A national scheme, funded by the Department for Education, has been launched to improve capacity to deliver independent end-point assessment in apprenticeships.
The programme, which is co-managed by Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and Strategic Development Network (SDN), will increase the number of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations and assure training standards are being met by employers.
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All apprentices must undertake an independent end-point assessment which is a synoptic assessment of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that have been learnt throughout the apprenticeship.
End-point assessment must be administered by an assessor from an approved, independent Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation, and not by the training provider who works with the employer during the on-programme part of the apprenticeship programme.
Mike Cox, Programme Director at AELP, said: “We’re at a critical juncture in the apprenticeship reforms, an increasing number of apprentices are starting on the new standards, and frameworks are starting to be switched off. It is clear that significant end-point assessment capacity is required. The programme will help to drive this forward, ensuring high-quality AAOs are in place to meet demand and help secure the success of future apprenticeships.”
Commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation, the 15 workshop packages launched at the beginning of November, will help organisations become approved in end-point assessments.
Colin Bentwood, Programme Manager at SDN, said: “Our consortium has been at the forefront of the apprenticeship reforms since their inception. We’ve supported trailblazer employer groups to develop many of the published assessment plans, and understand what’s required of organisations and assessors to deliver end-point assessment successfully.
“Assessment experts will be deployed on the programme to support all organisations interested in delivering end-point assessment, whether current apprenticeship providers, awarding organisations, employers, universities, professional bodies or other independent organisations and individuals.”
