Is There a Difference Between an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor?

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We often get asked if there is a difference between an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor. The answer is: yes, there is! Although there is some crossover between the two positions, they’re not quite the same. A few years ago, an EPA didn’t even exist, and there was only one Assessor involved in apprenticeship. So it isn’t surprising that there is often confusion between the two different roles. Let’s have a look at both of these two different roles separately.

Just to confuse things even more, there are actually 3 types of assessors:

  1. NVQ/SVQ Assessors
  2. On-Programme (OP) Assessors
  3. End-Point Assessors

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The Role of the NVQ and On-Programme Assessors

We didn’t want to leave the OP Assessors out, so we have included them too! The roles and responsibilities of the NVQ and OP Assessors are fairly similar. When an apprentice completes a vocational qualification, the on-programme Assessor doubles up as an NVQ Assessor, and vice-versa.

An on-programme Assessor supports an apprentice through the ‘on-programme’ element of their apprenticeship. They carry out assessments and training, gathering evidence from the apprentice. An OP Assessor is also responsible for ensuring the learner meets the standards and is therefore ready for the End-Point Assessment.

Going back to the NVQ Assessor, they also carry out assessments and training to evidence the learning outcomes from the units of the learner’s NVQ. They help to guide the learner through every step of their qualification.

The Role of the End-Point Assessor

The Independent End-Point Assessor (IEPA) is far less hands-on. The IEPA assesses on a one-off basis during the End Point Assessment – a new requirement for apprentices at the end of their apprenticeships. Using learning to drive as a metaphor, you could think of the IEPA as the person in the passenger seat during the final driving test.

The IEPA is someone completely unknown to the apprentice and unrelated to the learning institution. They assess against the course criteria without bias or prior knowledge.

What is an End-Point Assessment?

Once an apprentice has finished all on-programme aspects of their apprenticeship, they will have to face their End-Point Assessment. This may be a singular assessment or many depending on the course. Basically, the End-Point Assessment is a series of tests designed to showcase what the apprentice has learned and how well they’ve developed their skills. The EPAs answer the following question: Is this apprentice working to the industry standard?

The End-Point Assessor uses the results of these assessments to determine how well the learner has done on the course and whether they will fail the apprenticeship, pass, or pass with a merit or distinction.

The EPA a learner will face at the end of their apprenticeship will be detailed in the course’s Assessment Plan.

Do apprenticeships have both Assessors and End-Point Assessors?

Simply put, this depends on the course. When training for a BTEC as an independent qualification, there won’t be an End-Point Assessor, for example. However, for all apprenticeships, there will be both an Assessor during the learner journey and an EPA at the finishing line.

Is there a difference in training to become an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor?

Only slightly…

To become an Assessor of any type, you must have completed a CAVA course. However, as there is a difference between the roles, there is obviously going to be a difference within the training. Check out our blog to find out how to become an Independent End-Point Assessor.

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