Confirmed: Exams watchdog to takeover apprenticeship assessment quality checks

ofqual

Exams watchdog Ofqual is to take the lead in a  “new simplified external quality assurance (EQA) system” for apprenticeships it has been confirmed this afternoon.

The Institute for Apprenticeship and Technical Education (IfATE) had been consulting on ending the current complex arrangements in which employer bodies and even the IfATE themselves are responsible for oversight of the end-point-assessment organisations (EPAOs) for apprenticeship standards.

The IfATE will however “retain oversight of the system, and EQA will still be delivered within the Institute’s framework. The Institute will continue to have a statutory responsibility to evaluate the quality of end-point assessments.”

Chief executive at the IfATE, Jennifer Coupland, said: “We believe that the new system will be stronger and much simpler for end-point assessment organisations. Most importantly it will ensure quality for apprentices. I’d like to thank all those who took the time to respond to our consultation and we now look forward to taking the next steps.”

Sally Collier, chief regulator of Ofqual, welcomed the decision and said: “we hope that the new arrangements will increase confidence in the apprenticeship system and provide clarity and consistency for employers and end point assessment organisations.”

Read the IfATE statement in full here.

Read the Ofqual statement in full here.

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  1. Philip

    ”Sally Collier, chief regulator of Ofqual, welcomed the decision and said: “we hope that the new arrangements will increase confidence in the apprenticeship system and provide clarity and consistency for employers and end point assessment organisations.”

    As a member of a business that has ‘enjoyed’ seeing the EPA process at first hand, the one thing that neither Ofqual, nor any other government appointed body can do is guarantee ‘consistency’. The human element will always be present, and subjective judgements will be made. This makes life hard for all involved. We can see this in action as I write this – GCSE/A levels are being awarded and graded subjectively. This will lead to more resit claims that will clog up the system.
    What is wrong with professionally qualified teachers and tutors who have themselves been audited by their chosen awarding bodies being allowed to pass or fail a student.
    Because there is no trust in the system. But nobody is going to say that………..