Gateway Requirements and the End-Point Assessment

Assessment across the course should focus on the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) required by the Apprenticeship Standard, and will culminate in the end-point assessment (EPA). Prior to undertaking the EPA, apprentices must meet the gateway requirements set out in the Apprenticeship Standard. This ensures that all apprentices have completed the mandatory aspects of the occupational standard and any work that underpins specified assessment methods. It also demonstrates that the employer believes the apprentice is occupationally competent at the point they pass the gateway.

All apprentices must have passed maths and English Level 2 or above prior to gateway. If they do already hold these at the start of the apprenticeships they will undertake these whilst on programme. Evidence of these qualifications must be presented at gateway.

What is an End-Point Assessment?

The EPA is an independent assessment at the end of the apprentice’s training that confirms they have reached occupational competence. This confirms that the apprentice can actually perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the KSBs set out in the occupational standard. It must include at least two forms of assessment, and these will be specified in the assessment plan for the apprenticeship standard.

The EPA can be taken in two ways:

• Non-integrated: These are conducted by independent End-Point Assessment Organisations (EPAO), contracted by the University and selected by the employer. The University cannot be the EPAO in a non-integrated degree.
  
  
• Integrated: The University acts as the EPAO, and the EPA is an integrated aspect of the degree. For this purpose the University has to be listed on the Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations (RoEPAO). The EPA must still deliver an impartial result - the assessor must be independent of the programme, employer and apprentice.

For non-integrated apprenticeships, the apprentice must have passed their degree in order to be put forward for the EPA. This is determined by the University. Successful completion of the degree does not constitute completion of the apprenticeship. This is only achieved when the degree and the EPA have been achieved. The EPA could be undertaken after the degree has been awarded.

For integrated apprenticeships, successful completion of the degree also constitutes successful completion of the apprenticeship. In such cases, the final capstone module of the degree may constitute the EPA. Where this is the case, the assessment will need to meet the requirements of the EPA set out the apprenticeship Assessment Plan.

The University is responsible for providing continued support to the apprentice until the EPA is completed.

For all degree apprenticeships, the alignment of the programme assessment strategy with the apprenticeship Assessment Plan is essential. The programme should include a range of formative and summative assessments which support both the achievement of the programme and prepare apprentices for the EPA.