Level 2/3 Finance Qualifications

Overview

The Norfolk County Council Education Finance team have developed two online educationally contextualised finance qualifications that correlate with the ISBL professional standards and are available as national qualifications.

Learn how to manage the books of an educational establishment, including the foundations of accountancy and double-entry bookkeeping.

Master day-to-day accountancy processes while making a significant contribution towards the achievement of your establishment's educational goals.

Learning Outcomes

This programme is made up of 2 qualifications, detailed below:

  • In this Level 2 national qualification you'll learn how to manage the books of an educational establishment, including the foundations of accountancy and double-entry bookkeeping.

    There are 14 lessons within this qualification all tailored to bookkeeping in educational establishments, including:.

    • Introduction to Bookkeeping - An introduction to the world of accountancy, VAT and bookkeeping in educational establishments

    • Buying Goods and Services - Purchasing regulations, documents, payment methods and how to record accounting entries for purchases

    • Selling Goods and Services - Sales documentation, customer statements and how to record accounting entries for sales

    • Receipts and Payments - How to record accounting entries for receipts and payments, purchasing cards and petty cash

    • Payroll - An introduction to payroll and how to record accounting entries for payroll transactions

    • Capital and Fixed Assets - An introduction to capital expenditure and fixed assets and how to record accounting entries for acquisitions

    • Period End - Period End processes, recording journals and completing a bank reconciliation

    • Trial Balance - An introduction to the Financial Statements and the preparation of the Trial Balance

    Each lesson provides practical, real-world accounting and finance knowledge that you can put to use from day one.

  • In this Level 3 national qualification you'll master day-to-day accountancy processes while making a significant contribution towards the achievement of your establishment's educational goals.

    There are seven mandatory units within this qualification, all of which are focused on educational establishments.

    • Bookkeeping - How to manage the books including the foundations of double-entry bookkeeping and associated documents and processes; also available as a separate qualification

    • Costing - How to extract costing data and perform calculations to provide essential information, to inform decision-making processes

    • Procurement - How to obtain value for money using the procurement cycle when purchasing goods and services in educational establishments

    • Preparing financial accounts - How to account for fixed assets and make end of year adjustments to the financial accounts

    • VAT - How to account for VAT in order to comply with legislation and how to perform the calculations needed to complete a VAT return

    • Internal control systems - How to identify the typical internal controls implemented to protect educational establishments against financial fraud

    • Budgeting - How to set a well-informed, balanced budget and identify variances between budgeted and actual figures

    Each unit is published on the Regulated Qualification Framework and provides practical, real-world accounting and finance knowledge that you can use from day one.

About the qualifications

  • The level 2 and 3 qualifications are suitable for those working at a foundation practitioner level across the ISBL Professional Standards in a Finance Administration or similar role. Both qualifications have been fully mapped to the ISBL professional standards which can be viewed by clicking here.

  • Each qualification is delivered through an online learning package, with the following features:

    • Online lessons - Engaging and interactive bite-sized online lessons allowing you to learn at a time convenient to you

    • Learning Hub - Exclusive access to an online Learning Hub to help you manage your learning

    • Knowledge checks - Regular knowledge checks to help keep your learning on track and achieve success

    • Support helpline - Access to a dedicated support line when you need extra support and guidance

  • Total study time for the level 2 qualification is around 50 hours and for the level 3 qualification is around 180 hours.

  • There are no specific entry requirements to take either qualification but it is most suitable for those already working in a finance role within an educational establishment.

  • The level 2 qualification is assessed through an online open-book assessment and the level 3 qualification through an online exam and portfolio.

  • The level 2 Bookkeeping in Education online learning package is £250 per person.

    The level 3 Administering Finance in Education online learning package is £1350 per person.

Bookings

To progress an order please click on the link below and complete the form:

Please ensure that you identify the ‘ISBL website’ for question 11 ‘How did you hear about our qualifications?’

Alternatively if you have specific queries related to the programmes, please contact Norfolk County Council on:

  • Tel: 01603 306407

  • Email: financequalifications@norfolk.gov.uk

Order form

For any enquiries, please contact: training@isbl.org.uk