A Level Accounting Topics by Exam Board: Full List

Studying A Level Accounting can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what topics your exam board expects you to know. You don’t want to spend hours revising something that isn't even on your specification, whilst missing out on topics that will definitely come up in your exams. It's stressful and can seriously impact your results.

That's where this guide comes in. We've created the definitive list of A Level Accounting topics by exam board. Whether you're studying with AQA (opens in a new tab) or CIE (opens in a new tab), you'll find everything you need right here. 

Key Takeaways

In this guide, you’ll find:

• Complete topic lists for AQA and CIE A Level Accounting.

• Clear breakdowns of what's covered in each exam paper.

• A comparison showing how the two boards differ.

• Practical revision tips tailored to your specific exam board.

Why It's Important to Revise by Exam Board

Different exam boards have different specifications, which means the topics you need to know for your Accounting A Level course can vary.

Each exam board designs its own syllabus and assessment structure. What's tested on an AQA paper might not appear on a CIE paper, and vice versa. This doesn’t mean that one course is better than the other - they just focus on different elements of Accounting.

If you're revising from resources that don't match your exam board, you could be learning the wrong content. That's why it's essential to know your specification inside-out.

By focusing only on the topics your board actually assesses, you'll make your revision more efficient and boost your confidence going into the exam.

AQA A Level Accounting Topics

The AQA course is divided into two years and covers both financial and management accounting.

Here's a complete breakdown of the topics you'll need to master:

1. An introduction to the role of the accountant in business

This topic introduces you to what an accountant actually does.

You'll learn:

• The responsibilities of an accountant.

• The differences between financial accounting and management accounting.

• The role of an accountant in overseeing accounting information systems.

2. Types of business organisation

This topic exposes you to different business ownership models.

You'll learn:

• About sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, and public limited liability companies.

• Sources of finance for these different types of businesses.

3. The double entry model

This topic introduces you to the technical aspect of the role of an accountant.

You'll learn:

• How accountants prepare financial statements.

• Books of prime entry and ledger accounts.

• The recording of adjustments like accruals, prepayments, and depreciation charges in financial statements.

4. Verification of accounting records

This topic covers how accountants check their work is accurate.

You'll learn:

• About trial balances, which list all the balances from the ledger to check debits equal credits.

• How to correct errors and prepare suspense accounts when things don't balance.

5. Accounting concepts used in the preparation of accounting records

This topic teaches you the ins and outs of preparing financial statements.

You'll learn:

• Accounting concepts and their meanings, such as:

  • money measurement

  • duality

  • cost

  • going concern

  • accruals

  • consistency

  • prudence

  • materiality

  • realisation

  • business entity

• How to correct errors and prepare suspense accounts when things don't balance.

6. Preparation of financial statements of sole traders

This topic delves deeper into how an accountant can help sole trader businesses.

You'll learn:

• The difference between sole trader service and trading businesses.

• The specifics of sole trader accounting compared to larger businesses.

7. Limited company accounts

Here, you'll learn what makes limited companies different from sole traders.

You'll learn:

• How internal statements for limited companies are different to sole trader businesses.

• The difference between income statements, statements of changes in equity, and statements of financial position.

8. Analysis and evaluation of financial information

This topic develops your understanding of business performance appraisals.

You'll learn:

• How to calculate financial measures and ratios.

• The difference between cash and profits.

• The limitations of financial statements and ratio analysis.

9. Budgeting

This topic helps you understand the importance and limitations of budgeting.

You'll learn:

• How to consider zero-based budgeting and incremental budgeting.

• How budgets are used in planning and control.

• How to prepare and analyse budgets.

10. Marginal costing

Here you'll study a method of calculating product costs.

You'll learn:

• The definition of terms like:

  • direct costs

  • indirect costs

  • variable costs

  • semi-variable costs

  • fixed costs

  • stepped costs

  • marginal cost

  • contribution (total and per unit)

  • break-even

• How marginal costing is used in wider business decisions.

11. Standard costing and variance analysis

This topic will get you thinking about the benefits and limitations of a standard costing system.

You'll learn:

• How to calculate and interpret variances.

• To apply accounting techniques to interrogate budgeted and actual figures.

12. Absorption and activity based costing

Here, you’ll investigate absorption and how you can use it to calculate the total cost of a product.

