ICB Self Assessment Exam - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

kjmcculloch · Guru

ICB Self Assessment Exam

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Kris

If you can get your hands on the bible from HMRC, its got all the info within it. I do not know what the ICB version is and you could probably download everything from the HMRC website.

It will be a bit daunting if you have not done SA's before.

Good luck if you choose to do it.

P

Peasie · Expert

I bought the ICB manual. I've sat my test and await the results. I'm glad I bought the manual. I think at £40 it is a bit dear for its contents. It certainly helped me with the exam though. But it is not enough on its own. You will need to read your way through the HMRC leaflets.

What I did with the ICB manual was work my way through it. I did each test as it came up. When I got it wrong I tried again. Eventually I worked my way through the whole manual. Then I went through it again to see if I could do it in one go without any mistakes. If I had made one mistake I would have redone the whole manual again - luckily I didn't.

I personally find it easier to read things on paper rather than on a screen so you can order the various leaflets/forms/helpsheets here :
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/contactus/staustellform.htm

Blacker9999 · Veteran Member

Hi Peasie,

How did you find the exam, i just recieved my bible from HMRC yesterday and thinking of doing the exam maybe next week or so.

any help appreciated.

Ronnie

Peasie · Expert

The actual "calculating" part of the exam I found ok as well as the form filling in part. But there are other questions along with the exam I answered as best I could. I'm hopeless at letter writing. In a "real world" situation I thought it more likely you would meet the client and explain things face to face.

Brewsie · Veteran Member

Peasie - you may explain face-to-face but always better to back it up with something in writing. clients can have selective memories!!

Peasie · Expert

Very true - but putting everything in a letter puts me off. It is easier (for me) to explain something to their face and then back this up in writing later rather than explain everything in a letter. I'm useless with English.

I suppose I can see now their reason for putting these questions in now. Still, I'd hate to fail on something like that if my actual calculations were correct and my filling in on the returm and its various supplement pages was correct.

Kaz82 · Veteran Member

How do you purchase the self assesment tax returns manual from the ICB? I cant seem to find the section.

Thanks

Karen

Peasie · Expert

http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Shop/Category/Text_Books

Make sure you are logged in otherwise you will pay the full price of £60.

Peasie · Expert

I failed the exam. I think I'll go kick something. 98% I got. Do they post the thing back and give me any hint as to where I may have went wrong?

PJC Bookkeeping · Veteran Member

I am sorry to hear that you failed the exam Peasie. 98% is a good mark! I believe you will receive the papers and given a chance to correct the mistakes you made.

Regards

Peter

PJC Bookkeeping Services

ICBUK · Guru

Hi Peasie,

Sorry to hear that, 98% is high, are you sure you failed and not got a partial?

Partial means you have made errors but they are not major. What happens then is the examiner will write to you with a copy of your paper and ask you to re-do parts and then resubmit.

Peasie · Expert

ICBUK wrote:

Hi Peasie,

Sorry to hear that, 98% is high, are you sure you failed and not got a partial?

Partial means you have made errors but they are not major. What happens then is the examiner will write to you with a copy of your paper and ask you to re-do parts and then resubmit.

Partial. Fail. It amounts to the sme thing - I didn't pass.

Peasie · Expert

I've got my paper back through the post and I am absolutely raging at the ICB. Now I accept I have one of the tasks wrong and will do my best to correct this as I think I can see where I have gone wrong. But one of the tasks I have failed (IMO) because of the ambiguity of the question......and anyone that has taken the exam I think will know which task I am referring to.

I can't even ask for anyone's opinion as that would be cheating and the ICB know who I am. In a real world situation if I was unsure of something I would either phone up HMRC or come on to this forum (or other forums) to ask for advice.

But what annoys me the most is the fact the "Examiner's Comments" are handwritten and I can barely make out what is being aksed of me.

So my future career hangs on an ambiguous question and barely legible notes.

One thing I will say in their favour is it was marked a lot quicker than I expected. They received it on the 25th August. Marked it on the 28th. Put the result on their website on the 2nd September and I received the paper back on the 3rd.

ICBUK · Guru

Hi Peasie,

Thanks for the feedback, will look into the hand written report, but good it was marked quickly.

Why don't you ring the ICB and ask for clarification on the question?

The examinations team always tries to be very helpfull, and, although steps are taken, sometimes questions are ambigous which is no fault of the student. If this does happen and the ICB receive a call about it the question will be reviewed and probably re written.

ADAS · Guru

gulp.... that passmark is onerous - Gutted for you Peasie that you were so close.

So if I've read your post correctly James - Can you re-submit the same paper after correcting the appropriate parts of a partial-fail or do you have to do a complete re-sit?

