AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting

We help you to recognise the learning skills you already use in everyday life. We then coach you to develop those skills further through the techniques listed below. There is an optimum level learner in all of us, it just needs to be nurtured to perform. Our learning style course approach allows all to achieve maximum success. Listed below are some of the skills you will learn through our ‘key to success’ coaching:

Positive learning

Positive learning is a mental and physical attitude that once developed, will simplify, and increase your ability to learn, to store knowledge and increase the speed of your recall. ‘I will’ and ‘I can’ will replace ‘I can’t do’ and ‘I don’t remember’. 

Personalised achievable timetables’

Motivating, successful study fits around life’s commitment, not the other way around. Success is not just passing exams; it’s completing a lesson that you fully understand. Your coach will help you set a realistic timetable that achieves all outcomes and exceeds personal goals. 

Develop your knowledge recall

Everything you learn is stored in your memory, but not always readily recalled. You will learn techniques to believe in your ability to recall.  Over time, instant recall will naturally emerge eradicating any negativity like ‘I’ve forgotten and need to revisit past lessons’.

Time efficiency

Your AAT level 2 Certificate in Accounting study will be part of your life for a while. Time efficiency management will decrease your completion time without affecting your free downtime. We’ll show you how 15 minutes can be as effective in study as a full lesson timeframe.

There is a reason why we receive multiple AAT excellence award nominations. Our consistently high achieving students demonstrate that we get AAT training right.   

• AAT course access time 12 months – Meets learning style flexibility giving you the opportunity to study at your own pace.

• Join our high achieving student community – Receive one-to-one coaching support.

• Easy access 24/7 study via your learning portal – Tutor support 7 days a week.

• Over 200 AAT approved UK assessment centres where you can sit each computer-based exam - short travel distances from home.

• Course fees include resources & delivery to meet all learning styles – Live classroom – multi-viewable recorded classroom –key topic animation & interactive online learning – Hardcopy books for manual learning – Sage training and certification.

• Computer=based exams fee and AAT's one off registration fee vary per level. The AAT level 2 Certificate in accounting exam fees and AAT registration are available as an additional cost and can be purchased, if preferred, at enrolment.

• Average completion time for the AAT level 2 Certificate in Accounting based on 6-8 hours of study a week is 30 weeks.

• Fast response – coaching and teaching support.

• Enrolment 365 days a year.

A TOTUM PRO Student Discount Card

TOTUM membership (formerly known as NUS extra), is available to all Gold Edge Training accounting and bookkeeping students. A TOTUM PRO Student Discount Card opens doors to a broad range of discounts and deals on everything from dining, fashion, tech to travel, and daily essentials. The TOTUM platform offers over 400 discounts and deals, with more exciting brands being added every month.

Since its launch in 2012, the Gold Edge Training reputation is renowned nationwide for high achieving students across the full range of AAT qualifications. Our exam pass rate far exceed the AAT national average because we develop the learner as well as teach them the AAT.

Our coaching programme was designed and written by our head accountancy teacher.  Alongside teaching and pioneering learning style online delivery, she has specialised in developing the learning skills of accountancy students for over 24 years. 

At Gold Edge, we treat all learners and employers as individuals needing bespoke learning packages. With a collective pedigree of AAT experience spanning nearly 40 years, we’ve learnt to understand AAT students. We deliver excellence through listening and acting on their personal learning requirements.

Key benefits of bespoke learning style delivery:

Flexibility

You control your speed of learning – We support at the same pace.  Our programmes are designed to be studied anywhere and at any time.  15 minutes to spare? Use it to prepare for the next lesson or recap the last. These study snippets will increase your learning capacity during the next full lesson.

Kaplan hard copy study textbooks & exam kit books

Optimum learning style study requires a balance of different resources and different learning methods. How you learn online is different to how you learn from a book. When you learn from multiple resources and methods, your depth of understanding increases, which strengthens your ability to recall.

