Over the past two weeks our Accounting T Level students have been participating in sessions hosted by KBM Chartered Accountants.

Abdullah is a qualified accountant at KBM who used to attend another Twyford Trust school. He played an integral role in delivering the workshops to our accounting students. Here he shares his thoughts on what it was like coming back to the Trust, now as a professional, having been a former student:

“It was a great experience going to Ada Lovelace and to speak with the T Level students. Coming back was quite nostalgic, and it was enjoyable to see some of my former teachers again and catch up with them. It was rewarding to share my journey and hopefully give students an insight into the opportunities available in accounting.

The T Level students were bright, enthusiastic and eager to learn. They worked really well throughout the workshops we delivered picked up new skills quickly and showed a genuine interest in the activities”.

Ms Rima is a teacher at Ada Lovelace High School and coincidentally she used to teach Abdullah when he was a student. She comments:

“It was wonderful to see Abdullah standing at the front of the classroom, this time as the trainer. I taught him when he was in Year 10, and he was always a pleasure to have in class.

Watching him lead the workshop was a proud moment. He engaged the students brilliantly, maintaining a calm, positive classroom while keeping everyone involved with his great sense of humour. It was fantastic to see how much he has grown in confidence and professionalism.

We spoke about the pathway he took after his GCSEs, and I hope his story encouraged our students to choose the route that is right for them. Abdullah is a great example that success can be achieved through many different pathways, and that university is just one of many options.”

We asked some of our Year 12 students how they found the workshops and what they got out of it. Here are some of their perspectives:

Zak:

Over the course of two weeks, I had a really insightful peek into the daily life of an entry level job in bookkeeping. We began by accessing the student portal which had our courses that were set for us to complete. Initially, we began by using the Sage accounting software. Although the software was quite complex for a beginner, over the sessions on it I feel like I got a really good grasp on the basics, and more importantly the pros and cons of the software. We then moved to Quickbooks and then finally moved on to Xero. On all three we were copying purchase reports, sales day report, adding tax, ensuring balance was even, and much more. I learnt alot about cloud accounting software. I think this experience gives me a big advantage to both my next year assessments on Xero, and also adding experience for future jobs.

Cameron:

During my two-week placement at KBM, I had the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in bookkeeping under the guidance of Ahed and Abdullah. They introduced us to the core principles of bookkeeping while demonstrating the importance of industry-standard accounting software.

Personally, I found the placement to be an extremely valuable and rewarding experience. It enabled me to apply the theoretical knowledge I have gained through my studies while developing practical skills that are directly relevant to a career in accounting and finance. As a result, I have become more confident using professional accounting software and have gained a deeper understanding of bookkeeping within a real-world business setting.

Fahed:

It was interesting to see how accounting software helps make everyday tasks quicker and more organised. As well as learning how to use Xero and Sage, I improved my attention to detail and became more confident using accounting software. I also got a better idea of what working in an accounting environment is like and the type of work involved on a day-to-day basis. Overall, I really enjoyed the placement and found it to be a useful experience.