What it means for external quality assurance providers

In year one we will be transferring standards where the external quality assurance (EQA) is currently provided by the Institute. Therefore existing EQA providers will see no change during this time. Until apprenticeships transfer to Ofqual or the Office for Students (OfS), current EQA providers will remain responsible for their apprenticeships. During this time, end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must comply with the existing EQA system.

There will be a phased transition in year two. We will contact existing EQA providers and trailblazers to ensure a collaborative approach, with as little disruption as possible for EPAOs. We will publish further information on the timeline and transition as we approach this phase. Apprentices should see not see a change to their EPA experience due to the EQA transition.

We continue to have a statutory responsibility to ensure evaluations of the quality of end-point assessments take place. As such, EQA will be delivered within our EQA framework and we will retain oversight of the system.