End-Point Assessment is full of new terminology and words to wrap your head around, here you will be able to find all the definitions as we understand them and use throughout our website and accompanying materials.
A
Apprentice: Individual undertaking an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship: A programme of learning that incorporates academic and technical learning with on the job training.
Apprenticeship Levy: A levy paid by all organisations with a pay bill over £3 million. Funds raised by this levy are supplemented by the government and accessible to said organisations for use through an online portal.
Apprenticeship Standard: Series of educational benchmarks for each apprenticeship, determined by the Trailblazer group, that every apprentice must meet in order to operate effectively in the workplace and to be certified.
Assessment plan: The framework through which the apprentice must pass that contains several different tests. The assessment plan is determined for each apprenticeship standard by the associated Trailblazer group.
Assessment: The act of assessing; appraisal; evaluation.
Awarding Organisation: An organisation that is recognised by the regulatory authorities such as Ofqual to award regulated qualifications to learners.
D
Degree apprenticeship: A programme of learning that combines university study at a degree level with on the job training.
Distinction: The apprentice greatly exceeds the educational benchmarks set out in the apprenticeship standard.
E
Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA): Government agency responsible for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults sponsored by the Department of Education.
Employer: Organisation that hosts the apprenticeship programme and hires the apprentice.
Employer-Provider: An employer that simultaneously hires the apprentice and is able to provide apprentice training in line with the apprenticeship standard. Employer-providers must appear on the register of approved training providers in order to deliver apprentice training.
End-Point Assessment (EPA): The final stage of an apprenticeship where a third-party organisation assigns an End-Point Assessor to verify apprentice knowledge, skills and behaviours. Apprentices cannot be certified without undergoing EPA.
End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO): Organisation approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to deliver EPA services. Coordinates EPA service requests with individual End-Point Assessors.
End-Point Assessor: Subject expert who assesses the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprentice during End-Point Assessment. Assessors will be assigned to individual employers/training providers by the EPAO.
External Quality Assurer: (EQA) Employed by the EPAO to ensure the trainer/assessor and the IQA maintain apprenticeship standards.
F
Formative Study: The second stage of the apprenticeship, where the apprentice will learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for their position, including off the job training and, occasionally, the achievement of a qualification.
Functional Skills: Qualifications in practical skills in English, Maths and ICT for all learners aged 14 and above. They provide an individual with essential knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently in work and life.
Funding bands: Tiers into which all apprenticeships fall that determine their amount of government funding.
G
Gateway: The third stage of the apprenticeship where the apprentice, employer and trainer determine whether or not the apprentice is ready to undertake the End-Point Assessment.
H
Holistic: An assessment method that focuses on all outlined assessments collectively rather than individual/specific assessments.
I
IfA: The Institute for Apprenticeships ensures high-quality apprenticeship standards and advises the government on funding for each standard.
Induction: The first stage of the apprenticeship where the apprentice’s basic skills in English and Maths are verified.
Internal Quality Assurer (IQA): Employed by the training provider to monitor the work of the trainer/assessor to ensure apprenticeship standards are maintained.
K
Knowledge/Situational Judgement Test: A test used in most End-Point Assessments using non-organisation specific information and situations to test the apprentice’s knowledge and understanding of their role.
M
Merit: The apprentice exceeds the educational benchmarks set out in the apprenticeship standard.
O
Off-the-Job Training: All training that is conducted outside of the apprentice’s normal work duties as part of the formative study. 20% of the apprentice’s contracted hours must be dedicated to off the job training. It will reinforce practical, work-based learning with technical and theoretical learning.
On-the-Job Training: All training that is conducted during the apprentice’s contracted hours as part of the formative study.
P
Pass: The apprentice meets the educational benchmarks set out in the apprenticeship standard.
Practical Observation: A common test in many End-Point Assessments where the End-Point Assessor observes the apprentice conducting their normal duties. It is usually an opportunity for the apprentice to demonstrate their skills and behaviours.
Professional body: Organisation whose members are individual professionals and often have resources that can help their members with continuing professional development. Apprentices are encouraged to join an appropriate professional body after receiving certification.
Professional Discussion: Commonly conducted at the end of the End-Point Assessment. It is a one-on-one, structured discussion between the assessor and the apprentice meant to tease out any details or demonstrations of knowledge, skills and behaviours not apparent during other stages of the End-Point Assessment.
Q
Qualification: Certificate verifying an individual’s competence and/or ability in a particular area.
R
Register of Approved Training Providers: A register compiled by the ESFA of all training providers approved to deliver apprentice training. A training provider cannot deliver apprentice training unless they appear on the register.
Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations: A register compiled by the ESFA of all approved EPAOs. An EPAO cannot deliver EPA services unless it appears on the register.
S
Synoptic Assessment: This is an assessment process which considers all perspectives and factors contributing to a particular topic. It is a form of assessment which tests apprentices’ understanding of connections between different elements of a subject.
T
Trailblazers: Group of employers selected by the government charged with creating the apprenticeship standards.
Traineeship: Education and training programme that incorporates work experience in order to develop skills and abilities to make them ‘work ready’.
Trainer: Industry expert responsible for training the apprentice and fostering their knowledge, skills and behaviours in line with the apprenticeships standard. Trainers will be assigned to employers/apprentices by the training provider.
Training Provider: Organisation that provides training services, usually specialising in a particular sector.
