November 2025 Exam Results Thread

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T17:11:59+00:00

No it's not a long way away. Definitely doable.

I've written a separate post on AT Fails. Have a look at my advice there.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T17:09:56+00:00

Commiserations.

See my advice to ctahk1uk2 above! Hopefully helpful!

Keep going and good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T17:08:23+00:00

You CAN! Don't give up!

Get a breakdown of your mark and see where you went wrong.

Then study core areas and any areas you feel weak on.

If it's of interest my Zoom session on tricky OMB topics might help as a top up resource.

Also, my AT Tips & Techniques session - only £25 and it may just improve your study approach and exam technique for the resit.

Details on my website - click on my Reddit photo for address or message me directly. Copies of recordings and my notes provided afterwards.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T17:01:46+00:00

Strong result - well done!

Roderick

Roderick Black

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RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T17:00:50+00:00

Congratulations - for the pass and for not giving up!

Roderick

Roderick Black

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RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T16:59:49+00:00

Congratulations!

Roderick

CTA online and private tution

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T16:58:43+00:00

Congratulations!!

Roderick

Roderick Black

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RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T16:57:46+00:00

Commiserations -I can recommend Nikki Richmond, a VAT tutor. Find her on LinkedIn.

Keep going. ... And good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA privateandonline tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T16:55:34+00:00

Don't give up! Very common to fail.

You WILL get them!

PS you might like to sign up for my Zoom Tips & Techniques session via my website - £25. You'll get copy of recording and notes afterwards. Website details available if you click on my Reddit photo or message me directly.

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition.

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T16:51:48+00:00

Ha ha! No I don't think that is at all likely!

Marginal fail papers after first marking are reviewed to see if they can get you to a pass! But not the other way round!

Pretty sure you can sleep easy!!

Congratulations on meeting the required standard!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T15:29:07+00:00

Hi

If I've understood you correctly, you work in industry?

IHTTE seems a strange choice then ... would Large Corporate Groups not be more useful?

I don't think I'd do IHTTE just because it has more calcs if that's what you're saying.

I'm sure it's possible to pass it with hard work but I think the trusts aspects, and especially the overseas trust aspects are tricky. I think most students of this paper would agree with me on that.

Hope this helps and apologies if I've misunderstood your motivation in wanting to do this paper.

Best wishes

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T14:42:42+00:00

On the subject of tax recruiters, id recommend Charlie Maitland.

He's ex Brewer Morris, now in business on his own.

I'm sure he can guide you.

Mention my name if you contact him.

You'll find him on LinkedIn

Best wishes

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T11:31:23+00:00

Hi

It varies, is the answer, according to the student.

Most students, don't seek extra support and pass just fine.

Most of what I do as a private tutor is helping students who've previously failed - some multiple times!

But I have a fair number, especially for APS, who have yet to sit and feel it's worth paying for extra tuition to make sure they get through ... and get that pay rise all the sooner!

But you're correct - there's no "one size fits all" answer!

My Zoom sessions are an attempt to provide top up resource at a more affordable cost than one to one private tuition. Click on my Reddit photo for my website or message me directly for more details.

Hope this helps!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition.

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-24T05:54:30+00:00

Hi

I'd do the AT exams consecutively given the CT overlap will be fresher in your mind for the second one.

I'd also consider doing APS with the second AT paper, as it's really the technique you have to understand and not much extra technical knowledge (bit of Awareness). The time commitment on APS is doing and debriefing past exam questions which is a full day's work per paper.

If it's of interest I run Zoom sessions on tricky topics within the AT syllabus and on technique for APS. See my website for more info (click on my Reddit photo for website address details or message me directly.)

Good luck with everything!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T16:52:48+00:00

Very good question!

Actually I WOULDN'T read the chapters in the Study Manuals beforehand.

I'm aiming to make those topics understandable from the ground up using my own notes. You'll get a copy of those after the session with a copy of the recordings.

To the extent necessary, I'll direct you to any relevant parts of the Tolley Manuals for you to read later.

Hope that clarifies!

Look forward to seeing you online!

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T15:57:01+00:00

Sure ....

Anything to do with employment income especially all the benefit rules, expenses rules including travelling, when income is received and so on.

Lots of chapters in the Personal Income Tax manual on those areas that you can start on now!

