Over the last few months SS Educational Services has looked at some of the apprenticeship standards we currently End Point Assess, or will be assessing in the future.
Whichever standard your apprentice needs an End-Point Assessment for, they all go through 3 steps on the way to gaining their qualification:
Step 1 – Working with the employer and training provider and gaining the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours;
Step 2 – Gateway;
Step 3 – the End Point Assessment, which is carried out by an Independent End Point Organisation
Our blog post today focuses on the Gateway. Although it is an essential step of the apprentice’s journey, each standard has their own set of requirements, some of which are the same, regardless of the standard, and some of which are specific to the standard. We have listed below essential requirements for all, and sector/standard specific.
All Standards
- All apprentices must spend a minimum of 12 months on-programme. This is not a problem if the standard is any duration over 18 months as it is unlikely it could be completed in less than a year. However, if it is a 1-year apprenticeship, and the apprentice has completed in less time, they will still have to wait for the 1-year before they can go through Gateway.
- The apprentice should only enter the gateway once the employer is content that the apprentice is consistently working at or above the occupational standard, that is to say they are deemed to have achieved occupational competence. In making this decision, the employer may take advice from the apprentice’s training provider(s), but the decision must ultimately be made solely by the employer.
- Achieved English and mathematics at Level 2.
- For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and mathematics minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications are an alternative to English qualifications for those who have BSL as their primary language.
The EPAO determines when all gateway requirements have been met, and the EPA period will only start once the EPAO has confirmed this.
These are the requirements for all standards. Next month we will focus on the Gateway for specific sector standards SSES End Point Assess, starting with the Early Years Group of Standards and Children, Young People and Families in Level 4 and 5.
