AQA A-level ACCOUNTING 7127/1 Paper 1 Financial Accounting Mark scheme June 2023

Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from Level of response marking instructions Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level. Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme. An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Marking guidance question 11 This question is only testing Assessment Objective 1. You should apply the level of response mark scheme to the explanation. Read the explanation as a whole and decide if it is clear, partial, fragmented or nothing worthy of credit. When you have made your decision, award the appropriate level by using L3, L2, L1 or L0 and show this on the answer by using the drop-down comment box. Then put the appropriate mark for the question in the mark box. Marking guidance for questions 14.2 & 15.2 These questions are testing Assessment Objectives 2 and 3. Be clear on the focus of the question. Read the whole question and decide which level should be awarded, then add the appropriate level to the script from the comment box, eg L3, L2, L1 or L0. Then put the marks awarded for the question in the mark box. Remember that the indicative content provides possible answers but there may be others that are equally valid, and you should give credit to other lines of argument. A good response does not need to include all the indicative content. Marking guidance for questions 16 & 17 Be clear on the focus of the question. When you have decided on the level to be awarded add the appropriate comment which best describes the response to the end of the answer. L5 Convincing judgement/recommendation fully supported by evaluation and analysis of a wide range of evidence with a strong chain of reasoning. L5 Astute judgement/recommendation which takes limitations of evidence into account. L4 Judgement/recommendation is supported by evaluation and analysis of a range of evidence. L4 Judgement/recommendation is supported after some consideration of limitations of evidence. L3 Judgement/recommendation is incomplete but supported by analysis of a range of evidence. L3 Judgement/recommendation is developed but analysis and application are limited. L2 Judgement/recommendation is given but with limited analysis and weak application. L2 Limited range of evidence is analysed and limited chain of reasoning. L1 Fragmented points of little/unclear relevance. L1 No conclusion/recommendation/judgement with poor application. L1 Conclusion unsupported. L0 Has not attempted the question. L0 Has not produced an answer of any value. Then review the script and annotate using the following comments: Where you identify: Situation Comment to use Application knowledge of principles/concepts/techniques Application is fragmented or descriptive or not adequately applied to the context Weak application Application is relevant and applied fully to the context Clear application Analysis A limited attempt at analysis Weak analysis Analysis is logical/considered Reasoned analysis Evaluation An attempt at assessment/evaluation with little or no supporting evidence Weak evaluation Evaluation/assessment is logical and supported by evidence Supported evaluation Evaluation/assessment considers the relative significance and limitations of the evidence Astute evaluation Judgement or Conclusion or Recommendation An attempt at judgement is made but unsupported by evidence or argument Judgement/conclusion – unsupported A judgement is made and is supported but the support is weak or evidence used is limited Judgement/conclusion – limited/weak support The judgement is supported by evidence and argument but may not be fully balanced Judgement/conclusion – supported Judgement is supported by evidence and considers the limitations of the evidence in context Judgement/conclusion – fully justified Remember that the indicative content provides possible answers but there may be others that are equally valid and you should give credit to other lines of argument. A good response does not need to include all the indicative content. Consider the question as a whole, together with the annotations made, and decide on the level to be awarded. Show the Level awarded, e.g. L2, using the relevant comment from the drop-down list and then enter the mark in the total box reflecting where in the level the answer sits. If in doubt about an answer or if you are unsure of the validity of the content then contact your Team Leader. Please make sure that you follow the guidance in the standardisation scripts as we need to have a consistent approach across all marking. Be positive in your marking and look to reward what is there. The own figure rule General principle The own figure rule is designed to ensure that students are only penalised once for a particular error at the point at which that error is made, and suffer no further penalty as a consequence of the error. The error could be in an account, a calculation, financial statement, or prose explanation. Where the own figure rule is to be applied in a mark scheme, the symbol OF is used. Applications In an account: a student could still achieve a mark for balancing an account with their own figure, rather than the correct figure, if they had made an error in the account (such as the omission of an entry, or the inclusion of an incorrect figure for an otherwise valid entry). However, it should be noted that an own figure would not be awarded for the balance of an account, if the account contained any item which should not have appeared (often referred to as an ‘alien’ item). In a complex calculation to which several marks are allocated: a student could achieve an own figure mark for the result of a complex calculation, if an error has been made in one of the steps leading to the final result. The complex calculation could be a separate task, or an aspect of a larger requirement (such as workings to provide details for a financial statement). In a financial statement: a student could still achieve a mark for calculating an own figure for a key subtotal within a financial statement where an error had already occurred in the data making up the subsection (such as the omission of an item, or an incorrect figure for an otherwise valid entry). Again, the own figure for a subtotal would not be given if the subsection included any ‘alien’ item. In a prose statement: a student who is explaining or interpreting some financial statements or data that they have prepared but which contains errors, would be credited with an appropriate interpretation of their own figures. Workings A ‘W’ next to a figure in the mark schemes means that the figure needs to be calculated by the student to which workings are shown for reference. If the figure the student has given in their answer is wrong and the marks given for that calculation are more than 1, then the marker must refer to the working for that item. The working will show the steps of the calculation to which the marks are attributed and the student should be allocated the marks for the steps they completed correctly. Financial Statements Where questions require students to prepare financial statements (or extracts of these), the indicative mark schemes will include the standard wording that we have suggested in our statements resource. Students may use slightly different wording for entries in statements, which should not be penalised if it is clear that the meaning is the same. Section A Multiple Choice Questions Question Number Answer 01 C Local community 02 A An invoice for machinery repairs posted to the machinery cost account. 03 B Contra entry; discounts received; purchase returns