This is known as the Gateway.
Each assessment plan details the gateway requirements before an apprentice can enter end-point assessment.
The employer must conduct a gateway review, supported by their training provider, to confirm that the apprentice is:
- In their view competent in their role
- Has achieved mandatory on-programme qualifications (where applicable)
- Has achieved English and maths at the appropriate level
- Has achieved all other requirements stated in the assessment plan (for example a portfolio of evidence)
As an end-point assessment organisation we will require the employer and provider to confirm readiness in writing, via a standard review template that we issue.
When the apprentice has completed their on-programme training, there will be a period of time where the Employer, Training Provider and Apprentice will assess the apprentice’s progress to date. During this small window all parties will determine whether or not the apprentice is ready to take the End-Point Assessment.
During this gateway stage it is where all aspects of the apprenticeship must be completed and evidenced with the EPAO unless stated otherwise, these could include:
- Any on-programme qualifications including Functional Skills qualification
- Any finalised projects such as a portfolio of evidence or project
- Any other requirements outlined in the individual standard
The EPAO must be chosen by the employer and be an organisation that has been approved to carry out independent assessments of apprentices and can be in receipt of public funds. These organisations can be found on the ‘Register of End Point Assessment Organisations’.
The register is maintained by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Unless stated within the assessment plan, employers cannot select an apprentice’s training organisation to be the EPAO.
An independent End-Point Assessment organisation (EPAO) must be involved in the EPA of each apprentice to ensure that apprentices following the same standard are assessed consistently, fairly and independently from their on-programme delivery. The End-Point Assessment will be conducted primarily by the Independent End-Point Assessor (IEPA).
The End-Point assessor will be an industry expert relating to their field. The IEPA will be assigned to the apprentice by the EPAO. The IEPA will conduct and lead the End-Point Assessment process, for some assessments. In some assessments they will actively engage with the apprentice and in others they will remain an observer.
Apprentices must complete their on-programme training for the duration set out in the apprenticeship standard. They must complete all of the mandatory aspects of the apprenticeship standard including any other work that is specified as being assessed.
The second part of the programme is known as the ‘gateway’. Once the gateway requirements have been satisfied, the apprentice can go forward to sit their End-point assessments.
The apprentice is assessed against the assessment plan. This was produced by the trailblazer group to show what would be involved in the EPA. The assessment plan focuses on the knowledge, skills and behaviours (also known as KSB’s) that the apprentice will have learnt and developed through their on-programme training.
The KSB’s can be evaluated by a variety of assessment activities including practical observations, technical interviews or examinations. Each assessment plan makes it clear which EPA methods are to be completed during the assessment phase. These assessments are designed to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate all of the required knowledge, skills and behaviours outlined in their chosen Apprenticeship Standard, these criteria are required for them to be fully competent in their role and achieve their apprenticeship overall.
End Point Assessment is a process in which apprentices are assessed at the end of their learning programme.
Previously apprentices were assessed continually throughout their apprenticeship programme. Moving forward, with End Point Assessment, it means that apprentices will now have their newly gained knowledge, skills and behavior competence assessed by an independent EPA organisation against the apprenticeship standard that have been created by groups of employers, educators and sector specialists known as ‘apprenticeship trailblazers’. This allows employers to be confident that the apprentice is competent in their job role.
The EPA is graded as defined in the published assessment plan.
An apprenticeship certificate is only awarded after successful completion of the EPA; this is claimed by the EPAO.
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