About Our Accounting Training Provider
A Passion for Accountancy – our ‘why’!
Accounting Training is something we have always had a great passion for
We get a huge amount of satisfaction from seeing our accounting students succeed and progress in their careers because of their accounting training.
Our goal is that The Balancing Act will provide such effective learning that accountancy students see it as the springboard for their career and employers see it as an indispensable part of their accounting training and accountancy induction process.
How did The Balancing Act Bookkeeping Course come about?
Simon Deane (BA FCA) qualified in 1981, but he remembers back in the 1970’s, the ICAEW using an accounting training and induction course called “Mann of Moorgate”. It was effective and great value for members. However, it was very paper based, so it was subsequently dropped and forgotten…. but not by him!
Good ideas often remain as good ideas for a long time (and double entry has been around since 1496), so about 10 years ago, Simon and Prue Deane decided to write their own version, mixing traditional paper-based activities with on-line interactive accountancy learning (accessible on PCs, tablets and mobiles). A few years ago, they completely updated the hard copy workbook and online accountancy learning materials and with recent developments in printing, they can now deliver the workbook within two working days with on-line access available on the same (working) day.
The Balancing Act has been used for accounting training by Accountancy Learning’s client base for many years as an integral part of their accountancy induction training for new staff.
Family-run at heart.
Professional in everything we do.
Accountancy Learning is a multi-award-winning AAT training provider founded by Simon and Prue Deane on 1 January 2012.
What began as a small, family-run business has grown into a team of more than 30 experienced tutors and support professionals, united by one goal: to make high-quality accountancy training practical, personal and genuinely effective.
Independent, experienced and still proudly family-run.
Our team includes experienced tutors, assessors and support professionals who understand both the theory of accountancy and the realities of developing capable new team members.
Created from decades of experience in accountancy training
Before establishing Accountancy Learning, Simon and Prue created and ran A+ Training, which was founded in 1992. Their experience revealed a recurring challenge for accountancy practices: new recruits often began formal qualifications without first developing strong, practical bookkeeping foundations.
The Balancing Act was developed to bridge that gap. It gives new trainees a focused introduction to the core principles they need, helping them build confidence and become useful members of the team more quickly.
We want to be a training business that makes a real impact on the lives and careers of our learners and on the businesses of our employers – and in doing so, makes a real impact on the lives and careers of our team, allowing them to fulfil their professional and vocational ambitions.
Experience you can have confidence in
Accountancy Learning and A+ Training have been recognised repeatedly for the quality of their accountancy education and learner support.
Two of our apprentices were shortlisted for the AAT Apprentice of the Year Award.
We were shortlisted for the AAT Apprenticeship Training Provider Award and named a finalist for the PQ Private Sector College of the Year Award.
Having adapted post-Covid, we began offering apprenticeships across England. We were also shortlisted for the Private Sector College of the Year Award.
Student numbers continued to grow year-on-year as we celebrated 10 successful years in business. Accountancy Learning was also graded a Good provider following an Ofsted inspection.
Named AAT Distance Learning Training Provider of the Year.
Recognised for excellence in delivering AAT qualifications.
Recognised for excellence in delivering AAT qualifications.
A+ Training became the first provider in the country to achieve the Training Quality Standard with Excellence in Accounting.
A+ Training was recognised as a Centre of Vocational Excellence in Accountancy.
About Simon Deane (BA FCA)
Simon trained with Thomson McLintock, in Bristol, qualifying in 1981, after which he joined the training consortium SWAT, subsequently becoming their Director of Training. He lead an MBO of their AAT business in 2001 and subsequently established A+ Training as the largest provider of AAT training in the South West. He was a Training Consultant with the Institute until August 2006 and has been involved on numerous ICAEW working parties on Education and Training issues over the years and is a past chairman of the Group Training Scheme Forum. He was President of SWSCA (now ICAEW SW) in 2006/07 and is still active on the Committee.
Simon has been acting for some of his clients since 1984. He is therefore very grounded in the practical requirements of accounting training.
About Prue Deane (BA MSc Cert Ed FMAAT)
Prue has been involved in FE training for the past 20 years. Working on the DfES Standards Unit differentiation and e-learning projects, she subsequently led on a number of in-house e-learning and course development projects.
Qualifications:
Certificate in Education (2003)
Postgraduate Certificate in Subject Learning Coaching (April 2006))
Masters in Educational Research (September 2006))
MAAT (2007)
Prue has been responsible for developing our AAT Level 2 Accountancy course materials, based on a series of practical accounting activities, interactive presentations and supporting resources and continues to maintain these. Her blend of artistic talent, educational qualifications, teaching experience and accountancy qualifications are reflected in the materials used in The Balancing Act.