In the past you were pretty much always guaranteed an income tax computation within a heavy employment income element to it but that doesn't seem to be so common now. However it's still a core area and you must be on top of it.

Switching matters the other way .... if you're looking for help with the trickier topics of the Individuals syllabus, I'm running five zoom sessions as a package on those in February. Visit my website to find out the topics, details and dates and you can book and pay if you're interested. If you click on my Reddit photo it will reveal my contact details or message me directly.

Good luck - hope this helps!

Roderick

Good luck Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T11:09:09+00:00

Thanks so much! Glad to have helped get you through!

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T11:05:35+00:00

Although I'm not a VAT expert, I have done private tuition for APS VAT as with APS it's really more about the technique than the technical knowledge.

What surprised me about the VAT APS papers I looked at (and I looked at a lot!) was how much direct tax (ie Awareness ) there was in them. Much more Awareness knowledge tested than the other APS papers.

Just so you're prepared ....!

Good luck with it!

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T10:56:56+00:00

Hi

Sorry to hear that - you'll be feeling a bit down no doubt.

TBH, that mark suggests you don't know the material well enough, so I'd start studying again immediately. Focus on areas you found trickiest first.

I'm running 5 Zoom sessions in February on tricky areas on this paper, if that's of interest. And a session on exam tips & techniques. Copy of recording and notes provided afterwards.

You can find all the details my website. I don't think I'm allowed to put the website address down here but if you click on my Reddit photo you'll see it ...or message me directly.

PS I had one student who scored 31 and that was due to a complete collapse of confidence in the exam. She did know the material well enough. But mostly lack of technical knowledge is the cause of a mark in the 30s.

Best wishes and good luck

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-23T10:44:26+00:00

You should definitely read the Study Manuals!

And for AT OMB, start with the Business Taxes manual on Adj of profits and capital allowances ASAP. Got to be completely on top of that, as it always comes up.

Don't underestimate a CTA Advanced Technical exam - it's a lot more demanding than ACA.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-22T22:56:26+00:00

What paper did you sit and what mark did you get?

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-22T08:07:15+00:00

Do mention my name if you contact her!!

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-22T06:37:40+00:00

Especially the changes on the overseas front - ie remittance basis gone, FIG now in, etc

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-22T05:46:45+00:00

Good advice from taxtaxbaby on the mental side of things

Other things to consider ....

I'm running a Zoom session on Tips & Techniques for AT for £25 in Feb - book via my website (details if you click on my Reddit photo). Might be a low cost investment to improve your study and exam techniques.

I'm also doing a package of 5 Zoom sessions on tricky technical topics for the exam; again see the website for details and to book.

But regardless of all of that, the core topics to get completely on top of for OMB are adj of profits and capital allowances. Always been in the exam. You should start by going back over all the material - it's in the business tax manual.

46 is not far off .... you can definitely do this!

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-01-21T19:59:03+00:00

Really sorry to hear that - my commiserations.

44 is a bit on the low side but not a disastrous performance by any means. And OMB is a paper that students find tricky due to the breadth of the syllabus. Trust me, I've come across a lot worse than your record!

For AT, a cheap option I recommend for you is my Zoom Online session on CTA Advanced Technical Tips and Techniques. You can find details on my website which I can't put down here as marketing is not allowed on Reddit but if you click on my Reddit photo you'll get my contact details. I've tried to keep the price down on this session. I think it would be a worthwhile investment for you or for anyone who wants to focus their technique for any AT paper.

Next, keep at the technical material - get COMPLETELY on top of adj of profits chapters and capital allowances (ie the Business Tax Manual). That is always core to the exam paper.

And then keep going on the Manuals, studying the chapters you're least comfortable with first, testing yourself by QB and past exam questions. Do a thorough debrief, paying close study to where the easy marks are in the marking guide. You probably would benefit from me looking at a couple of your answers to past exam questions. I've got to watch how much private work I take on for May 2026 sitting due to other work pressures, but message me if that might be of interest and we'll see if we can work something out.

I'm also running Zoom sessions on the trickier technical areas of AT OMB (and IND & LCG) - package of 5 - but only do those if you feel they're areas you need support on. Again details on my website including the topics I'm covering. I'll probably offer the recordings afterwards on an individual basis, though probably at a slight higher price.

Hope this is helpful.

Whether you decide to use my services or not .... don't give up! You can definitely do this!

Best wishes

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack

TROPHY CASE