Regulating apprenticeship end point assessments
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
In response to consultation feedback, we have:
- amended our proposed end-point assessment specific guidance regarding how end-point assessment organisations manage arrangements with Centres and centre based assessments
- expanded our guidance relating to specifications to ensure end-point assessment organisations have clarity around what they must contain and how they must be published
- amended our proposed Condition and guidance relating to event notifications:
- to clarify what should be reported and what actions should be taken
- to remove the requirement to notify Ofqual of the intention to offer qualifications substantially different in type or content from those an end-point assessment organisation is recognised for because this would already be required through our recognition process
- provided additional clarity about the use of terminology in our Conditions where it relates to EPAs
We have adopted all our other proposals unchanged.
We have now published our formal Conditions and guidance which implement these decisions.
Feedback received
Detail of feedback received
There were 39 responses to the consultation.
Of these responses, 37 were in a form that matched or broadly followed the layout of the online consultation. Two responses were written submissions, which were not included in the quantitative data analysis, but were considered within the qualitative sections.
Original consultation
Consultation description
This consultation relates to Ofqual’s external quality assurance of apprenticeship end-point assessments. It is about the rules and guidance we propose to apply, and those that we intend to disapply. Where we are not involved in regulating an end-point assessment, our rules will not apply.
The government is introducing new standards-based apprenticeships in England, led by the Institute for Apprenticeships (the Institute). Each new apprenticeship will require an apprentice to take an end-point assessment to complete their apprenticeship. The end-point assessment is an assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that demonstrate the occupational competence required for the apprenticeship. It is intended to make sure the apprentice meets the standard set by employers and is fully competent in the occupation.
To make sure each end-point assessment is of the required standard, it must be subject to external quality assurance. There are four possible options for providing this external quality assurance. These are the Institute, Ofqual, professional bodies, or employer groups. Where Ofqual is the external quality assurance provider, we will regulate the end-point assessment in the same way we regulate other qualifications - against our “General Conditions of Recognition”. We propose however to make some slight changes to our requirements - as we do for qualifications such as GCSEs and A levels, and are proposing to do for reformed functional skills qualifications. This will make sure we can take account of the specific way that end-point assessments are delivered, by removing unnecessary rules, providing bespoke guidance, and ensuring the rules that we apply are appropriate.
We are interested in views on our proposed rules and guidance from anyone that has an interest in reformed apprenticeships. We think that this consultation is likely to be of particular interest to end-point assessment organisations. Our consultation questions can be answered either online or in hard copy. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sally Collier Chief Regulator
Documents
Updates to this page
Published 26 February 2018Last updated 26 July 2018 + show all updates
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Published feedback and consultation outcome
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First published.