Financial Reporting and Assurance – 5K5Z0009

Faculty of Business and Law

Assignment Brief 2025/26

Assessment Marking Criteria and Rubric

Your submission will be marked using the stepped marking scheme. You can find more information about it in our Verification, Marking and Moderation Policy. The marking rubric is used to evaluate your work against specific marking criteria.

Module Title: Financial Reporting and Assurance

Module Code: | 5K5Z0009 | Credits: 30 | Level: 5

Assignment Identifier: 50% Report

Module Leader: Michelle Crawley and Yahya Goga

Contact Details: m.cottam@mmu.ac.uk , y.goga@mmu.ac.uk

Submission Deadline and Feedback Return Dates

Submission Instructions

Assignment will be submitted as one Word/PDF document to Moodle

Please submit your assignment by the submission deadline. If you are having difficulty with uploading any work to a summative assessment and are not able to resolve the issue with your tutor or other teams then you can use this form. Please ensure that this is done BEFORE the due date and time passes. On-time submissions will be uploaded to Moodle reflecting the date/time the form was submitted.

Moodle has a file size limit of 100MB on any file submission. Files exceeding the size limit cannot be accepted. Files sent via OneDrive or any external file sharing software cannot be accepted. You can find more information about how to create and submit your assessment here

Assessment Type: Report | Assessment Weighting: 50% of module mark | Length: 2,000 words (+10%) excluding references and citations.

Assignment Task

Write a business report of up to 2,000 (+/-10%) words to your Financial Reporting and Assurance Unit Leaders analysing the financial reporting and assurance implications of Debenhams Group Plc for year ended 28th February 2025 compared to the previous year. For this assignment assume the role of a financial analyst.

The report should be written to a high standard of English, with no errors of spelling, grammar or punctuation. The language used is appropriate to a formal business report. The report should be presented to a professional standard, with a title page, a contents page, clear headings, page numbers and appendices. The layout should be clear and easy to read.

Your analysis should be supported by six ratios:

Gross Profit Margin

Operating Loss Margin

Return on Capital Employed

Current Ratio

Inventory Turnover Period (days)

Gearing (debt/equity ratio)

The report should include appropriate citations and a reference list presented within the Cite them right style.

Your report should contain the following sections:

Title Page – this should include the title of your report, your full name, MMU Student ID number, date, word count and your FRA Unit Leaders.

Contents page – this should include a list of the sections in the report with the related page numbers.

Introduction (Approx. 150 words) – this should include what you intend to cover in the report and a brief overview of Debenhams Group Plc which is relevant to auditors.

Main Section – critically evaluate the two Artificial Intelligence extracts provided which detail the reasons why the financial ratio results changed from 2024 to 2025. Consider whether the information provided is correct, what source the information was taken from in the extracts (you will need to name the source document and provide a page number where possible) and why one extract provides a better interpretation that the other.

Evaluation of the financial performance ratio results (Approx. 600 words)

Evaluation of the financial position ratio results (Approx. 600 words)

In relation to planning the audit next year, with Debenhams Group Plc, discuss any potential audit risks that might arise impacting the forthcoming year results (Approx. 500 words). You must use the correct terminology and link newspaper articles as evidence to support your discussions.

Conclusion (Approx. 200 words) – this should include an overall summary of the results of the analysis and future audit planning implications of Debenhams Group Plc.

Appendices – this should include your table of six ratios.

References

What you MUST do:

Use Cite Them Right Harvard referencing appropriately and in full both in the text as citations and listed in full, alphabetically, at the end.

Use grammatically correct formal English.

Use headings and sub-headings.

Use the correct voice i.e., third person.

Proofread your work.

Use page numbers.

Attend supporting Assignment Tutorials in teaching weeks 1, 2, 3 & 4.

You must use your own words – the assignment is designed to demonstrate YOUR knowledge and understanding.

Please include the ratio table in the appendices (template provided)

Include a word count on your front page.

Your report should be 2,000 words in length (+10%). We would expect to see a minimum of 8 references.

A penalty will be applied to your overall mark if you exceed the word count by more than 10%. The penalty applied will be the dropping of one grade band using the step marking system.

Assignment Support

We have a number of resources to support you, including but not limited to the study skills webpages.

The assignment will be covered in the second tutorial sessions on week’s 1-4.

A podcast will be available on Moodle summarising the requirements in week 5, alongside AI extract information and annual report provided.

Module Learning Outcomes Assessed

LO2 – Apply the principles and procedures of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) to business scenarios.

LO4 – Interpret financial statements using key financial ratios

Assurance of Learning (AoL)

AoL Traits assessed

Our graduates will apply critical thinking to practical and theoretical problems

Our graduates will be effective communicators using a range of media

Our graduates will demonstrate professional and commercial/corporate awareness

Referencing

References are the items you have read and specifically referred to (or cited) in your assessment submission. Do not include a list of everything you read in preparation for writing your submission, if you have not referred specifically. Attempt to summarise in your own words another person’s work, theories or ideas and then cite your sources. Use quotation marks/inverted commas to show the difference between the actual words of the writer and your own words and always acknowledge your sources in references. Using references in reports and essays is one way to avoid accusations of academic misconduct, specifically plagiarism.

