Coláiste Muire Ballymote
Subject Profile
for
Accounting
2010-11
1
School Mission Statement:
Coláiste Muire seeks to:
 foster the personal development and pastoral care of each individual.
 maintain a balance between academic, technical and artistic achievement.
 value each individual, recognizing his/her uniqueness and dignity.
 affirm our catholic ethos, and develop an appreciation and pride in our cultural heritage
and environment.
 develop a co-operative caring environment between parents, teachers and home.
 maintain a policy of openness to all, regardless of class, creed of culture.
Our accounting programme seeks to:
 provide students with problem solving, computational and communication skills.
 provide continuation from the Junior Cycle Business Studies programme.
 prepare students for further education as well as for the world of work and adult life.
 encourage students to apply accounting knowledge and skills to the commercial aspects of
their own lives and that of their households.
 encourage in students an interest in and a positive attitude towards the business world.
Subject Aims:
Refer to the syllabus Leaving Certificate Accounting Syllabus Page 4 available at
http://www.curriculumonline.ie/uploadedfiles/PDF/lc_accounting_sy.pdf
Subject Objectives:
Refer to the syllabus Leaving Certificate Accounting Syllabus Page 4 - 5 available at
http://www.curriculumonline.ie/uploadedfiles/PDF/lc_accounting_sy.pdf
Subject Convenor:
Michelle McDermott
Subject teachers:


Michelle McDermott
Yvonne Carty
Time allocation:


5th year: 5 class periods – 1 double and 3 singles
6th year: 6 class periods – 1 double and 4 singles
Options Structure:



Accounting is optional at senior cycle.
For Year 1 of Senior Cycle, it is timetabled alongside Business, Construction and Biology.
For Year 2 of Senior Cycle, it is timetabled alongside Business, Geography and Music.
2
Timetabling:


Accounting is timetabled in blocks alongside other subjects (listed in Options Structure
above).
Higher and Ordinary level is timetabled together.
Grouping of pupils (Mixed ability, Streaming, Setting):


Pupils are of mixed ability, with ordinary and higher level students timetabled together.
There is a large divide between ordinary and higher level accounting and it would be more
beneficial to timetable ordinary level students separately to higher level students.
However, due to small numbers and lack of resources, it is not possible to achieve this at
present.
Student access to subject:




All students at Senior Cycle have the option to choose Accounting.
All students will have completed Business Studies at Junior Cycle.
Subject choice commences in February/March and final choices are confirmed in August.
Students are provided with a list of subjects which they take home to parents. Students
along with their parents choose 4 subjects in addition to Maths, English and Irish. Parents
will also have attended a Career evening in the school, where options are explained and
explored.
Student access to level:




The grade obtained by each student in Junior Cycle Business Studies is considered by the
teacher and advice is given to students in their decision to take higher/ordinary level.
Generally, those opting for higher level accounting should have completed Business
Studies in Junior Cycle to higher level.
All students have access to higher level. Students’ progress is monitored and tested
throughout each term and students are advised accordingly.
Higher/ordinary level students are taught simultaneously. If a student chooses to switch
level, he/she remains in the same class.
Class organisation:





A class roll call is taken at the beginning of each class.
Each teacher maintains a seating plan.
Each student must have a textbook, a copy of recent examination papers, a hardback copy
for class and home work and a test copy.
In year 1 of Senior Cycle, students sit individually as numbers are very small (6).
In year 2 of Senior Cycle, students work in groups: 3 groups of higher level students and 1
group of ordinary level. However, for class tests, students sit individually.
3
Planning for students with special needs:







Mathematical difficulties may arise.
Subject teachers may request extra help from Learning Support Teacher.
Small groupings allow for more one-to-one teaching in class.
Individual Education Plan for each student requiring learning support is developed by
Learning Support Teacher.
Language support is also available.
Special requests for state examination centres and for house exams are catered for.
Subject Department may liaise with the Home School Liaison Officer, other staff, Deputy
Principal and Principal.
Planning for a Culturally Diverse Society:
The school follows the guidelines ‘Intercultural Education in the Post-Primary School:
Guidelines’, and to the IILT resource book for language support in post-primary schools.
Cross-curricular planning:
Accounting programme links with the Junior Cycle Business Studies programme, the Senior Cycle
Business programme and Accounting is a link subject for LCVP.
Range/variety of resources:






Accounting syllabus:
http://www.curriculumonline.ie/uploadedfiles/PDF/lc_accounting_sy.pdf
Textbook: Accounting for Senior Cycle, Christy Tyrell
Solution pack for Accounting for Senior Cycle
Alternative texts/solutions possessed by each subject teacher, which are shared among
teachers as required.
Internet access for exam papers and marking schemes.
Subject folder available in the Year Head office.
Availability/Use of ICT facilities:



PC in each teacher’s classroom. Each teacher to be provided with a laptop and overhead
projector early 2011.
Internet used to download examination papers and marking schemes.
Some class notes generated electronically.
Provision for Health and Safety requirements:




