Grade 10 Accounting is the year where the foundation for your entire FET phase is laid. You move from the basic bookkeeping principles learned in EMS to a comprehensive understanding of the accounting cycle for a sole trader. Mastery of these concepts—especially the journals, ledgers, and year-end adjustments—is non-negotiable for success in Grade 11 and 12. To ensure you stay on track with your studies, it is essential to consult the full Grade 10 Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs).
This article outlines the 2026 Accounting Grade 10 ATP, breaking down the weekly focus areas for teachers and learners, from the initial Indigenous Bookkeeping in Term 1 to the final End-of-Year Examinations.
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Download ATP HereAccounting Grade 10 ATP 2026
The Annual Teaching Plan is divided into four terms, ensuring comprehensive coverage of bookkeeping, reconciliation, salaries, financial statements, and cost accounting.
Term 1: Bookkeeping of a Sole Trader
Focus: The first term focuses on establishing ethical business practices and mastering the recording of cash and credit transactions in the subsidiary journals and posting to the ledgers.
- Weeks 1–2: Introduction and Ethics
- Concepts: Informal vs. formal bookkeeping, indigenous bookkeeping practices.
- Ethics: Internal control, code of ethics, and Basic GAAP principles (Business entity, Historical cost, etc.).
- Weeks 3–4: Cash Transactions
- Journals: Cash Receipts Journal (CRJ), Cash Payments Journal (CPJ), and Petty Cash Journal (PCJ).
- Ledgers: General Ledger, Trial Balance, and the Accounting Equation ($A = O + L$).
- Weeks 5–7: Credit Transactions
- Journals: Debtors Journal (DJ), Debtors Allowances Journal (DAJ), Creditors Journal (CJ), Creditors Allowances Journal (CAJ), and General Journal (GJ).
- Ledgers: Posting to the Debtors and Creditors Ledgers.
- Weeks 8–10: Combined Transactions
- Integration: Recording combined cash and credit transactions and analysing their effect on the accounting equation.
- Assessment:
- Task 1: Presentation (50 marks).
- Task 2: Control Test (100 marks).
Term 2: Reconciliation, Salaries, and Year-End Procedures
Focus: The second term introduces control mechanisms like reconciliation, the calculation of salaries, and the beginning of year-end adjustments.
- Weeks 1–3: Combined Transactions (Consolidation)
- Practice: Continued practice of recording cash and credit transactions and posting to all ledgers.
- Weeks 4–5: Reconciliation
- Control Accounts: Debtors and Creditors Reconciliation. Matching the General Ledger control accounts with the subsidiary individual accounts.
- Weeks 6–7: Salaries and Wages
- Calculations: Scales, notches, gross wage/salary, deductions (PAYE, UIF, Medical Aid, Pension), and net pay.
- Recording: Salary Journal (SJ) and Wages Journal (WJ).
- Weeks 8–9: Year-End Procedures
- Adjustments: Introduction to year-end adjustments, specifically Depreciation (straight-line and diminishing balance methods) and the Asset Register.
- Trial Balance: Pre-adjustment and Post-adjustment Trial Balance.
- Assessment:
- Task 3: Project (50 marks).
- Task 4: Mid-Year Examination (Paper 1 & Paper 2).
Term 3: Financial Statements and Analysis
Focus: Term 3 is critical for mastering the final stage of the accounting cycle: preparing and analysing financial statements.
- Weeks 1–6: Adjustments and Final Accounts
- Adjustments: Trading stock deficit/surplus, consumable stores on hand, accrued income/expenses, prepaid expenses, income received in advance.
- Closing Transfers: Closing off nominal accounts to the Trading Account and Profit and Loss Account.
- Weeks 4–7: Financial Statements
- Preparation: Preparing the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Income Statement) and Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) with notes.
- Weeks 8–9: Analysis and Interpretation
- Indicators: Analysing financial statements using indicators for Profitability (Gross profit on sales, etc.), Liquidity (Current ratio, Acid-test ratio), and Solvency.
- Assessment:
- Task 5: Case Study (50 marks).
- Task 6: Control Test (100 marks).
Term 4: Cost Accounting, Budgeting, and Final Exams
Focus: The final term introduces manufacturing concepts and budgeting before moving into comprehensive revision for the final exams.
- Weeks 1–2: Cost Accounting
- Manufacturing: Concepts related to a factory environment (Direct/Indirect material and labour, Factory overheads, Prime costs).
- Calculations: Variable vs. Fixed costs.
- Weeks 3–4: Budgeting
- Concepts: Cash budget, capital budget, and zero-based budgeting.
- Calculations: Preparing basic budgets.
- Weeks 5–6: Revision
- Prep: Comprehensive review of all topics covered during the year, addressing backlogs and practicing past papers.
- Assessment: End-of-Year Examinations
- Paper 1 (150 marks): Financial Reporting and Evaluation.
- Paper 2 (150 marks): Internal Management and Control (Bookkeeping, Internal control, Ethics, Cost Accounting, Budgeting).
FAQ: Accounting Grade 10
Q: Do I need a calculator for Grade 10 Accounting?
A: Yes, a non-programmable calculator is essential for calculations involving interest, depreciation, financial ratios, and balancing journals.
Q: What is the difference between Bookkeeping and Accounting?
A: Bookkeeping is the recording phase (journals and ledgers), while Accounting involves the entire process, including summarising, analysing, and interpreting financial information (Financial Statements and Ratios).
Q: Why is the Accounting Equation important?
A: The Accounting Equation ($Assets = Owner’s Equity + Liabilities$) is the foundation of the double-entry system. Understanding how every transaction affects this equation is crucial for ensuring your books balance.