Free Webinar events! Book now.Join us for a free webinar to explore the Early Years assessment plans!Following PAL's successful launch of EPA for the Early Years suite of standards at the beginning of the year, we will be offering two free webinars for training providers and employers.These sessions are aimed at those involved in delivering the Early Years apprenticeship standards.The [...]
With so many apprenticeship assessment plans, each with their own individual requirements and nuances, it can be very difficult for training providers delivering a range of apprenticeship standards to remember the specific EPA requisites for each one.PAL understands that this can be confusing, and that delays to assessment may occur when mandatory requirements are not met, which could be frustrating [...]
We're absolutely delighted to announce that PAL has been shortlisted for the Federation of Awarding Bodies EPA Awards 2022! The awards ceremony celebrates the achievements of end-point assessment organisations over the past year and will take place at FAB's EPA 2022 Conference on the 19th of May. PAL is a finalist in the Multi-Standard EPAO of the Year (SME) [...]
Ofqual's Executive Director for Vocational and Technical Qualifications, Catherine Large OBE, delivered a speech at the Annual Apprenticeship Conference 2022. The speech illustrates Ofqual's vision and makes clear their intended approach to collaborative and cooperative working to pursue apprenticeship programme excellence. Ofqual will be robust in its regulations of End-Point Assessment Organisations and is keen to engage and learn from [...]
The Institue for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has updated the guidance on the use of flexibilities and temporary discretions for End-point Assessment. For PAL clients, this means: - Temporary discretions that were due to be switched off at the end of February (Retail standards) can now be utilised until midnight on the 31st of March 2022. There has [...]
Update - As published in the ESFA Update document from the 30/06/2021: "The temporary suspension of the requirement for level 2 apprentices to work towards and attempt level 2 Functional Skills has been extended to include level 2 apprentices with a planned end date on or before 31 December 2021. For all apprentices with a planned end date beyond 31 [...]
There has been a minor change to the end-point assessment plan for the Leader in Adult Care Level 5 standard. The latest version of the assessment plan is AP02 and can be found here. The change is as follows: The previous version of the assessment plan (AP01) stated: The observation will typically last for 75 minutes comprised of 60 [...]
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has produced a useful, short video clip that explains the application and purpose of the most common assessment methods used in EPA. Click here to view the video.
PAL's Director of Audit and Compliance, Rupert Crossland has produced a handy summary of what the Skills for Jobs White Paper, which was published on the 21st of January 2021, means for Apprenticeships Summary of the main points: The DfE has committed to providing £2.5bn for apprenticeships in 2020/21. From August 2021, apprenticeship levy payers will be able to pledge [...]
Contributed by Lucy Smith, Professional Assessor at PAL. End-point Assesment has changed the face of apprenticeships. Not just in terms of how programmes are delivered, but also in terms of the additional skills apprentices have to develop in order to prove their competence and ability. Ensuring the apprentice is fully proficient in the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours within the Standard [...]
EPA doesn't have to be scary - it's easy when you know how! Here are some of the things we've learnt as we've been delivering EPA: We’ve learnt that employers and apprentices actually LIKE the new standards - they LIKE the fact that they are challenging, they LIKE the fact that hard work and dedication is rewarded, they even [...]
Employers MUST be fully involved in the apprentices’ learning journey so that together they can measure their progress against the relevant new standard Don’t be afraid to have difficult and honest conversations with employers and apprentices if things are not going to plan. This is an opportunity to offer solutions! Communication is key. Line managers should find the time [...]