You'll learn:

• How to use absorption to calculate the selling price of an item.

• How to compare inventory valuations.

• Relevant terminology, like:

  • allocation

  • apportionment

  • under-absorption

  • over-absorption

13. Capital investment appraisal

This topic will introduce you to cash flows and how capital investment appraisals help accountants evaluate projects.

You'll learn:

• The definition of payback and net present value.

• The value of financial factors and non-financial factors.

14. Accounting for organisations with incomplete records

This topic demonstrates the challenges an accountant can face when preparing financial reports.

You'll learn:

• How an accountant may have to work with businesses with poor financial management.

• The advantages and disadvantages of single and double entry records.

• The techniques needed to bolster a business with missing or incomplete financial records.

15. Partnership accounts

This topic shows you how to prepare financial statements for partnerships.

You'll learn:

• How to calculate:

  • interest on capital

  • interest on drawings

  • partnership salaries

  • interest on a partner’s loan

  • shares of profit and losses

  • revaluation of assets and treatment of goodwill

16. Accounting for limited companies

This topic shows how an accountant needs to adapt for limited companies.

You'll learn:

• About statements of cash flow.

• The difference between the issue of shares as a rights issue and a bonus issue.

• The purpose of the international accounting standards framework.

17. Interpretation, analysis and communication of accounting information

Here, you’ll understand how accountants make judgements on business performance.

You'll learn:

• How accountants work out recommendations to benefit business stakeholders.

• Who internal and external stakeholders are.

• Why recording date is crucial.

18. Ethical considerations

This topic demonstrates the principles of ethical behaviour.

You'll learn:

• About relevant legal frameworks.

• Who oversees ethical codes of conduct.

• What to do if there is a suspicion that an unethical act has been committed by an employer, colleague or client.

What is Covered in AQA A Level Accounting Exam Papers?

AQA A Level Accounting consists of two exam papers, each worth 50% of the total A Level.

Here's what each paper covers:

Both papers include a mixture of short-answer questions and extended answer questions. 

CIE A Level Accounting Topics

CIE offers A Level Accounting internationally. The course focuses on aspects of financial and management accounting techniques.

It may seem like there are fewer aspects of accounting to study than the AQA syllabus, but the topics are just split differently. Here's what you need to study:

1. Preparation of financial statements

This topic introduces you to the calculations needed to formulate financial statements.

You'll learn:

• The purpose of financial statements for different types of businesses.

• How to prepare accounts for partnerships, limited companies, and other types of businesses.

• How to make informed business decisions based on what the financial accounts reveal.

• About international accounting standards and legal requirements.

2. Regulatory and ethical considerations

Here, you’ll examine the regulatory framework by exploring a number of International Accounting Standards.

You'll learn:

• How to understand these International Accounting Standards

  • IAS 1 - Presentation of financial statements

  • IAS 2 - Inventories

  • IAS 7 - Statement of cash flows

  • IAS 8 - Accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates and errors

  • IAS 10 - Events after the reporting period

  • IAS 16 - Property, plant and equipment

  • IAS 36 - Impairment of assets

  • IAS 37 - Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets

  • IAS 38 - Intangible assets

• Why there is a need for an ethical framework in accounting.

• About the role of an auditor.

3. Business acquisition and merger

This topic introduces you to the reasons why businesses choose to acquire or merge with other businesses.

You'll learn:

• How different types of businesses merge.

• How to calculate the value of goodwill.

• The advantages or disadvantages of an acquisition or merger.

4. Computerised accounting systems

This topic delves into the complexities of introducing a computed accounting system.

You'll learn:

• How to transfer business accounts to a computerised system.

• How to maintain the integrity of data when it is being transferred.

5. Analysis and communication of accounting information

This topic introduces you to a range of accounting ratios.

You'll learn:

• How to calculate these ratios:

  • working capital cycle (in days)

  • net working assets to revenue (sales)

  • interest cover

  • gearing ratios

  •  earnings per share

  • price/earnings ratio

  • dividend per share

  • dividend yield

  • dividend cover

6. Activity based costing (ABC)

This topic demonstrates the differences between traditional costing methods and ABC.

You'll learn:

• About the uses and limitations of ABC.

• What a cost driver is.

