There is still time for people interested in how apprenticeship assessments are regulated to have their say on proposed changes.
Ofqual, England’s independent regulatory body for assessments, launched its public consultation Regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment in June and is keen to hear the views of employers, training providers and apprentices. Those wishing to take part have until 11.59pm on Wednesday August 27, 2025, to respond.
The regulatory framework has been developed to reflect the new apprenticeship assessment principles published by the Department for Education in February. These principles set out changes to the current EPA approach to assessment and apply to all apprenticeships, at all levels, including foundation and specialised apprentice programmes.
If adopted, the proposed framework would ‘allow awarding organisations more flexibility in assessment design and delivery to enable them to be more responsive to the needs of employers’ says Ofqual. This includes greater responsibility for decisions about how assessments are structured, delivered and marked. Ofqual will regulate both the assessments and the awarding organisations that develop and deliver them.
Catherine Large, Executive Director for Vocational and Technical Qualifications at Ofqual, said:
“We want to hear from everyone with an interest in apprenticeships to ensure our regulatory approach is effective, proportionate and supports the development of valid and reliable assessment.
Ofqual understands the significance of potential changes to the current end point assessment model, and the important role that employers and providers play in the system. We are working to ensure quality is upheld throughout this transition.”
Ofqual currently regulates the assessment of more than 580 apprenticeship occupational standards, set by Skills England, including through specific rules in relation to EPAs.
Through its principles, the DfE intends to streamline the assessment process for apprenticeships by enabling more design and delivery flexibility, so that:
To reflect these changes, the existing assessment plans on which all EPAs are based will be streamlined, on a phased basis, by Skills England. Employers’ views on assessing the competence of apprentices will, says Ofqual, continue to be important, but much of the detail included in the existing assessment plans will be removed, with Awarding Organisations (AOs) given more flexibility when designing and delivering assessments that meet the employer-set occupational standard.
The implementation of DfE’s principles in the new simplified arrangements represents a significant change from the current EPA assessment approach, where all assessment happens at the end of the apprenticeship after gateway and is independently marked by the AO. In its consultation summary, Ofqual adds; “In achieving greater design and delivery flexibility for AOs, it is likely that the new arrangements will lead to greater diversity of approach between AOs. Our priority is to ensure that Ofqual’s regulation reflects DfE’s policy while also mitigating risks as far as is reasonably possible and so maintains public and employer confidence in the results achieved by apprentices under the new arrangements.”
As a leading learner management platform, Onefile welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important consultation. The proposed changes align with our commitment to supporting flexible, high-quality assessment experiences that reflect real-world competency. We encourage our customers to share their views and help shape a regulatory framework that works for everyone.