At Educating UK, we now offer a brand-new qualification the TQUK Level 3 Award in Understanding End Point Assessment (RQF). We are one of only a handful of training providers approved to offer this regulated qualification, through our awarding organisation Training Qualifications UK.
The qualification is suitable for anyone who wishes to develop their knowledge of the role of an end point assessor.
Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship is a way to gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed for a specific career. Apprenticeships combine work, training, and study, allowing an apprentice to earn while they learn.
There are many different apprenticeships available across a wide range of industries. As a paid employee, an apprentice works alongside their role, completing their studies. There are no student fees as training costs are funded by the government and by employers.
There have been many changes to apprenticeships since 2017. The biggest change being that instead of assessment occurring continually throughout an apprenticeship programme, an apprentice now has to complete end-point assessment (EPA) in order to achieve their apprenticeship. Some standards do also embed a mandatory qualification which must be completed as part of a standard.
End point assessment is designed to be an objective and impartial assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB). An apprentice cannot achieve their apprenticeship without completing and passing the end-point assessment components.
Apprenticeship Standards, Trailblazers, Assessment Plans and Gateway
Apprenticeship Standards outline the skills, knowledge and behaviours (KSBs) required to carry out a job role. An apprentice undertaking an apprenticeship will cover all KSBs during their apprenticeship programme. This ensures they are able to fulfil their job role effectively, once they pass their apprenticeship.
Examples of Apprenticeship Standards that can be undertaken include:
• Team Leader/ Supervisor
• Teaching Assistant
• Commis Chef
• Operational/Department Manager
• Learning Mentor
• Customer Service Practitioner
• Adult Care Worker
Trailblazers are groups of employers, termed ‘trailblazer groups’. They develop an apprenticeship standard. Trailblazers must be a group of employers, recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, and reflective those who employ people in the occupation, including small employers. Trailblazers design the standards for apprenticeships and the Assessment Plans, used as part of the End Point Assessment Process.
An assessment plan is the document produced by a Trailblazer Group. It identifies how an apprentice will be end point assessed, who will carry out the end point assessments as well as indicating the quality assurance measures which must be in place during the end point assessment process. Assessment plans also contain information regarding grade boundaries as well as any ‘Gateway’ requirements to be completed or achieved, before an apprentice can undertake the end point assessments. Assessment Plans are used by End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAO) to devise end point assessments. They are published on the Institute for Apprenticeship’s website. Each apprenticeship standard comes with a specific Assessment plan.
Gateway takes place when an apprentice is deemed ‘ready’ to complete the end point assessment activities. Gateway is an employer led, formal meeting with the Apprentice, On-Programme Assessor and the apprentice’s Line Manager all present.
Once a Gateway meeting has taken place and all required information has been submitted to an EPAO, the end point assessment process will be triggered and the apprentice will be contacted by an end point assessor to arrange an Assessment Planning Meeting in order to schedule the end point assessment activties.
Organisations Involved in End Point Assessment
There are a range of organisations involved in end point assessment, these include; End Point Assessment Organisations, Training Providers, Employers and The Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education and External Quality Assurers.
End Point Assessment Organisations – EPAO are organisations approved to offer end point assessments to apprentices. All end-point assessment organisations must be registered on the RoEPAO – the Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations. EPAO must be completely independent and have no affiliation to an apprentice, training provider or employer.
Training Providers – they deliver the teaching and learning aspects of an apprenticeship to an apprentice. Apprentices will work with on-programme assessors, employed by a training provider. A training provider must be approved and registered on the Register of Approved Training Providers (RoAPT)
Employers – Apprenticeships are employer led and employers are encouraged to get involved in apprenticeships their staff members are undertaking. Employers are involved at every stage of an apprenticeship programme, including end point assessment activities. They are required to support the 20% off the job training requirement within apprenticeships.
Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education – the IfA oversee the development, approval and publication of apprenticeship standards and assessment plans. They also work with ‘trailblazers’ to develop and review apprenticeship standards and assessment plans, as well as making recommendations on funding bands to the Department for Education for each apprenticeship standard. The Institute has a role overseeing External Quality Assurance (EQA) across all EQA providers to ensure quality, consistency and credibility. The Institute for Apprenticeships is accountable for the quality of apprenticeships education.
External Quality Assurers – External Quality Assurance (EQA) monitors the End Point Assessment that apprentices undertake at the end of their apprenticeship, to ensure that it is fair, consistent and robust across different apprenticeship standards and between different assessment organisations. EQA ensures that End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs) all work to a high standard and that an apprentice would get the same result from their EPA regardless of the EPAO. EQA also ensures the apprenticeship standard and end-point assessment plan are fit-for-purpose and actually delivering the outcomes that are required.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education oversees EQA delivery to ensure that EQA is robust and carried out consistently across EQA providers.
There were originally four options that a trailblazer could choose from to deliver EQA for a standard:
•an employer led model
•a professional body
•Ofqual
•the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
However, in July 2020, it was agreed that Ofqual would take over all EQA activities for every standard.
Role and Responsibilities of an End Point Assessor
There are a range of people involved in end point assessment. These include the End Point Assessor, Apprentice, On Programme Assessor and Internal Quality Assurer from the EPAO.
An Apprentice undertakes the end point assessment activities in order to pass their apprenticeship. They will have completed their apprenticeship within a particular occupational area and will have learned and developed the skills, behaviour and knowledge to meet the requirements of the standard for their occupation.
An on-Programme Assessor works for a training provider and is the person who delivers a challenging teaching and learning programme to an apprentice. The On-Programme assessor must teach the apprentice the knowedlge, skills and behaviours needed to work successfully within an occupational area and support them in meet the requirements to pass the end point assessment.
The End Point Assessor (EPA) role is to undertake end point assessment activities with an apprentice. EPAs must ensure all end point assessments are planned and organised, and an apprentice is fully aware of the end point assessment activities that will take place.
An end point assessor must record assessment judgements and give detailed and informative written feedback to apprentices. End point assessors are also responsible for following the correct procedures set by an end point assessment organisation, as well as adhering to relevant legislation and maintaining quality standards.
Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) work for the EPAO and sample the work of the end point assessor to ensure their assessment judgments are correct and that apprentices are meeting the requirements of a standard. IQA also offer support to assessors, lead standardisation activities and ensure quality standards are maintained.
For more information regarding the TQUK Level 3 Award in Understanding End Point Assessment (RQF) please visit our website www.educatinguk.com or email enquiries@educatinguk.com
