Standard
Code
ST0230 v1.1
Maximum Funding
£4000
Typical
Duration
12 months
Level
3
Standard
EPA Price*
£800
EQA Provider
Ofqual
End-Point Assessment Requirements
English and maths
Effective from 11 February 2025, the government has removed the mandatory English and maths functional skills requirement for apprentices aged 19 and above who start their apprenticeship training. This change includes apprentices who are currently on the programme.
The new ruling applies to apprentices on programme and all apprentices starting their programmes from February 2025.
Employers and apprentices must agree by 1st April 2025 whether apprentices aged 19 and above on programme will continue studying English and maths.
- Providers must record the decision in the training plan.
- Apprentices must continue their studies until an agreement is made.
It is worth noting that whilst the mandatory requirement for English and Maths has been removed, apprentices and employers can still choose to receive English and Maths training and participate in the associated tests.
For apprentices under the age of 19 at programme commencement, there is still a requirement to undertake Maths and English training and take functional skills tests.
On Demand Test
- 2 hour (including 30 minutes reading time) on-demand, multiple choice test
- Scenario-based questions covering the core and relevant specialist function
- The apprentice must pass both sections to achieve a pass overall
- 70% must be achieved to gain a pass
- 85% must be achieved to gain a distinction
- Undertaken either on the employer’s premises or off-site under controlled conditions.
Business Project
- The apprentice will complete a project based on an opportunity/challenge/idea to make an improvement to the business, e.g. customer experience, reducing wastage
- The project must be based on the relevant specialist function
- The apprentice will plan, research and submit the 2000-5000 word project to their employer and the independent end-point assessor
- The apprentice will also present the project to the independent assessor and the employer in a formal 30 minute presentation with a question and answer session.
Practical Observation
- 4 hour observation of the apprentice in the working environment
- Time may be split to cover preparation and service
- Shows apprentice covering a range of tasks in their specialist function.
- Verbal questioning permitted (on completion of the activity, within the allocated time) to clarify observations.
Professional Discussion
- A structured, 90 minute discussion between the apprentice and their independent end-point assessor
- Covering key areas of the standard, the apprenticeship training experience, and skills and knowledge acquired during the programme
- The discussion will be led by the independent assessor and the agenda will be communicated in advance
- The line manager may be, but is not required to be, present during the discussion.
Available Resources
- Training provider resource library
- EPA Specification (click to view)
- PAL Guide – Making the Apprenticeship Journey Successful (click to view)
How to engage with PAL.
Engaging with PAL couldn’t be easier. Simply contact us at info@professionalassessment.co.uk or on 0800 1601899. Our senior team will contact you to find out about your requirements in more detail and discuss how we might need to adapt our approach to meet your needs. Once you are happy that PAL is the right fit for your programme, we set up your account, share our library of resources and support you to register your apprentices. You can then rest assured that you have a dedicated team on hand to guide you through your EPA journey and provide a responsive service when your apprentices are ready to be assessed.