At the Nursery World Show a couple of weeks ago we were asked to explain more about the Playwork standard. This is one of 2 standards that we plan to End Point Assess when they are fully approved.
The 2 standards are Playwork Level 2 and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Level 7. We thought today we would explain a little about how apprenticeship standards are developed through the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
The process is:
1) Create a Trailblazer Group
2) Develop an Occupational Proposal
3) Develop an Occupational Standard
4) Develop an End-Point Assessment Plan
5) Allocate a Funding Band
6) Submit using the Apprenticeship Builder
7) Approvals Process
8) Promoting New Apprenticeships
9) Revisions, Adjustments & Dispensations
Both the Playwork L2 and SENCO L7 have passed the first stage, the proposal stage, and are now waiting for the second stage, the approval stage. Once they have both been approved as a standard then the respective End Point Assessment Plans will need to be approved.
There is, however, a need for an End Point Assessment Organisation to be approved in principle by the ESFA to deliver the EPA. When the standards first came about this was not a requirement and what happened was apprentices were getting to the end of their training but there was no EPAO in place to take them through the EPA. The process was therefore changed in that apprentices cannot start their training if an EPA has not been approved. We have had approval in principle from the ESFA for both of these standards.
If you are interested in the full procedure please click through to this link as we have obviously just given a brief overview on the process.
