Accounting Apprentice

SBM SERVICES (UK) LIMITED

LANGHAM (CO4 5WR)

Closes in 18 days (Monday 8 June 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 21 May 2026


Summary

As an Accounting Apprentice, you will support colleagues with providing high-quality accountancy and internal auditing services to a portfolio of school and academy clients. We will support you through an appropriate study package

Wage

£21,000 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£21,000 - £26,000 per year
The exact salary will be decided based on your skills and experience.

Training course
Professional accounting technician (level 4)
Hours
Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5.00pm (one day finishing at 4.30pm).

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 17 August 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • Assisting with core accounting functions including ordering,invoicing, bank reconciliations, balance sheet management, VAT returns and journal entries
  • Contributing to the preparation, monitoring and reporting of client budgets
  • Helping to prepare statutory financial returns
  • Assisting in producing of detailed management accounts
  • Supporting the year-end account closure process, including finalising trial balance reports and preparing schedules for auditors
  • Supporting internal audit preparation and assisting in audit fieldwork
  • Offering advice and guidance to clients via telephone and email through the Helpdesk
  • Assisting with general administrative duties to support the whole SBM Services team to meet deadlines, as directed by the Hub Manager
  • Working towards your AAT Qualifications, leading to Level 4 as part of your professional development, showing your commitment to enhancing your accounting skills

Where you'll work

UNIT 12
PARK LANE BUSINESS CENTRE
PARK LANE
LANGHAM
CO4 5WR

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

FIRST INTUITION CAMBRIDGE LIMITED

Training course

Professional accounting technician (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Collate and analyse financial information, and show how that information can be used most effectively to support value creation within an organisation.
  • Apply accounting principles and adhere to legislation to ensure records are accurate and compliant with law or company policy when delivering accounting activities, such as the financial accounting of single entities, limited companies or partnerships or management accounting activities for an organisation.
  • Apply professional scepticism when undertaking accounting activities to inform and evaluate decision making on the content of true and fair accounts, being alert to conditions that may indicate possible misstatement of financial information due to error or fraud, establishing the facts sensitively and being aware of unconscious bias.
  • Interpret financial information for accounting purposes, such as using judgement to determine the correct way to report or account for transaction or undertaking ratio analysis.
  • Participate in or support others with quality improvement activities, for example the improvement of personal working practices.
  • Use software packages to assist with accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
  • Deliver accounting tasks with a critical eye to transactions and trends, demonstrating a ‘right first time approach’.
  • Use workload management principles to plan, organise and prioritise own tasks, and manage time effectively.
  • Use accounting information to add value to the organisation through use of data visualisations, analysis and interpretation, and communicate financial information in a way that facilitates understanding for non-finance stakeholders.
  • Communicate accounting information through a variety of media to enable key stakeholders to understand what is required, considering the risks and benefits to the organisation of social media and other digital applications.
  • Build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver accounting tasks, recognising the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.
  • Collate and analyse financial information, and show how that information can be used most effectively to support value creation within an organisation.
  • Apply accounting principles and adhere to legislation to ensure records are accurate and compliant with law or company policy when delivering accounting activities, such as the financial accounting of single entities, limited companies or partnerships or management accounting activities for an organisation.
  • Apply professional scepticism when undertaking accounting activities to inform and evaluate decision making on the content of true and fair accounts, being alert to conditions that may indicate possible misstatement of financial information due to error or fraud, establishing the facts sensitively and being aware of unconscious bias.
  • Interpret financial information for accounting purposes, such as using judgement to determine the correct way to report or account for transaction or undertaking ratio analysis.
  • Participate in or support others with quality improvement activities, for example the improvement of personal working practices.
  • Use software packages to assist with accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
  • Deliver accounting tasks with a critical eye to transactions and trends, demonstrating a ‘right first time approach’.
  • Use workload management principles to plan, organise and prioritise own tasks, and manage time effectively.
  • Use accounting information to add value to the organisation through use of data visualisations, analysis and interpretation, and communicate financial information in a way that facilitates understanding for non-finance stakeholders.
  • Communicate accounting information through a variety of media to enable key stakeholders to understand what is required, considering the risks and benefits to the organisation of social media and other digital applications.
  • Build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver accounting tasks, recognising the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Training schedule

The successful candidate will be required to attend weekday courses, once a week, at First Intuition to study towards their AAT Level 4 qualification as well as mentoring towards the Level 4 Apprenticeship knowledge, skills, and behaviours

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade C/4 or above)

Other in:

Any (grade C or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Interpersonal skills

Other requirements

There is a three-month probationary period from your start date. The post holder must undertake an enhanced disclosure under the Disclosure and Barring Service. Our office is located just outside Colchester in Essex; however, work will also be conducted on client premises.

About this employer

SBM Services provides schools and academies with high-quality, affordable accountancy and business support. Our team brings extensive experience, a range of accountancy and business management qualifications and an excellent reputation in the education sector. With a flexible portfolio of services, we ensure schools receive the right support at the right time. SBM Services is truly an investment to save.

After this apprenticeship

  • Our goal is to help you progress within our team. We’ll support you to move out of the apprenticeship programme, manage your own clients, and have a chance to earn between £26,000 and £40,000 per year

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

FIRST INTUITION CAMBRIDGE LIMITED

Sophie Harris

sophieharris@fi.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000032992.

Apply now

Closes in 18 days (Monday 8 June 2026 at 11:59pm)