Navigating the New Apprenticeship Assessment Policy: What It Means for the Sector 

The UK’s apprenticeship landscape is undergoing a major transformation. In October 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) started rolling out a revised Apprenticeship Assessment framework, marking the most significant shift in over a decade. These changes aim to simplify processes, enhance flexibility, and better align funding and evaluation with learner needs.

What does this mean?

We now have some examples of how the new apprenticeship assessment will look. These are the new foundation apprenticeships: Apprenticeship search / Skills England 

The 3 newly released level 3 assessment plans are as follows: 

• ST0002 Assistant accountant 
• ST0795 Data technician 
• ST0135 Early years educator 

Skills England has included a banner indicating that these three standards are not currently live and are for illustrative purposes only; there is a possibility that these assessment plans may change before they go live. 

These 3 new standards have quite a minimalist approach to defining the requirements of the apprenticeships, with some key factors worth noting: 

• For the Assistant Accountant standard, the requirements of any assessment organisation for the apprenticeship have been removed; completion of this standard (assuming the current plan goes live) is purely by completion of the mandated qualification: AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting. No other assessments are required, and the training provider will apply for the apprenticeship certificate. 
• For the other 2 standards (data technician and early years educator), there is no mandated qualification, as assessment will be conducted in line with the criteria laid out in the assessment plan. 
• Only the Knowledge statements (Ks) and Skills statements (Ss) highlighted in bold in the plan need to be assessed every time, which equates to roughly 1/5^th of the Ks and 1/3^rd of the Ss. 
• We understand that the remaining statements will be assessed by a sampling approach by the AO, but this has not yet been defined. 
• The overall requirement for apprenticeship assessment to be assessed holistically and independently by the AO is not currently mandated anywhere; we believe this may come in further guidance yet to be released. However, the early years assessment plan specifically calls for an independent assessment, whereas the data technician does not. 
• Behaviours are not mentioned in the plan; however, the companion guide sets out the requirement for the employer to verify behaviour. 

The associated companion guide is published here: Changes to apprenticeship assessment, 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK 

The impact on assessment organisations  

What we know now: 

The current End-Point Assessment (EPA) model is being phased out in favour of a more flexible, principle-based approach. It is likely to take some years to phase out all of the EPAs, as those on programme need to complete their apprenticeship. Additionally, the new model has not yet been released. However, when the new approach goes live, apprentices will be able to move to the new assessment plans. 

Some apprenticeship products will disappear. For example, where a mandated qualification is listed, this may remove the requirement for any independent assessment by the AO outside of the qualification. AO interaction will move away from a direct assessment model to a QA and moderation approach in many areas; however, some direct assessment may still appear in some areas.  

What’s coming: 

EAL, as an assessment organisation, will need to redesign our methodologies to align with the Apprenticeship Assessment Principles. Given the volume of new development, this may have an impact on some release dates.  

The way that we appear on the register of EPAOs is changing. Currently, the list shows which EPAOs can deliver which standard. From early December, this is planned to change to Sector Subject Areas (SSA), with EAL’s offer being: 

• 05.2 Building and Construction  
• 04.1 Engineering  
• 04.2 Manufacturing Technologies  
• 02.1 Science  
• 15.3 Business Management 

Please note, this is the current allocation and will likely expand as we embed the new apprenticeship assessment. 

The impact on training providers 

What we know now: 

• Providers will be required to become centres with the assessment organisation if they aren’t already.
• Providers will engage with us differently, as some of the assessments will move from an independent assessment to a quality assurance model managed by our EQA team. 
• Providers will need to register apprentices with us at the beginning of the programme to ensure that assessments are conducted at the right time. 

What’s coming:  

• Providers will, in some cases, be required to apply for the apprenticeship certificate. 

The impact on employers 

What we know now: 

• Employers will be required to verify behaviours, which will likely be conducted through normal performance management activities such as appraisal systems. Employers will not be assessing behaviours. 
• The level of independent assessment is dropping, which could lead to lower confidence for employers when relying on apprenticeship assessment alone. 
• Other forms of competence assurance may be required, which could include non-mandated qualifications or internal training programmes. 

What’s coming: 

• Funding changes may come into force, which could reduce funding levels for apprenticeships.
• More flexible funding may become available, with the support of modular courses potentially being supported. 

Looking ahead 

As we understand it, the apprenticeship assessment timeline is as follows, but is subject to change: 

• Spring 2026 – release of Ofqual’s Apprenticeship Assessment Principles 
• From January 2026 to August 2026 – the release of all assessment plans that align with the new principles 

Skills England has also released a potential development time as the new assessment plans are released. This is the time between the release of the new assessment plan and the closure of the old EPA. The timelines are: 

• Non-mandated qualification assessment plan – 6 months from release date 
• Mandated qualification assessment plan - 1 month from release date 

There are many changes underway in apprenticeship assessment. This article provides a snapshot of EAL’s current understanding, but further updates to the plans and timelines are likely. We encourage you to stay in contact with us, so we can navigate these changes together and continue to develop high-quality programmes for the future workforce.