Live online classroom

We offer live classroom sessions in the day and evening for levels 2 and 3.  Watching live lessons best suits auditory and visual learners.  The live sessions are also recorded to meet personal availability and the learning style of kinaesthetic and reflective learners.  Learning how to adapt resources to suit how you learn best will enhance your learning experience and increase your knowledge absorption. All recordings can be multi-watched for deeper understanding.

Online interactive content

All students, based on their natural learning style, will prefer or lead with different learning resources. We offer a full online range of workbooks, animations, interactive questions and videos in addition to the live classroom and hardcopy books. Amongst the online resources you will find PowerPoint presentations, additional manual question banks and practice exams.

Four-stage revision programme

Our programmes leave nothing to chance in achieving your success.  Learning a subject is not sufficient to pass exams. Study knowledge needs to transfer to exam ready knowledge. Our four-stage revision programme for AAT level 2 of:

1. Green light testing to check depth of understanding

2. Completing circa 200 manual exam kit questions

3. Live exam preparation session and finally

4. Exam practice papers all ensure you are at optimum exam level when entering your exam. 

   Follow our programme, and you will join our high achieving student community.

Study with your peers

Chat to other students in our active student community. Peer support is an added benefit to making study easy and fun.

Your studies start at the very beginning of accountancy building your core accounting skills to a level that is workplace ready knowledge. AAT courses focus on delivering a hands on approach to accounting by delivering real accountancy related business skills. From the first unit studied, you will have learnt the foundation accounting knowledge needed to apply for your first accounting job.

AAT level 2 focuses on the basic principles and accounting skills within the finance function of a company. You will learn about double-entry bookkeeping, ledger accounts and bookkeeping controls principles. You'll also study the key accounting functions associated with customer transactions, sales ledger and sales ledger control accounts. Plus payments process transactions related to purchase ledger and purchase ledger control accounts. Your studies explores control accounts reconciliation and bank reconciliation using the bank statement and bank ledger accounts. All level 2 key principles are learnt up to initial trial balance.

You will learn for accounting purposes only, why the business entity is separate to the owner. However in contrast, contract law states sole traders, non-limited partnerships and the business entity are as one, with the owner being legally responsible for the actions of the business. You'll understand how the finance function is affected by the external business environment and variations in resulting economic climates.

AAT level 2 Certificate looks at financial ledger accounts and the legal aspects associated with the preparation of those accounts. In AAT level 2 your studies will cover sole trader, partnership and small company accounts. You'll understand how the finance function fits within the business entity both from a bookkeeping systems perspective and basic costing perspective.

Basic costing is not a legal requirement, it is a common sense requirement for all businesses, large and small. Costing, known as management accounting looks at how profits can increase through using cost recording techniques that monitor the efficiency of all expenditure. For management, this information is invaluable for sustainability and growth. At the AAT foundation certificate level you will be introduced to the importance of monitoring actual and budgeted costs. Budgets, which are covered in depth at level 4, are set for a reason, an analysis of all actual and budgeted cost variances must be, identified, explained and justified otherwise there is no point to setting a budget.

Unlike financial accounting that has a legally required system, a cost recording system and the cost calculations within that system are specific to each industry. Appropriate formats will be produced for each company within each industry.

The final unit at level 2, the Business Environment Synoptic assessment looks at the external and internal environment. It also looks at all aspects of business operations and contract law from a finance administration and operational perspective. The Business Environment Synoptic assessment unit allows you to develop an understanding of key business concepts, finance processes and all associated documents. You'll learn how those documents contribute to the audit trail within the accounting function.

Sage Certification

Whilst the AAT level 2 Certificate in Accounting course has taken the Sage unit from their qualification, Gold Edge Training have kept it in. We believe that good rounded accountancy skills should include knowledge of digital bookkeeping systems, double-entry bookkeeping systems as well as manual accounting. We include the software for you to study Sage Certification.

