Six-monthly reviews are a mandatory requirement of ACA training for Authorised Training Employers and Principals. They help to ensure your student is fully engaged and on track to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.
Your students must meet with a suitable individual at least every six months for the duration of the training agreement. The meetings will provide you with an opportunity to discuss and monitor your student's progress through each element of the ACA, including:
-
For students who started up to 30 June 2025 and are on the existing ACA
- agreeing and recording the practical work experience your student has gained in the last six months;
- evidencing examples and feedback for the new professional development skills your student has developed in the last six months;
- discussing and recording the ethics requirements including the Ethics in Practice scenarios, as well as ensuring your student has completed the ethics assessment within their first 12 months of training (and by 31 December 2026, or they will need to complete the Next Generation ACA Sustainability and Ethics exam); and
- discussing your student's exam progress.
-
For students who started after 1 July 2025 and are on the Next Generation ACA, or have been switched to this route
- agreeing and recording the professional work experience your student has gained in the last six months;
- discussing and recording changes in proficiency level for the professional skills your student has developed in the last six months;
- discussing and recording the ethics requirements including the Ethics in Practice scenarios
- discussing your student's exam progress.
Who can conduct a six-monthly review?
Six-monthly reviews can be held by:
- the qualified person responsible for training (QPRT) in your organisation;
- a counsellor where one has been appointed in an organisation;
- a person responsible for training (PRT) in a subsidiary office; or
- an Authorised Training Principal.
Preparing for a six-monthly review
It is your student's responsibility to organise each six-monthly review. However, you should do everything you can to facilitate these meetings at regular intervals.
Ahead of a scheduled review, you should access your student's online training file and review any professional skills, professional work experience, ethics and exam progress that they have completed in the last six months.
You may wish to compare their progress against the student roadmaps.
- Student roadmap for existing ACA students
- Student roadmap for existing Level 7 apprenticeship students
- Next Generation ACA roadmaps will be available soon
Conducting a six-monthly review
Each review should last about an hour so that you have enough time to discuss each element of the ACA. Students should log onto their online training file during the meeting as the information they have inputted over the previous six months will serve as the basis for discussion.
The tables below provide you with discussion points for each element of the ACA, alongside the corresponding training file requirement. Please note, logging information into the training file is your student's responsibility, however, you should ensure all information logged is accurate.
You can use the six-monthly tracker to guide the review meeting.
For students who started up to 30 June 2025 and are on the existing ACA
| Discussion point | What should be discussed? | What needs to be logged in the training file during the review? |
| Practical work experience |
Review and agree on the number of practical work experience days accrued in the previous six months. |
The agreed number of days. |
| Professional development |
Your student's progress through each of the seven professional development ladders. Whether the examples provided adequately demonstrate the required skills. |
Constructive feedback from the employer on each skill area. Confirmation that the student has achieved and demonstrated each skill discussed. |
| Ethics and professional scepticism |
Your student's ethical development. Your student's progress through the Ethics Learning Programme, including any attempts at the final assessment. The Ethics Learning Programme must be completed by 31 December 2026, or students will need to complete the Next Generation ACA Sustainability and Ethics exam instead. Discussion on at least one ICAEW Ethics in Practice scenarios plus a real-life ethical scenario. |
Each Ethics in Practice discussion. |
| Exams |
Your student's exam progress so far. Any re-sit plans, where relevant. What elements your students have found relevant and interesting. |
N/A |
| Audit Qualification (if applicable) | Review and agree on the number of audit work experience days accrued in the previous six months. | The agreed number of days, as well as the nature of the work, names of entities audited and their development. |
| Further support | You may also want to provide your students with the option to discuss development areas eg, mentoring. | N/A |
For students who started after 1 July 2025 and are on the Next Generation ACA, or have been switched to this route
| Discussion point | What should be discussed? | What needs to be logged in the training file during the review? |
| Professional work experience |
Review and agree on the number of professional work experience days accrued in the previous six months. |
The agreed number of days. |
| Professional skills |
Discuss your student’s reflections on the progress they have made towards in any of the 25 professional skills over the last six months, including any challenges they have overcome. Support the student to identify potential opportunities at work and Specialised Learning that can support their development in any of the 25 professional skills over the next period. |
The student makes a self-assessment of their proficiency level for the 25 professional skills in their training file. Confirmation that the proficiency levels have been achieved. |
| Specialised Learning |
Reflect on any Specialised Learning that has been completed in the last six months, what the student learned and how it has helped them develop. Discuss opportunities for further development in technical and professional skills, or where industry knowledge or information on emerging updates could benefit the student to identify options for Specialised Learning courses to complete. |
N/A |
| Ethics and professional scepticism | Your student's ethical development. Discussion on at least one ICAEW Ethics in Practice scenarios plus a real-life ethical scenario. |
Each Ethics in Practice discussion. |
| Exams |
Your student's exam progress so far. Any re-sit plans, where relevant. What elements your students have found relevant and interesting. |
N/A |
| Audit Qualification (if applicable) | Review and agree on the number of audit work experience days accrued in the previous six months. | The agreed number of days, as well as the nature of the work, names of entities audited and their development. |
| Further support | You may also want to provide your students with the option to discuss development areas eg, mentoring. | N/A |
Have a question?
If you need any support or have a question on ACA training, please contact us.