Regards
Tony.

Peasie · Expert

Hi James,

You will see from an earlier thread that many people found the task ambiguous. Unfortunately I went with a different option from what I wrote on that thread - I had my reasons. I've calmed down a bit from earlier - mainly due to the fact I got another task WRONG. Figure that one out - I'm happy I got something wrong. I now realise where I went wrong so hopefully I will pass next time.

I stand by what I said about the handwriting - I don't think these notes should be handwritten. They should be typed out. I don't this this would be too difficult in practical terms as I think these notes were written on top of the return I submitted. What I mean is - they don't appear to part of a NCR set where the ICB keeps one copy and returns one to me. So they could easily just slip the page into a printer.

As for phoning the ICB for clarification - I'm sure I've read on threads here that is a waste of time as they won't give any information out regarding the exams.

Peasie · Expert

ADAS wrote:

Can you re-submit the same paper after correcting the appropriate parts of a partial-fail or do you have to do a complete re-sit?

I'll answer what they sent me - I have to write them a short report on what I did incorrectly to show them I understand how the errors were made and that I know how to correct them. This is on a seperate sheet of paper which I attach to my original assessment. I then return this by recorded delivery again. I also have to enclose £25 re-submission fee.

Wella · Expert

ICBUK wrote:
........
Why don't you ring the ICB and ask for clarification on the question?
........

Hi James

I have to agree with Peasies comment "As for phoning the ICB for clarification...."

I did exactly that, last year (probably the same question) and regrettably was told that no assistance could be given, as it was an exam (I wasn't looking for the answer, just clarification of the question).

As I felt the question was so ambiguous, I added notes to the examiner explaining my interpretation of the question with the resulting answer, also adding that in the real world, I would clarify an unclear point with the client.

I was lucky. I did pass first time

Bill

-- Edited by Wella on Friday 3rd of September 2010 04:10:38 PM

ICBUK · Guru

Hello all,

I have just got out of a meeting and unfortunatly the examinations department have left for the weekend so will put it in my calandar to speak with them about it on Monday. If you could email info@bookkeepers.org.uk FAO: James with this question I can check it out.

This year we have updated our database so it should be easy to see what % of people taking the paper you have done are getting the same question wrong. Therefore if it is too high I am sure the exams dept will revise it.

Wella, sorry to hear that, obviously they cannot give details on the question, but should explain it if it is hard to understand or ambiguous.

Although I do know that we do sometimes get questions from students where they are just nervous or miss reading the question and the advice is always stay calm, take a breather or break, and re-read the question.

If you want to email me at the above I can see if it is the same question and who spoke to you.

-- Edited by ICBUK on Friday 3rd of September 2010 05:32:06 PM

Julies bookkeeping · Veteran Member

Sorry Peasie I do not want to take over your post, but James has just replied

"Although I do know that we do sometimes get questions from students where they are just nervous or miss reading the question and the advice is always stay calm, take a breather or break, and re-read the question"

Not that I ever call you on exam questions, but the remainder is why I am against having to take exams that I have taken many times before when you cannot take a break.

Peasie · Expert

Just logged onto the ICB site and see I have passed this exam. I am over the moon (doesn't just apply to footballers). Just waiting to have it confirmed in writing.

Wella · Expert

Congratulations Peasie

Bill

remington · Veteran Member

Hi Peasie

I have just bought the manual for the Level 111 in Self Assessment Tax from the ICB for £40, I am currently studying my Level 3 manual exam with Ideal Schools and they are now offering the Self Assessment course, do you think it is worth signing up with Ideal Schools or is the ICB manual sufficient? I see you are studying Level 3 with Ideal Schools, how are you finding the course?

Remington

Peasie · Expert

Just noticed this....

Hi Remington,

I don't think the manual from the ICB on its own is enough. If you can get your hands on the "Self Assessment Tax Returns Guide 2010" (the big book) from HMRC that will help. If you can't you'll just need to order all the booklets from HMRC or download them. I don't know how much Ideal Schools are charging for the SA course so you will need to weigh up yourself if it is worth it. Bear in mind you'll probably be able to recoup the cost of the course with the additional work you will be allowed to do.

Level III manual - I've kind of stalled on that. Just been distracted. I ordered the Patroll Diploma course from Ideal Schools and went on to that instead. I'm a bit annoyed at the delay in them marking my assignments. Sent in 1 & 2 and they were marked quickly enough. The next assignment to be marked was number 5 so I resent 3 & 4 and also told them all 8 manual assignment have been sent in, in the hope they'd post out the computerised side of things.