• How to apply ABC to different situations.

7. Standard costing

Here, you’ll discover the meaning of a system of standard costing in an organisation

You'll learn:

• how to calculate the following variances:

  • direct material price and usage

  • direct labour rate and efficiency

  • fixed overhead expenditure and volume

  • fixed overhead capacity and efficiency sub-variances

  • sales price and volume

• How non-financial factors can influence standard costing

8. Investment appraisal

This topic looks into how businesses make decisions about capital investment.

You'll learn:

• About capital investment techniques.

• The definition of ‘future cash flows’.

• How to make investment decisions and recommendations using data provided.

What is Covered in CIE A Level Accounting Exam Papers?

CIE A Level Accounting consists of four exam papers: 

• Multiple Choice

• Fundamentals of Accounting

• Financial Accounting

• Cost and Management Accounting

Here's the breakdown:

How the Exam Boards Compare

Both AQA and CIE cover the core fundamentals of accounting, but there are some important differences.

Unique Elements

AQA focuses heavily on two comprehensive papers, with more of a holistic focus on the role of an accountant.

CIE has a four paper structure of assessment, and covers computerised accounting systems.

The depth and question styles can also vary, so it's worth practising with papers from your specific board.

Tips for Revising A Level Accounting Topics

Now you know what's on your specification, here's how to revise effectively.

Organise Revision by Topic

The best way to tackle A Level Accounting is to work through one topic at a time.

• Start by downloading your exam board's official specification. 

  • AQA specification (opens in a new tab) 

  • CIE specification - 2025 (opens in a new tab)

  • CIE specification - 2026 onwards (opens in a new tab)

• Create a checklist matching the topics listed above. As you revise each one, tick it off. This helps you track progress and ensures you don't miss anything.

• Focus on topics you find difficult first, when your brain is freshest. Leave topics you're confident about until later.

• Use a variety of revision techniques. Explore our guides to chunking, elaboration, and blocked practice for inspiration.

Practise with Past Papers and Mark Schemes

There's no better way to prepare than working through actual exam questions.

Each board has its own style of questioning and specific ways they want you to present answers. The more familiar you are with this, the more confident you'll feel in the exam.

Download past papers from your exam board's website and work through them under timed conditions. Then check your answers against the mark schemes to see where you can improve.

Pay attention to how marks are awarded. Sometimes you get marks for showing your working, even if your final answer is wrong. Understanding the mark scheme helps you maximise your score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which A Level Accounting Exam Board Is Hardest?

Neither AQA nor CIE is objectively harder than the other.

The perceived difficulty often depends on your strengths. Some students find AQA's two-paper structure more straightforward, whilst others prefer CIE’s four-paper approach that splits the content differently.

Both boards cover similar core content and require the same fundamental skills. The best board for you is simply the one your school or college offers.

Does OCR No Longer Offer A Level Accounting?

Yes, that's correct.

OCR discontinued their A Level Accounting qualification, with the last exam series in summer 2018. Students in England now primarily take AQA A Level Accounting.

How Can I Find Revision Resources for A Level Accounting?

There are several places to find quality revision materials:

• For AQA students, you can find past papers for A Level AQA Accounting and CIE A Level Accounting Save My Exams.

• Both AQA and CIE provide specimen papers, past papers, and mark schemes on their websites.

• Check which textbook your school recommends. Most are written specifically for either AQA or CIE and follow the specification closely.

• Don't forget that your teacher is your best resource. They know the specification inside-out and can provide targeted support for areas you're struggling with.

Tip: Avoid generic accounting resources that aren't linked to a specific exam board. They might teach you things that aren't on your specification or miss topics you actually need.

Final Thoughts

Success in A Level Accounting comes down to one thing: knowing your specification inside-out.

Now you have a complete topic list for your exam board, you can revise with confidence. No more guessing what might come up or wasting time on irrelevant content.

Work through the topics systematically, practise with past papers, and track your progress. Before you know it, you'll have covered everything you need. Good luck!

References

AQA A Level Accounting Subject Specification (opens in a new tab)

CIE Syllabus Overview (opens in a new tab)

CIE A Level Accounting Specification - 2025 (opens in a new tab)

CIE A Level Accounting Specification - 2026 onwards (opens in a new tab)