 There are 4 modules to complete at level 2.  At the end of each module you will sit an exam as follows:

• Introduction to Bookkeeping - 1 exam  (90 mins)

• Principles of Bookkeeping Controls - 1 exam (90 mins)

• Principles of Costing - 1 exam (90 mins)

• The Business Environment Synoptic Assessment- 1 exam (120 mins)

Booking Exams

When to book your exams - It is time to think about booking your exam when you begin the revision stages of your studies. Revision on average takes 3 weeks to complete. Booking an exam at this stage gives you a focused end date for exam readiness.

You can sit your exams close to where you live. With the AAT qualification, there are no set exam dates for AAT, you sit them when you are ready.  We will advise you on how to book closer to when you are ready  for the first exam. 

If you want to begin an accountancy career, the AAT Certificate in Accounting level 2 is your perfect starting point to develop accountancy skills suitable for employment.  You can start applying for an accounts administrator or trainee accountants position as soon as you have passed your first AAT level 2 exam.

We enrol students from 14 years upwards. 

There are no entry requirements to study the AAT Level 2. It is expected that you have good basic maths skills and a good command of the English language.

If you already work in accounts and have prior knowledge plus a strong working knowledge of manual double-entry bookkeeping, it’s possible to start at level 3. If you feel you already have a solid foundation knowledge, please ring and speak to our Head of Faculty on 023 9400 3559.

To study you will require access to a PC or Laptop.  The learning platforms are both Windows and Mac compatible.

Whilst the lectures, e-books and interactive e-learning are delivered online. We also supply a combination of hardcopy Kaplan books and downloadable workbooks and question banks for balanced learning.

An AAT accountancy career is a career for life - anywhere in the world.  The AAT studies are underpinned by international accountancy standards meaning your skills will be transferrable worldwide.

Employers seek AAT studiers with a solid foundation knowledge and AAT qualified people because the qualification delivers practical, workplace ready skills. This demand is the reason why the AAT accounting qualification is the leading UK accountancy qualification. If you want to attract the attention of employers, especially when starting your career, self-finance your level 2 AAT. There is no stronger message to an employer than to say “I'm really keen and I am already studying”. The AAT level 2 will give you the peace of mind of kn0wing that you are learning the right skills to attract employer attention.

Below are average salaries for level 2 achievers: 

• Accounts Administrator - £23,000 

• Purchase/Sales Ledger Clerk - £23,000 

• Accounts Payable Clerk - £24,000

 For level 3 and 4 achievers

• Accounts/Finance Officer - £27,000

• Team Leader/Supervisor - £28,000

• Middle Manager - £36,000

• Director/Senior Manager - £46,000

 * Please note the salaries above are the median mid-point from survey participants only.  These salaries will vary with level of experience, position held, company size and geographic location.

Q. Should I study the AAT Bookkeeping course before the AAT Accounting course?

A. No.  The Bookkeeping qualification comprises of the two financial accounting units from the AAT Certificate in Accounting level 2.  The learning content & examinations are identical.

Q. Do I have to complete the full level 2 qualification before applying for a job?

A. No.  The AAT qualification is so sought after by employers that they are interested in employing you in an accounts entry position after you have passed your first exam. 

Q.  Studying all 3 levels of the AAT is expensive, I don’t know if I can afford it.  Should I start?

A. Yes definitely. We have courses and packages to suit all budgets and finance options to help spread the cost. Our Head of Faculty is happy to chat through your options with you. Contact us for advice on 023 9400 3559

Q. I have some accounting experience and don’t know what level is right for me.  Can I get help?

A. Yes. Gold Edge Training’s advice and guidance is noted as excellent in all of the AAT award nominations received.
Contact us for advice on 023 9400 3559. 

Q. Can I study AAT distance learning at my own speed?

A. Yes.  All students learn at different paces.  We are advocates of stress free learning and expect all learners to be different in their course completion speed.