Accounting

Accounting 4AC1 — specification explorer

All 48 specification statements from the official Pearson Edexcel specification, as printed — filter by paper, unit or tier exactly as Pearson Edexcel assesses them.

Scope the specification

48 spec points

Paper

Every statement · 4AC1/01

Assessment homes come from the parsed Pearson specification (content summaries & assessment overviews). Hover a chip for the printed rule. Filters appear only where the qualification has that structure — a linear IGCSE has no unit scope, and only Maths A splits Foundation / Higher tiers.

1. The accounting environment

1. Types of business organisation

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.119
Explain the characteristics of:
- public sector organisations
- private sector organisations
- sole traders
- partnerships.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.120Explain the connection between stakeholders and a business, identifying the stakeholders’ use of the business’s financial statements.4AC1/01

2. Accounting concepts

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.121
Understand the significance of the following accounting concepts:
- consistency
- prudence
- accruals
- materiality
- money measurement
- business entity.
4AC1/01

3. Use of technology in accounting

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.122
Explain the benefits of using technology within accounting:
- accounting software
- spreadsheets.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.123
Explain the issues regarding the security of data:
- data loss
- access
- confidentiality.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.124
Explain the methods of protecting data:
- hardware
- software.
4AC1/01

4. Professional ethics

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.125Describe the principles of professional ethics.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.126Apply the principles of professional ethics to accounting roles and functions.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S1.127Explain the concept of public interest and how it is applied to accounting roles and functions.4AC1/01

2. Introduction to bookkeeping

1. Business documentation

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.128Explain the purpose of business documents.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.129
Prepare the following business documents:
- purchase order
- purchase invoice
- sales invoice
- credit note
- statement of account
- remittance advice
- petty cash voucher.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.130Cash receipt4AC1/01

2. Books of original entry

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.131Explain the purpose of books of original entry.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.132
Prepare the following books of original entry:
- purchases day book
- sales day book
- purchases returns book
- sales returns book
- three-column cash book
- petty cash book
- the journal.
4AC1/01

3. Ledger accounting

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.133
Explain the purpose of the:
- nominal ledger
- receivables ledger
- payables ledger.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.134Record transactions in ledger accounts using double entry principles.4AC1/01

4. Capital expenditure and revenue expenditure

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.135
Explain the terms:
- capital expenditure
- revenue expenditure.
4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.136Explain the importance of the correct treatment of capital expenditure and revenue expenditure.4AC1/01

5. Depreciation

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.137Explain the causes of depreciation.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.138Distinguish between straight line and reducing balance methods of depreciation.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.139Calculate and record depreciation in the books of account.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.140Calculate and record profit or loss of disposal of non-current assets.4AC1/01

6. Irrecoverable debts

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.141Explain why it is necessary to provide a provision for irrecoverable debts.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.142Distinguish between an irrecoverable debt and a provision for an irrecoverable debt.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.143Calculate and record irrecoverable debts and provision for irrecoverable debts in the books of account.4AC1/01

7. Other receivables and payables

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.144Explain why it is necessary to account for other receivables and payables.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.145Distinguish between other receivables and payables.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S2.146Calculate and record other receivables and payables in the books of account.4AC1/01

3. Introduction to control processes.

1. Introduction to control processes.

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.018Students are assessed through a 2-hour written examination, set and marked4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.019The examination comprises a mixture of multiple-choice, short- and long-answer4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.020Section A comprises 10 1-mark multiple-choice questions and three short-answer4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.021Section B comprises five multi-part questions worth 15 marks each.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.022The total number of marks available for the examination paper is 100.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.023The examination addresses all three Assessment Objectives.**4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.024Externally assessed 33.3% of the total International GCSE4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.025Availability: January and June4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.026First assessment: June 20194AC1/01

2. Trial balance

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.147Explain the purpose of a trial balance.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.148Prepare a trial balance.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.149Understand the limitations of a trial balance.4AC1/01

3. Control accounts

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.150Explain the purpose of control accounts.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.151Prepare a trade receivables control account and a trade payables control account.4AC1/01

4. Correction of errors

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.152Identify and explain errors that do and do not affect the balancing of the trial balance.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.153Prepare journal entries to correct errors.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.154Prepare a suspense account.4AC1/01

5. Bank reconciliation statements

IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.155Explain the purpose of bank reconciliation statements.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.156Understand the process of bank reconciliation.4AC1/01
IGCSE_ACCOUNTING:S3.157Prepare a bank reconciliation statement.4AC1/01