The school has a Health and Safety policy and statement which was reviewed in 2008. It
is stored in a policies folder in the Principal’s office and the Deputy Principal’s office. Each
staff member received a copy of the statement.
An accident reporting book is available in the Principal’s office.
Accounting as a subject is covered by the normal health and safety policy of the school.
Fire evacuation notices are placed in each classroom.
4
Curriculum Planning
SUBJECT: Accounting
Content
Accounting Records
Depreciation
Revaluation
Control Accounts
Tabular Statements
Club Accounts
Budgeting – Cash, Production,
Flexible
Cash Flow Statements
Curriculum – Long-Term Planning
Classwork
An introduction to each topic using
textbook. Handouts used to explain
topics. Examples done on blackboard.
Students then begin to complete
assignments from their textbook and
exam papers. Homework corrected at
start of each class.
Year 5
Homework
Assessment
Homework given daily based on Homework corrected every day.
topic being covered in class.
Class tests given twice during
Exam questions give to revise each topic:
topics.
(a) at the end of ordinary
level
section
(all
students)
(b) at the end of higher level
section (HL students)
Note: OL students do another OL
test.
Textbooks / Materials
Accounting for Senior Cycle – Christy Tyrrell
Exam papers (HL & OL) Edco.
Past Mock Papers
Differentiated Teaching Strategies
Both levels taught topic initially to OL standard. While HL section of topic is being taught, OL students continue with OL questions.
Links to Learning Support / Resource
SUBJECT: Accounting
Curriculum – Long-Term Planning
Year 6
Content
Classwork
Homework
Assessment
Revision of topics completed in 5th
year (Tabular Statements, Club
Accounts, Accounts of Service
Firms, Costing and Cash Flow
Statements)
All other topics from syllabus to be
completed this year, with the
exception of ‘Question 1’ as time
does not allow.
Homework from the previous lesson is
corrected at the beginning of each
class.
At the beginning of each new topic,
students take notes from teacher, and
teacher completes a sample question
on the board.
Students attempt
assignments from their text with help,
explanation and advice given by
teacher. Exam paper questions are
then attempted by students for the
topic.
Homework is assigned daily
based on class work.
Revision assignments are given
in preparation for class tests and
in-house exams.
Homework is corrected at the
beginning of each class.
Class tests are given at the end
of each topic.
Textbooks / Materials
Accounting for Senior Cycle by Christy Tyrell and solution pack
Leaving Certificate Accounting by Kevin O’Riordan and solution pack
Less Stress More Success Revision
Revise Wise from EdCo.
Past Leaving Certificate Exam Papers and marking schemes
Differentiated Teaching Strategies
Ordinary/Higher level students are taught together until ordinary level is completed for each topic. While higher level is being taught the higher level
material for a topic, ordinary level students continue with more ordinary level assignments.
6
Homework:
1. The purpose of setting homework in our subject is to:
- Consolidate work done in class
- Enhance academic achievement
- Encourage self-directed study
- Assist in teachers’ ongoing assessment of pupils’ work
- Encourage practical work/project work
- Promote learning of concepts
- Help students organise own work
- Encourage parents take an interest in and to share responsibility for their children’s work
and progress?
2. Homework is assigned each day to complement the work done in class.
3. It is corrected the following day and student copies are taken up by the teacher on a regular basis.
4. Chapter questions and past exam questions are used for homework.
5. Students complete one question for homework each evening.
Assessment






Students are assessed using:
Homework, class tests, in-house exams, mock exams.
Samples of exemplar material are also used by teachers.
Assessment for learning techniques are employed in the classroom.
Homework is assigned daily. Class tests occur at the end of each topic. In-house exams
occur at Christmas for all students and in summer for students that are not taking state
examinations.
Homework records are kept by each teacher. Test and in-house exam results are kept by
each teacher. Copies of Christmas and summer reports are retained by year heads and
also in student files in the main office. Mock exams are set and examined externally with
results returned to the school.
Students are given feedback about their homework on a daily basis and on other
assessments soon after the assessment has taken place.
Parents are provided with a Christmas report and a summer report.
Accounting teachers liaise on assessment practices.
Record Keeping Procedures:
Attendance:
Each subject teacher has an office roll book and a teacher handbook. The office roll book is used
to record attendance for the first class each day. For the teacher’s first class, attendance is
recorded in the office roll book and sent to the secretary. The teacher’s handbook is used to
record attendance for all other classes during the school day.
Homework:
Teachers record homework in their teacher handbook.
Test results:
Test results are recorded by the teacher in their teacher handbook. Test copies/folders will also be
used.
Class plans and organisation charts are kept in the teacher roll book.
7
Subject plans and records of meetings are kept in the Accounting subject folder in the year head
office.
Reporting Procedures:
1. Class test results are reported to students. Feedback is given on homework and
assessments.
2. Christmas reports are posted to parents for all students. Summer reports are sent to
parents of 1st, 2nd, TY and 5th year students.
3. Parent-teacher meetings are held once per year for each year group.
4. Teachers report misbehaviour in a demerit book. Year Heads check demerit books
regularly and discuss behavioural issues with the student. Serious misdemeanours may
be reported by the class teacher to the year head, the DP or the Principal.
5. Parents are notified of behavioural issues via the homework journal, letters and phone
calls and at parent-teacher meetings.
2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN for Subject Department:
i) Areas of need identified:
This year, both accounting teachers are self-taught.
No in-service was available.
ii) Expertise within Subject Department identified:
Teachers rely on each other and on assistance from colleagues outside of the school.
Michelle McDermott taught accounting and computerised accounts to Post-Leaving Certificate level
in another school.
8