OxfordAQA 9215
Paper 1: Introduction to Book keeping and Financial Accounting
OxfordAQA 9215 Paper 1 lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and carries 75 marks, which is 50% of the qualification.
Structure at a glance
| Specification Version 1.2 | |
|---|---|
| Title | Paper 1: Introduction to Book keeping and Financial Accounting |
| Duration | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Marks | 75 marks |
| Weighting | 50% of the qualification |
| Content | Assesses subject content sections 1 to 3 |
| Section A | Section A: 10 multiple-choice questions (10 marks) followed by short-answer questions (15 marks), 25 marks in all |
| Section B | Section B: three structured questions, two worth 15 marks and one worth 20 marks, 50 marks in all |
Sources: OxfordAQA International GCSE Accounting (9215) specification (FT Sept 2024) (Version 1.2), page 9. See all sources.
What this paper tests
Paper 1 is called Introduction to Book keeping and Financial Accounting. It assesses content sections 1 to 3: sources and recording of data, verification of accounting records, and the development of the accounting model. At 75 marks and 1 hour 45 minutes it is half of the qualification. It tests the double entry model and the accounting concepts hardest.
Content it draws on, with our guide to each part:
How our teachers prepare students for it
Section A is 25 marks of quick questions, so our teachers practise it as a timed sprint and aim to finish with minutes in hand. Section B is three structured questions, two worth 15 marks and one worth 20, which are typically bookkeeping or verification tasks. In a mock we practise the 20-mark question last, because a student who has banked earlier marks can afford to take time over it.
Because OxfordAQA 9215 is new, past papers are scarce, so we write original questions in the same shape. We also use the specification's long list of source documents, including till rolls and journal vouchers, as a checklist, so no document name surprises a student.
The specification gives about 40 to 50% of the marks to knowledge and understanding (AO1) and about 50 to 60% to applying it (AO2), in each paper. For Paper 1 that means a student must know which book or ledger a document feeds and then post it correctly.
A suggested time plan (our suggestion)
The board does not set a timetable inside the paper. As a starting point we hold back 10 minutes for checking, which leaves 95 of the 105 minutes for answering, or about 1.27 minutes for each mark. Adjust it to the student: someone quick at ledger accounts can spend less on the 15-mark tasks and keep more minutes for the 20-mark task.
| Part of the paper | Marks | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
| Section A: 10 multiple-choice questions on recording and verification | 10 | 13 minutes |
| Section A: short answers on documents, ledgers and errors | 15 | 19 minutes |
| Section B: two 15-mark bookkeeping or verification tasks | 30 | 38 minutes |
| Section B: one 20-mark task, taken last | 20 | 25 minutes |
Computed from the duration and marks above. It is our own rule of thumb, not a board recommendation.
If your child makes these slips under timed conditions, a teacher can mark a timed attempt at this paper and show where the minutes and marks go. Book a trial class.
Related
OxfordAQA 9215 Paper 1: questions
What does Paper 1 assess?
How is the paper split?
Is there a calculator rule?
Are FIFO, AVCO and LIFO examined?
Can Paper 1 be retaken on its own?
Practise Paper 1 with a teacher
The trial class works through OxfordAQA International GCSE Accounting questions with a teacher, so you see how the paper is approached. One-to-one and online, from RM75/hr.
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