What is End-Point Assessment?
What is End-Point Assessment? End-Point Assessment, EPA for short, is a competency assessment at the end of an Apprenticeship.
What is End-Point Assessment?
End-Point Assessment was one of the biggest changes to come out of the Apprenticeship reform a few years ago. EPA is a series of one-off assessments an Apprentice needs to complete at the end of their Apprenticeship. You will only find End-Point Assessments in Apprenticeships. So, if you deliver stand-alone vocational courses, you won’t be impacted by EPA.
The updated Apprenticeship model is distinctly different from is predecessor. With the old Apprenticeship frameworks, Apprentices were assessed continuously throughout their qualification until they had completed all of the components. Such as functional skills and health & safety. Once all of these components were ticked off, they were given their apprenticeship certificate.
Now however, before the certificate can be claimed, the Apprentice must pass the End-Point Assessment. The whole Apprenticeship process now has 6 steps.
Initial Assessment
The initial assessment takes place right at the beginning of the apprenticeship. Normally, a series of questions are posted to the apprentice by their training provider. This is to ensure that the apprenticeship is suitable for them. If they already have advanced skills & competency in the industry, it’s unlikely an apprenticeship is the appropriate route.
On-Programme Training
Once the initial assessment has been passed, the apprentice begins their training. The on-programme training takes up the biggest chunk of the apprenticeship time-wise. The apprentice will learn all of the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to become competent in their sector.
Gateway
The ‘Gateway’ element of the apprenticeship is where the training provider, employer and apprentice come to an agreement that the apprentice is ready for their EPA. Normally, the learner will have to submit a portfolio of evidence for this part. The employer may also need to submit a reference for the apprentice.
End-Point Assessment
Finally, the time has arrived for the apprentice to complete their end-point assessment. Depending on the requirements, the EPA may take place over a number of days, consisting of a variety of assessment methods. Each element of the EPA will hold a percentage towards their final grade. For example, 30% from their portfolio of evidence; 30% from a 3 day project; and 40% from a presentation.
Completion and Certification
Finally, after a successful EPA, the apprentice’s certificate can be claimed. The final grade will be a pass or distinction, potentially even merit.
In any case, every Apprentice must pass their End-Point Assessment in order to pass their Apprenticeship and most importantly, be deemed competent to work in their role. The details for every apprenticeship you can think of can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships website.
If you want to become an End-Point Assessor, then we would recommend enrolling on to our End-Point Assessor course bundle. Alternatively, if you already hold a valid assessor qualification, then we would recommend our online EPA CPD course. If you have any questions, please get in touch on 01205 805155 or email us at training@brooksandkirk.ac.uk.
Other EPA blogs in this series:
- The Purpose of End-Point Assessment – What is it?
- Can an End-Point Assessor assess other parts of an Apprenticeship?
- What does an End-Point Assessment involve?
- What do I need to become an Independent End-Point Assessor?
- Where can I find information on specific End-Point Assessments?
- How do I find an End-Point Assessment plan?
- Who do End-Point Assessors work for?
- Who are End-Point Assessment Organisations?
- How can I find End-Point Assessment Organisations?
Steve is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.
He provides Educational Consultancy to the 19+ sector as well as being an Assessor, IQA, EPA and Digital Marketing Professional. When not doing any of these he finds time, every now and then, to write blogs and articles.