If you are preparing for the ACCA Performance Management (PM) exam, you may already have heard stories about it being tricky. As someone who has been teaching ACCA for over 15 years, I can tell you this: PM is not impossible, but it is different. It is the first real step where ACCA starts asking you not just to “do calculations” but to think like a manager.
Let me walk you through the entire syllabus, exam format, and preparation approach in simple language, with the kind of advice I give my classroom students.
The aim of the syllabus is clear: ACCA wants you to learn how to use management accounting techniques to make better decisions, control performance, and evaluate results. It builds directly on what you studied in Management Accounting (MA), but here, the level of application is much deeper.
The syllabus is divided into a few big themes:
The PM syllabus itself hasn’t drastically changed, but there are two small updates you need to know:
These may sound small, but examiners love testing new wording in early exam sittings. So expect a question on them.
The exam is a three-hour computer-based test (plus 10 minutes reading time).
This mix is deliberate. ACCA is not just testing your memory but your ability to apply knowledge in different contexts.
You must have passed Management Accounting (MA) or have an exemption. Many students underestimate this and jump into PM with weak MA knowledge. That is a mistake. Brush up on variances, basic CVP, and overhead absorption from MA before starting PM.
I will be honest: PM is one of the more challenging Applied Skills exams. Students often call it a “trap paper” because it looks straightforward but hides tricky interpretations.
The real challenge is not the calculations but:
But remember, if you master exam technique and practice enough, you can definitely pass.
Historically, the pass rate hovers around 40 to 45 percent. Most failures are not due to lack of knowledge but poor exam technique. I have seen students:
There is no fixed number, but from experience:
My advice: finish the syllabus early, then spend the last 4–6 weeks just on question practice and mocks.
When it comes to study resources, here is what I recommend from experience:
My advice is simple: study the theory from Kaplan or BPP, then practice extensively using Practice Tests Academy’s platform. In my classes, I’ve seen the pass rate improve dramatically when students combine those two.
Based on years of teaching, the areas that catch students out are:
If you know these are weak areas for most students, you can prepare more carefully.
Based on years of teaching, the areas that catch students out are:
If you know these are weak areas for most students, you can prepare more carefully.
PM gives you real-world skills. You will learn how to:
These are the exact tasks done by management accountants, analysts, and financial controllers. Passing PM also prepares you directly for Advanced Performance Management (APM) at Strategic Professional level.
The PM exam is tough, but it is also incredibly rewarding. It is the first paper where you stop being a “number cruncher” and start being a decision–maker. Treat it as a chance to learn skills that managers genuinely use in business.
My final advice:
If you do that, the ACCA PM paper will not just be passable, it will be enjoyable.
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📘 Section A & B Practice: 18 questions and 3 item sets.
📘 Section C Practice: Two challenging qs and a mini mock.
🎥 Video Lecture: Chapter 1 with exercises and flashcards.
✨ Expert Guidance: Debrief video for Section C.
