what is provided in the exam

In addition to the exam requirements and mark schemes being in the same format every time, the AI is also in the same format every time (albeit a different business with different issues).

By working through past Case Study exams, you will soon start to see that the AI always has the same exhibits with very similar types of information e.g. industry background, prior year accounts, key customers / suppliers, strategic goals and risks. Similarly, all the exams include the same exhibits with very similar types of information.

Having completed the exam, it is important to mark it and reflect on what information came from the AI and what came from the exam exhibits. You will soon start to see that the majority of mark scoring points come from the exam exhibits rather than the AI. You will also learn which types of information in the AI tend to be rewarded in the mark scheme and where in the mark scheme they are rewarded, i.e. which box.

Step 4: Learn the Case Study exam technique which ensures that you hit all the boxes on the mark scheme

Having understood what the exam requirements are and how they are marked, you need to develop an exam technique which ensures that your report includes the points which are included on the mark scheme. Fortunately for you, we have developed an exam technique which does this and it has resulted in two students winning the prize for the highest mark in the world (90% and 92%), another winning a prize for the highest mark in their region (88%) and another achieving the highest mark in their firm (81%)!

Given the practical nature of exam technique, it is not possible to explain this in text so you can watch a free class here which teaches you exactly how to ace Requirement 1 and get a prize-winning mark.

Step 5: Practice mock exams to master your exam technique

By this stage in your ACA journey, you will already know that question practice is key to success. Having learnt the prize-winning technique, you then need to practice mock exams on your case study business under exam conditions so that you master the technique and sign off your ACA in style!

Need Help Passing the ACA Case Study Exam?

Details of our live tuition, video tuition, mock exams and proforma reports can be found here .

About the Author

Kieran Doe is a Senior ACA Tutor at ACA Masters. Kieran won ICAEW prizes for his performance in Financial Accounting and Reporting, Tax, Financial Management, Audit, Business Strategy and Case Study. This is in addition to winning several prizes at university for various Accounting, Management, Business and Economics subjects.

Kieran’s tuition is based around the learning techniques and exam strategies which enabled him to win prizes for all the subjects he teaches. Under his guidance, several of his ACA students have also won ICAEW prizes.

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The ICAEW Advanced level exams present real-life scenarios, with greater complexity and wider implications than the Professional Level exams.

The Case Study exam will present a complex business issue which will require problem solving, the identification of ethical implications and your ability to provide effective solutions.

There are 3 exams in total and they are fully open book, replicating a real-life scenario where reference resources will be available. Corporate Reporting and Strategic Business Management papers are 3.5 hours while the Case Study lasts four hours. Exams are computer-based and have a 50% pass mark.

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How to Ace the Case

October 2021

Kieran Doe has some top advice on how to pass the ACA case study exam. And he should know – he scored 92% in it!

The Case Study is unlike most other ACA exams as there is very little technical content to learn. So students who are used to memorising technical concepts and them ‘smashing out the question bank’ will be perplexed when they are presented with over 40 pages of advance information and a case study exam paper seemingly testing very little from their other 14 exams.

However, the Case Study is actually very similar to other ACA exams in that the three exam requirements are always the same, as are the mark schemes. By appreciating the consistency in the exam requirements and the mark schemes, you can develop your exam technique to ensure that you tick all the ‘boxes’ on the mark scheme and complete your ACA qualification in style.

I believe that there are five steps to case study success:

Step 1: Understand how Case Study is marked

The marking process is objective: there is a set marking key for each requirement and if your report includes a point which is on the mark scheme, you will get the mark. While it can be frustrating that making a valid point which is not on the mark scheme does not score a mark, it does mean that the marking process is very transparent and easy to navigate.

Each requirement has 11 boxes and you need to pass six boxes on each requirement.

The Executive Summary has seven boxes and you need to pass four boxes. To pass a box, you need to get three of the points included in that box. You need to pass each requirement and the Executive Summary in isolation. Have a look at some recent mark schemes to see what I mean about boxes and points.

Step 2: Understand what each of the three requirements involve

As explained above, the three requirements are broadly the same in each Case Study exam.

• Requirement 1: Analyse the financial performance of the company.
• Requirement 2: Evaluate a financial proposal.
• Requirement 3: Evaluate an opportunity or issue.

The mark scheme for each requirement is also the same. This makes the exam predictable and by having a look at recent past papers, you will soon start to see the consistency in the requirements and build an understanding of what each requirement involves.

Step 3: Understand what information is provided in the AI and what is provided in the exam

In addition to the exam requirements and mark schemes being in the same format every time, the AI is also in the same format every time (albeit a different business with different issues).

By working through past case study exams, you will soon start to see that the AI always has the same exhibits with very similar types of information; industry background ; prior year accounts; customers; suppliers; strategic goals and risks. Likewise, the exams include the same exhibits with very similar types of information.

Having completed an exam, it is important to mark it and reflect on what information came from the AI and what came from the exam exhibits. You will soon start to see that most mark scoring points come from the exam exhibits rather than the AI. You will also learn which types of points tend to be rewarded in each box.

Step 4: Learn the Case Study exam technique which ensures that you hit all the boxes on the mark scheme

Having understood what the exam requirements are and how they are marked, you need to develop an exam technique which ensures that your report includes the points which are included on the mark scheme.

