EPA support

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Onboarding with us

We have a clear and comprehensive onboarding programme that’ll quickly bring you up to speed with end-point assessment (EPA) and our approach.

We’ll also assign you an Relationship Manager who’s an EPA expert. They’ll support you throughout your journey.

Our onboarding programme features a series of webinars, giving you all the knowledge that you need for a successful EPA experience.

The webinars cover:

EPA back to basics
Our approach to EPA
System guides
Reading an assessment plan
Making the most out of our guidance documents.

You’ll have access to our online platform where you can register apprentices for EPA, read our guidance documents and set up your users.

During delivery

Once you’re on board and delivering the on-programme element of the apprenticeship, you’ll have access to a range of expert support including:

Standard-specific guidance documents, giving you clear details about the EPA and vital information for apprentices
Regular reviews with your Relationship Manager to discuss any queries, including advising on best practice, helping with assessment plans and informing what an EPA looks like in practice
Our helpdesk, to quickly answer any queries you have.

Approaching Gateway

The Gateway process sits between the on-programme delivery and the EPA. It’s a major milestone showing that the apprentice, employer and training provider are in agreement that the apprentice is ready for the EPA.

Each standard has a different set of Gateway requirements which can include:

Completing a portfolio of evidence
Achieving mandatory qualifications
The apprentice’s signature, confirming they’re ready for the EPA
Completing the Care Certificate (for care and health standards).

You can find a list of the Gateway Requirements for each individual standard in our Specification and Guidance documents or on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s website.

Once your apprentice is ready for Gateway, you’re then able to use the online platform to upload the relevant evidence and submit them for EPA.

We’ll review the Gateway evidence and get in touch to confirm the outcome, in line with our service-level agreement (SLA), and book in the EPA.

Guidance documents

Our guidance documents have been designed to help the training provider, employer and apprentice prepare for Gateway and the end-point assessment. Within our guidance documents you will find the below:

Specification and guidance – a comprehensive standard specific EPA guidance document that details all aspects of EPA, including gateway, assessment specific guidance, assessment criteria and much more
Digital templates – EPA template documents that we have designed for your ease and can support in portfolio development where applicable
Additional support materials – assessment-specific 'how to' guides, FAQs and an overall EPA guidance document that details how to prepare for any of the assessment components contained within EPA and more
Sample assessment materials and exemplar documents
Gateway declaration and checklist – Gateway checklist - the mandatory documents to be uploaded to the Gateway checklist on epaPRO.

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EPA tips for success

We’ve put together some advice for delivering EPA:

Engage with us as your EPAO as soon as possible
We have a great deal of experience in EPA and will be happy to help you. We do not have any registration fees and our comprehensive support package is available as soon as you sign up.
Get familiar with the standard and assessment plan
You’ll find this on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Workshops website. This is the blueprint for the entire apprenticeship programme. It details the on-programme learning that must happen, and the format and grading criteria of the EPA. End-point assessment organisations (EPAO) will have extra guidance documents, but the standard is the most crucial document for the apprenticeship and EPA delivery. The assessment plan also includes information on the specific assessment methods that the apprentice will undertake as part of their EPA.
Start with the end in mind
The EPA is a crucial part of the apprenticeship standard and is a distinct assessment process.
Make sure the apprentice is aware of the requirements for each assessment component and is comfortable with them
Use the guidance documents we provide to run mock assessments.
Make sure the employer is aware of the EPA requirements
Share webinars, support videos and guidance documents throughout the apprenticeship.
Understand timescales
Training providers must register apprentices on our EPA platform at least 90 days before they are due to enter their end-point assessment. Once you request EPA, pending a successful Gateway audit, we will offer assessment dates within 6 working days.

These timescales are in place to make sure we can deliver high-quality assessments every time.

Check the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s guidance to see if your apprentice is exempt.

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