June 2024 SBL PreSeen - What The Examiners Said
Essential Takeaways From The Examiners Report
The June 2024 SBL exam included pre-seen information for the fourth time.
This pre-seen provided an overview of the pet vet services industry in Arland, a fictional country, and detailed information about PVS, a leading operator in the industry.
Structure Of The PreSeen
The aim of the pre-seen information is to help you understand the industry and company context, setting you up to better analyse and understand the exhibit information presented on exam day.
There were 2 sections to the June Pre-Seen material.
Arland Pet Vet Services Industry: Offers a general industry overview.
PVS (Pet Vet Services): Gives background on the specific company.
Key Points To Remember
Understanding NOT Memorisation
Use the pre-seen information to build a solid understanding of the industry and company, rather than memorising it or trying to predict exam questions.Integrate the PreSeen information with Exam Day Exhibits
Use the pre-seen information to support and contextualise your answers, but SO NOT rely on it as the primary source.
Most Common Issue Observed
The examiner’s report highlights a common issue: many candidates relied too heavily on the pre-seen information, often copying and pasting sections into their answers.
It’s vital to further develop the information from the pre-seen and relate it specifically to the tasks presented in the exam.
Recommendations For Success
To make the most of the pre-seen information, follow these recommendations from the ACCA examining team.
Comprehensive Understanding
Ensure you fully grasp the industry and company context provided in the pre-seen.
Exhibit Focused
Prioritise the information from the exam day exhibits when developing your answers.Contextual Support
Use the pre-seen information to enhance your points but avoid over-reliance.
Observations On Candidates Exam Performance
The Examining Team report that it was evident most candidates had read the pre-seen information.
Stronger candidates used the pre-seen details effectively to provide appropriate context in their answers.
However, weaker candidates often randomly included details from the pre-seen and exhibits without considering their relevance.
For example, many mentioned that 60% of new pet owners in Arland in the last five years are aged 16 to 34, regardless of its pertinence to the task. Stick to the Point!!
The most successful candidates seamlessly integrated relevant exhibit information with their understanding of the pre-seen, applied relevant technical knowledge from the SBL syllabus, and demonstrated strong professional skills through well-structured and logical answers.
Suggested Timing Strategy
Effective time management is crucial for success in the SBL exam. Spend the first 15 minutes reading and understanding the exam exhibits and tasks, and creating an outline plan. This leaves you 180 minutes (3 hours) to answer all tasks.
Allocating Timings To Questions
The examining team advise the following timings:
Task 1a (18 marks): 32 minutes
Task 1b (20 marks): 36 minutes
Task 2a (20 marks): 36 minutes
Task 2b (18 marks): 32 minutes
Task 3 (24 marks): 44 minutes
Final Thoughts
The PreSeen material will be released two weeks before the September exams, so look out for notifications from ACCA.
We will also be adding our thoughts and general analysis on the material here on aCOWtancy, so look out for the Textbook and Classroom additions.
It's easy to feel that you need to know everything about pre-seen the industry and real-world contextual details.
However, the genuine reason you get the pre-seen material is so that you're not going from a standing-start in the exam. It's given to you so that you know what's coming and what potential angles may be explored in the questions and exam-day exhibits. And remember, it's been given to you in advance, because the exam time itself has been shortened so you've effectively 'read ahead', saving you time in the exam.
Have a great day!
Team aCOWtancy