All Manchester Metropolitan University students are required to use Cite Them Right Harvard referencing style. For further information, access the Cite Them Right Harvard website. We recommend using the ebook or print book in conjunction with the website, as it features additional examples and explanations. If you have any queries on using Cite Them Right Harvard, please email library@mmu.ac.uk

Academic Integrity, Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

Academic integrity is about maintaining the highest standards of honesty and ethical conduct in your academic work. It means being transparent about the sources of your ideas and giving proper credit to other researchers through accurate citations and references. When you conduct research or complete assignments, you must ensure that your work is original, truthful, and free from any form of academic misconduct. This includes avoiding plagiarism, which means never presenting someone else’s ideas or words as your own without acknowledgement. Your academic work must demonstrate integrity by carefully referencing all sources, and submitting work that is genuinely your own. Additional information, video tutorials and guides to support good academic practice and maintain Academic Integrity in your assignments can be found on the Academic Integrity area of the Academic and Study Skills page on Moodle.

Academic Misconduct is any action that could give you an unfair advantage in coursework, exams, or any other assessed work, which could lead to undermining the academic standards of the University. This includes but is not limited to practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating or falsification of data. Full details of the Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines for Academic Misconduct and definitions of terms can be found on in our Academic Misconduct Policy.

Use of Generative AI in Assessments

The use of generative AI is permitted in this assessment, so long as it is used in accordance with the instructions provided in the ‘Are you allowed to use AI in assessments?’ section of the AI Literacy Rise Study Pack. All submitted work must be your own original content.

Late Submissions & Assessment Extension Procedure

To find information for assessment extension procedure, please refer to . Please also refer to relevant guidance on your Module Moodle submission area (where applicable).

Please note:  If you think you are unable to submit on time due to health issues or some other unforeseen issue you must request this via your Module Moodle page, referring to the guidance in the links provided above.

Assessment Description | What did we look at? | 0-29% | 30-39% | 40-49% | 50-59% | 60-69% | 70%-80% | 80%+ | Weight%

Introduction to company PLO 1.1.1 /1.1.2a | A detailed overview and understanding of the company | No overview of the company | Partial overview of the company | Adequate overview of the company | Good overview of the company | Very good overview of the company | Excellent overview of the company with understanding of important information to an auditor | Exceptional overview of the company with understanding of important information to an auditor | 5.00%

Analysis of financial performance LO4 & PLO 4.1.1 /4.1.2 | A focussed and critical analysis of the key financial performance ratios | No evaluation of financial performance | Partial evaluation of financial performance | Adequate evaluation of financial performance however more descriptive | Good evaluation of financial performance with an effort made with criticality | Very good critical evaluation of financial performance | Excellent critical evaluation of financial performance | Exceptional critical evaluation of financial performance | 25.00%

Analysis of financial position LO4 & PLO 4.1.1 /4.1.2 | A focussed and critical analysis of the key financial position ratios | No evaluation of financial position | Partial evaluation of financial position | Adequate evaluation of financial position however more descriptive | Good evaluation of financial position with an effort made with criticality | Very good critical evaluation of financial position | Excellent critical evaluation of financial position | Exceptional critical evaluation of financial position

Discussion of audit risks LO2 & PLO 1.1.1 /1.1.2a /4.1.1 | An applied understanding and discussion of audit risks | No audit risks discussed | Limited understanding and evidence shown of audit risks, with some incorrect terminology used. | Adequate understanding and evidence shown of audit risks and some correct terminology | Good understanding shown of audit risks with some valid links to evidence and accurate terminology | Very good understanding shown of audit risks effectively linked to evidence with accurate terminology | Excellent understanding shown of audit risks with fantastic explanations of links to evidence using accurate terminology | Exceptional understanding shown of audit risks with outstanding explanations to evidence links using accurate terminology | 14.00%

Conclusion LO2/LO4 & PLO 4.1.1 /4.1.2 | A conclusion that summarises your findings | No overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Partial overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Adequate overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Good overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Very good overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Excellent overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | Exceptional overall summary of the financial evaluation and assurance implications for the company | 10.00%

Presentation PLO 2.1.1 /2.1.2/ 2.1.3 | A good structure with academic language and good use of digital skills | No logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | No attempt at logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | Adequate logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | Good logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | Very good logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | Excellent logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | Exceptional logical structure, referencing and demonstration of digital skills | 15.00%

Ratios LO4 & PLO 1.1.1 | Accurate ratio calculations | Ratios are omitted from the report or are all inaccurate | The ratios are mainly inaccurately calculated | The ratio calculations are adequate however there are a lot of inaccuracies | Good understanding shown on how ratios are calculated, with some errors in the calculations | Very good understanding shown on how ratios are calculated, with few errors in the calculations | An excellent understanding shown on how ratios are calculated, although calculations are not completely accurate. | Exceptional understanding shown on ratio calculations, with a high degree of accuracy. | 6.00%

This is how you access your feedback

Grade Mark: Your assessment feedback is provided through Grade Mark. Please click the grey pencil icon next to your grade, as displayed on the picture below. This will take you to a page which shows your feedback pdf sheet, which can be opened to view full feedback and marks for each section of the assignment.

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