These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss and monitor your students’ progress through all components of the ACA qualification, including practical work experience, professional development ladders, ethics and professional scepticism, and passing, or receiving credit for prior learning for, all 15 ACA exams.
The purpose of the six-monthly review
Not only are six monthly reviews a requirement of training ACA students, they are also a great way for you to fully understand what your student has learnt over the last six months. You will need to assess their development and progress, ensuring they are on track to achieve the knowledge, skills and experience needed to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Identifying progress at regular intervals makes it easier to recognise any areas where additional support is needed.
Six-monthly review checklist
Before commencing a six-monthly review, become familiar with the six-monthly review checklist. This will take you through what you need to ask your students and actions that need to be taken.
Preparing for a six-monthly review
It is your student’s responsibility to arrange a suitable time with you for each review, however you should do your best to facilitate these meetings regularly. The first review can take place up to eight months following your student’s start date to accommodate existing appraisal cycles.
Ahead of each review, access your students online training file to review their professional development, ethics and exam progress from the last six months. These review points must be discussed with your students’ line manager or the organisations counsellor, if you do not hold one of these roles.
Review and discussion points
Ensure sufficient time is set aside for each review, we recommend an hour, where all components of the ACA training can be discussed, including:
- Professional development - review your student's progress through each of the seven ladders and confirm you are happy that the examples provided adequately demonstrate the required skills. Your student must then enter all your comments into the feedback box.
- Ethics and professional scepticism - you will need to discuss your students' ethical development, their progress through the Ethics Learning Programme, any attempts at the assessment and discuss two scenarios and a real ethical situation. Each individual discussion must be evidenced within your students online training file.
- Practical work experience - review your students' practical work experience within the last six months and agree the number of days completed.
- Exams - review and discuss your students’ progress and results so far, any re-sit plans and what elements they have found most relevant or interesting.
- Audit Qualification - if you are UK based and your student is working towards their Audit Qualification during their ACA training, you must review and agree on the number of audit work experience days accrued in the previous six months. Review your students’ audit work experience, if relevant, within the last six months, agree the number of days completed and provide feedback within the training file. Ensure these days are appropriately split between statutory and other, and that no ineligible experience (e.g., internal audit work, grant audits, limited scope assurance engagements) is included.
- Further guidance - your student may also want to discuss the areas where they would like to develop, for example, on-the-job guidance, coaching, or mentoring.
Your students must log into their online training file during the meeting to discuss the information they have inputted over the previous six-months. For each element of the ACA (practical work experience, professional development ladders, ethics and professional scepticism and exams), they must input your feedback and commentary on progression. You can review these comments on your own account by logging into the online training file here.
At each six-monthly review, your students will confirm that their online training file has been accurately and honestly prepared.
Before concluding the six-monthly review, you must confirm the date and time of the next review. This provides a deadline for your students to work towards.
A successful six-monthly review
In summary, when planning and executing successful six-monthly reviews for your students remember:
- These reviews are meant to benefit both you and your students. They will help you identify any additional support or guidance your students need and will aid your students to stay on track to completing the ACA.
- Prep time is essential! Ensure you have fully planned the review points you wish to discuss with your students, making sure they are comprehensive and constructive.
- Take your time. In these hour-plus long reviews, there will be a lot to cover. Make sure every element of the ACA is explored, checking for understanding from your students as you go.
- Lastly, it is vital that everything is recorded. It may be your student’s responsibility to evidence your comments and feedback, but it is up to you to check that everything discussed has been recorded and understood.
Between these reviews, your students are responsible for actively taking on board your feedback and commentary and implementing it throughout the remainder of their training agreement.