Fortunately for you, we have developed an exam technique which does this and it has resulted in two students wining the prize for the highest mark in the world (90% and 92%), another winning a prize for the highest mark in their region (88%) and another achieving the highest mark in their firm (81%).

Given the practical nature of the exam technique, it is not possible to explain this in text so click the link for a tutorial showing you exactly how to ace Requirement 1 and get a prize-winning mark – https://youtu.be/unvyelEwv6y

Step 5: Practice mock exams to master your exam technique

By this stage in your ACA journey, you will already know that question practice is key to success. Having learn the prize-winning technique, you then need to practice mock exams on your case study business under exam conditions so that you master the technique and sign off your ACA in style.

• Kieran Doe is a Senior ACA tutor at ACA Masters

Copyright © 2024 PQ Publishing.

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• Imposter syndrome rife among female accountants

Author: ICAEW Insights

Published: 15 Apr 2024

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Almost two out of three female chartered accountants say they’ve been severely affected by feelings of self-doubt about their ability to perform their job, according to a new study. Meanwhile  four out of five regularly seek approval from others for their work or decisions.

The ‘Women in Accounting’ study published by  caba , the occupational charity for ICAEW members and their families, examined the impact that feelings of ‘imposter syndrome’ have on women working in the profession. 

Four out of five said they feel they have to work harder than their colleagues to prove their worth, 29% said they felt an overwhelming need to always be ‘perfect’, 27% said they have a heightened sense of stress or anxiety and 26% reported a heightened fear of failure. 

In the study of more than 200 female chartered accountants living and working in the UK, almost half of respondents said they’re uncomfortable telling their manager about areas they feel less confident in, including where they’d like more training.

And feeling they have nowhere to turn internally, nine out of 10 respondents said they regularly sacrifice their work-life balance to accommodate the needs of others. Two in five said they had also avoided taking annual leave on more than one occasion because they were worried about handing over their tasks to a colleague. 

When asked which strategies and resources they think would be helpful to combat feelings of work-related self-doubt, the most common responses were flexible working arrangements (34%), regular feedback and recognition from their manager (33%) and access to training and development programmes (30%). 

Ola Opoosun, Head of Support Services at caba, says despite great progress in tackling gender inequality within the accountancy sector, the findings show that there are still significant challenges to overcome if the industry is to become a truly inclusive space for women. 

“Many female chartered accountants are struggling with a lack of confidence in their role and this, in addition to other factors such as gender bias and a lack of representation at a senior level, is stopping them from reaching their full potential.

“We urge employers to reflect on the strategies and resources highlighted by many of the women who participated in our study and ensure that they’re doing everything they can to support and empower their female employees.” 

Ruth Kudzi, a psychology and neuroscience expert and author of How to Feel Better , agrees that imposter syndrome may be a result of real feelings based on structural inequalities that exist within an organisation. “It’s worth reflecting on what is real and if many of you are feeling in a similar way it may be due to the culture of the organisation that you’re in.”

Business mentor Jeannette Linfoot says imposter syndrome is particularly widespread in high-achieving individuals. But when it comes to overcoming imposter syndrome, the hardest part can be addressing your underlying feelings of inadequacy.

“It may be tempting to simply push these thoughts down, but recognising your own negative self-talk will help you begin putting these feelings into context and is the first step to forming more positive habits around acknowledging your success and accomplishments,” Linfoot says.

It’s also important to seek support, Linfoot adds. “Low confidence in your abilities can seriously hold you back from your full potential, particularly if you’re in a vicious cycle of self-criticism. Confide in those you trust about how you are feeling. Not only will this help you to gain some outside perspective and escape the cycle, but you may be pleasantly surprised by what others see in you.”

Kudzi advises clients to visualise or imagine that they are confident and capable and then tuning into the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that they would be exhibiting. “When they have this strong new identity, they can then consider how they can act in congruence with this and what will help them to stay in that space. 

“Often when you have imposter syndrome you may not believe that you’re responsible for your own success,” Kudzi adds. “So if you start to celebrate the small wins you can build new neural pathways that change the way you think.”

As part of its ongoing commitment to the welfare of the ICAEW community, caba has launched a new Women in Accounting Hub , a dedicated online space where female ICAEW members can find career advice, access to free development courses and other helpful resources including self-help guides and development tools. 

ICAEW equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives

Diversity and inclusion at icaew.

Diversity and inclusion is a key pillar of ICAEW's strategy. Discover relevant content, from topical articles on chartered accountancy to professional resources to help you thrive at work.

• Latest Diversity news
• Diversity in the profession
• Neurodiversity Celebration Week: closing the employment gap
• CFO most diverse C-suite role amid patchy progress
• Push for Black representation in finance still crucial
• Bringing disability access to all areas of business
• Diversity through mentoring
• Diversity through outreach
• Diversity through scholarships and bursaries
• Diversity through skills development
• Diversity through work experience

Our communities

ICAEW has created a number of communities aimed at supporting diversity and inclusion throughout the accountancy profession and beyond. Our communities offer tailored support and an opportunity to network with your peers. See a full list of our communities .

Diversity & Inclusion

Information and best practice guidance on the different areas of diversity, helping to educate, support and raise awareness.

• Free and open to everyone

Women in Finance

Personal development and networking opportunities to help women in finance reach their potential.

Black Members

A community created to inspire, support and develop Black ICAEW members and students throughout their career.

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