Government has confirmed that the traditional EPA taken at the end of the apprenticeship will soon be replaced with on-programme assessments. This is a significant moment for apprenticeships and, in particular, providers and learners within health and social care.
Instead of facing a final high-stakes, all-or-nothing assessment at the conclusion of their apprenticeship, learners will now be assessed continuously throughout their programme using a variety of methods, including professional discussions, observations and evidence gathered in the workplace. This is a significant change to the way apprentices are trained in preparation for a career in the care sector.
At Realise, we are working hard to reassure employers that this can be a good thing for the sector by simplifying the process and embedding assessment within day-to-day learning. Ultimately, this can help learners qualify quicker and more efficiently, without affecting the quality of training or outcomes.
Consistency, quality and implementation
By the end of 2027, it is expected that all apprentices will be assessed via a ‘regulated integrated approach’ rather than by an EPA. Older versions of apprenticeships with the original end point assessment model will be phased out.
One of the first apprenticeships to make the change is the Level 2 Adult Care Worker, with learners who enrolled from the end of May being assessed on programme rather than at the end of their course. We have also recently learned of the new standard for the Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker, which includes a move away from an EPA from November this year. This programme will remain aligned to the diploma, which already includes the professional discussion element.
There are some who believe the changes have come about too quickly and might impact the standard of apprenticeships. When a significant change like this happens, it is understandable there will be questions about consistency, quality and implementation. However, I personally believe this is the right decision at the right time and one that follows years of feedback from learners, employers and training providers.
For me, the on-programme assessment method is more aligned with the vocational nature of care work. Health and social care is fundamentally practical, people-focused and experience-led. Excellent care practitioners apply their knowledge in real-life situations, communicate with vulnerable people and demonstrate both empathy and professionalism every day. These qualities are not easy to assess in a catch-all single assessment.
EPAs can also be challenging and quite expensive to organise, requiring additional administration and scheduling. This added assessment time at the end of the learning journey can make an apprenticeship programme two-three months longer than it really needs to be.
The disconnect between the apprenticeship and the final assessment has long been a frustration for many in the sector. A learner will collate a portfolio of evidence over the course of their apprenticeship but, with an EPA, they will not be formally assessed until a year or even 18 months after the learning occurred.
Knowledge, skills and behaviours have always been assessed throughout delivery as part of regulated qualifications, allowing learners to demonstrate competence consistently over time and in real working situations. Given this, it is reasonable to question whether a separate end-point assessment is necessary in addition to the ongoing assessment already taking place.
By assessing competence throughout the apprenticeship, rather than relying on a single assessment event months later, learning can be reinforced, applied and built on over time. We hope this will encourage deeper, more lasting learning and support ongoing professional development rather than short-term revision for a final assessment.
A broader and more authentic picture
It is important that assessment prioritises a learner’s ability to understand, apply and build on knowledge over time, not merely their capacity for remembering information. For example, when dealing with a safeguarding concern, what matters most is whether a care worker can recognise the signs of abuse, respond appropriately and follow correct reporting procedures in practice. This provides a broader and more authentic picture of competence than relying on an EPA discussion or assessment based on situations that may have taken place several months earlier.
There is a lot to be said about the unnecessary pressure of EPAs. I have seen many a good health and social care practitioner become anxious under the stress of a final assessment. Ultimately, many months of hard work is hinging on that final test and, for some, that is too much – and not because they are not capable or knowledgeable.
It is important to remember that some learners get anxious when it comes to tests – and some people who are completing apprenticeships have chosen this route as an alternative to academic study. For that reason, recreating a high-pressure, exam-style environment at the end of the programme can be off-putting to those who want to enjoy the ethos of vocational learning.
Even having to sit the EPA with an unknown assessor that the learner has not met before is enough to increase the pressure and send some into a tailspin. Assessing via observations in the workplace and professional discussions creates a more relaxed environment. Learners will collate the evidence and show how they have applied their learnings to their role. Crucially, this happens with the trainer that the learner has been working with and has built up a rapport. When learners feel comfortable and supported, they are often far better at articulating their experiences.
Greater focus on the practical competencies
At Realise, we have always had a good record when it comes to EPAs. This has, in part at least, been due to the work we have done in preparing learners specifically for the concluding assessment. To a certain extent, we have spent time familiarising learners with the requirements and expectations of an EPA.
With the conclusion of EPAs, we can put greater focus on the practical competencies of health and care. We can dedicate more time observing a learner’s behaviour as well as how they apply their knowledge and skills in real life scenarios. To me, that feels more valuable for both employers and learners.
Although direct observation is generally considered the preferred assessment method, there are situations within care settings where it is not appropriate or feasible due to service user confidentiality or individual needs. In those circumstances, alternative assessment approaches are used instead. This might involve gathering a witness testimony or holding a professional discussion around a specific scenario to demonstrate the learner’s competence and understanding.
Depending on the apprenticeship programme, learners are currently required to complete a mandatory qualification before moving on to the EPA. For instance, apprentices on the Level 2 Adult Care Worker and Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker standards must first achieve their diploma before progressing to EPA.
Under the revised Level 2 Adult Care Worker standard, the Level 2 Diploma in Care has been replaced with the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Social Care. While learners will still complete a regulated qualification, the new certificate has been designed to better reflect the realities of the role itself. Once learners have completed their off-the-job training hours and successfully achieved the certificate, there will no longer be a requirement for any additional assessment activity.
The right step forward
The removal of EPAs represents a major shift for the sector. However, our trainers are highly experienced and fully qualified assessors who have already spent years assessing diploma qualifications, including professional discussions, meaning they are well positioned and fully prepared for the transition.
In my view, the Department for Education has taken on board feedback from employers and training providers, carefully considering both the impact on learners and the needs of the sector. The decision to bring assessment more closely in line with day-to-day workplace learning feels like the right step forward. EPAs were introduced around nine years ago with positive intentions, but the sector has evolved and the assessment approach now needs to evolve with it.
I have spoken with many employers who consistently say they want learners to dedicate more time to strengthening their knowledge, skills and behaviours in the workplace, and these changes will give them the opportunity to do exactly that. We will continue to monitor the impact of the reforms closely to ensure standards remain high and that we keep developing exceptional healthcare professionals.
Ultimately, I believe these changes will produce more confident, well-rounded practitioners who are better equipped to meet the challenges and expectations of modern care settings. As we all know, the sector is in desperate need of new recruits – and it needs to retain the quality people it already has. These reforms will make both of those more achievable by making obtaining necessary qualifications more achievable.
How is your organisation preparing for the conclusion of EPAs? Comment on this feature or join the conversation to share your thoughts.
Angela Kaine is Director of Health and Social Care at Realise Training Group.
Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: @Realise