It’s really important that employers and providers understand each other clearly from the outset. Both sides must manage the contract negotiation and processes well so that it’s clear who pays what and when – and also what counts as success at each stage of the apprenticeship journey. The Professional Assessment team have experience of apprenticeship delivery, so we are able [...]

Employers choose which end-point assessment organisation to use. The full list of organisations approved for a particular standard can be found here.  An organisation might be chosen based on reputation and good standing, or on advice from the training organisation.

Each standard has an approved assessment plan that has been compiled and agreed by an employer-led trailblazer group. The assessment plan details the nature of the assessments and the grading system to be applied. Additionally, the plans set out the roles and responsibilities of the assessor, the internal quality assurance function and the role of the external quality assurance body.

The ESFA issues apprenticeship certificates after the training organisation and the EPAO have confirmed the results of the assessment. The certificate is sent directly to the employer, usually within 14 days of the certification claim. As we cannot guarantee the ESFA’s timescales, we will provide a PAL-branded EPA record of achievement with the results notification.

Employers and providers, along with the respective apprentice must decide together if the apprentice is ready for assessment by judging their learning and behaviours at the gateway review. Remember that getting to gateway always means passing English and maths at the required level. Our offer includes the provision of assessment guidance, assessment for learning materials and mock assessments and we [...]

Once your apprentice is referred to us following the gateway meeting, our team will arrange the assessment schedule with the employer and apprentice.  The specific assessment plan dictates the maximum EPA duration. Arrangements will also consider optimum assessment timings for the apprentice and employer. In the majority of cases, the full assessment process lasts between 6-9 weeks, but we [...]

The training organisation acting on behalf of the employer will liaise with PAL and notify us of the selection by registering the apprentice on our EPA Pro system.  Our EPAO code must also be added to the apprentice's ILR (Individual Learner Record).

Our ID number is EPA0095. The training organisation will need this to complete the ILR and claim the apprenticeship funding.