STRATEGIC Level

Know what to practise for your SCS

We analysed five years of CIMA Stragetic Case Study exams, every sub-task across every variant, so your limited revision time goes where the marks actually are.

Detailed Topic Heatmap

Total marks per topic, per window, across all six variants in each sitting. Darker means more marks. This is the raw demand picture behind the priorities above.

Swipe the table sideways to see all exam windows — best viewed on a larger screen.

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Extensive Topic Revision Plan

Every topic, sorted into a priority tier with a suggested action. Filter by core activity to focus on a weak area.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

PriorityTopicExam demandWhat to do
Essential
Governance & board compositionActivity E · Control environmentIn 4 of 5 mocks
High · 59% of variants Build exam-ready fluency: practise two timed sub-tasks and review against a marking guide.
Essential
Dividend policy & share priceActivity C · FinancingIn 1 of 5 mocks
High · 51% of variants Build exam-ready fluency: practise two timed sub-tasks and review against a marking guide.
Essential
Ethics (CIMA principles)Activity D · Evaluate & mitigate riskIn 3 of 5 mocks
High · 51% of variants Build exam-ready fluency: practise two timed sub-tasks and review against a marking guide.
Core
Business valuationActivity C · FinancingIn 2 of 5 mocks
High · 45% of variants Appears regularly. Practise one scenario and review the model structure.
Core
Strategic options & decisionsActivity A · Develop strategyIn 2 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 44% of variants Appears regularly. Practise one scenario and review the model structure.
Core
Stakeholder analysisActivity B · Business environmentIn 2 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 43% of variants Appears regularly. Practise one scenario and review the model structure.
Core
Internal auditActivity E · Control environmentIn 1 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 39% of variants Appears regularly. Practise one scenario and review the model structure.
Watch closely
Currency risk & treasuryActivity B · Business environmentIn 3 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 37% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Supporting
Cyber securityActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate risk
Moderate · 29% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Watch closely
Acquisition & divestmentActivity A · Develop strategyIn 1 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 28% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Supporting
Scenario planningActivity A · Develop strategyIn 1 of 5 mocks
Moderate · 25% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Watch closely
SAF analysisActivity B · Business environmentIn 1 of 5 mocks
Lower · 24% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Watch closely
Risk register & risk managementActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate riskIn 2 of 5 mocks
Lower · 24% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Watch closely
Internal controlsActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate riskIn 1 of 5 mocks
Lower · 21% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Supporting
Mission, vision & valuesActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate risk
Lower · 20% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Watch closely
Political riskActivity B · Business environment
Lower · 16% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
Supporting
Integrated reporting & capitalsActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate riskIn 1 of 5 mocks
Lower · 13% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Supporting
Reputation riskActivity D · Evaluate & mitigate risk
Lower · 9% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Supporting
Digital strategy & transformationActivity A · Develop strategyIn 1 of 5 mocks
Lower · 7% of variants Lower frequency. Cover the method, but do not over-invest your limited time here.
Watch closely
Sustainability & ESGActivity A · Develop strategyIn 2 of 5 mocks
Lower · 4% of variants Trending up in recent windows. Keep your technique fresh with timed practice.
We do not just point at these topics, we build the VIVA SCS course around them. The Essential and Core priorities here are the scenarios you practise in our five SCS mock exams, written on the upcoming live May/August 2026 Kwirtmak pre-seen, so your revision time lands on the questions that carry the marks. See how that works.

How the priorities map to the May / August 2026 mocks

The five mock exams on the upcoming live Kwirtmak pre-seen are built on the same demand data. Every mock spans all five core activities, and the highest-frequency topics recur across the most mocks, so your practice volume tracks the exam's own emphasis:

  • Governance and board composition features in 4 of the 5 mocks, the widest coverage of any topic.
  • Currency risk and treasury, ethics, and sustainability and ESG each feature in 3 of the 5.
  • Strategic options and decisions, business valuation, the risk register, and stakeholder analysis each appear in 2 of the 5.
  • Every mock covers all five core activities, A to E, mirroring the even 15 to 25% blueprint spread rather than over-weighting any single area.

Full sub-task explorer

Search and filter every past SCS sub-task by topic, activity or window, to find practice material for a specific weakness.

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How VIVA turns this into exam readiness

This data is not an end in itself. It is the demand layer underneath how the VIVA SCS course is built and tested.

Frequency-Driven Focus

We use six years of past-exam frequency to identify the topics that deserve the most practice, then build our August 2026 mock exams and mini mocks around them.

Blueprint-Weighted

We weight against the current CIMA blueprint, so we lean into rising areas like working capital rather than overfitting to old papers.

High-Demand Drilling

We drill the high-demand topics, KPIs, budgeting and short-term decision-making, more heavily across tuition and mocks.

Blind-Spot Coverage

We flag low-history and brand-new syllabus areas so you cover them deliberately instead of ignoring them.

Marked Mock Testing

We test whether you can actually perform in these areas through marked mock exams across all core activities.

Exam Readiness Score

Your marked mock results show where you can already perform and where to focus next, turning exam demand into a clear, personal plan.

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Suzanne Robinson

Despite very difficult personal circumstances, with VIVA's help I managed to not only pass the SCS but to achieve my highest case study score from the 3 levels. Please keep doing what you do as it's so good!

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I have had access to multiple other well known providers of ACCA courses, and I find the VIVA videos are so much better presented, the course material is more clearly explained and the tutors are real tutors, unlike some other providers using a computer generated voice. Absolutely, after 6 months of comparing providers, VIVA is the best.

Andrew Sherwood

I passed my OCS with a scaled score of 137 and got a letter from CIMA saying that I obtained the joint third position for the February 2019 case study and I believe that VIVA's materials really helped to make this possible.

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VIVA were absolutely key in my CIMA Case Study exam - where I received first position in the world! I felt extremely supported with VIVA throughout the course, and would recommend them to anybody. I just wish I had found them much earlier in my studies!

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Edache Harmony

I want to thank VIVA for bringing to a successful end my study journey. I only wish I knew about VIVA earlier! Since using VIVA, I have passed my final exams.

Emma Newton

I have used VIVA for all three Case Studies, passing first time on all three. I could not have done it without VIVA's help! Hands down, the best resource out there for CIMA Case Studies.

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