Navigating the apprenticeship assessment reforms

What's changing?

• Apprenticeship assessment replaces end-point assessment (EPA).
• Assessment can take place throughout the programme and inform the final outcome.
• Training providers may deliver and mark parts of the assessment where the plan allows.
• Employers will be responsible for verifying behaviours.
• Assessment plans are shorter and focus on clustering outcomes while removing unnecessary duplication.

Policy background

The Department for Education (DfE) Apprenticeship Assessment Principles, published in February 2025, set out the direction for reforms. These principles focus on:

•  removing unnecessary duplication
• enabling proportionate assessment
• providing flexibility in when assessment occurs
• supporting provider involvement in marking where appropriate.

Skills England is leading the revision of assessment plans alongside the Department for Education, Ofqual, employers, providers and assessment organisations. The reforms aim to keep assessment robust and reliable while reducing the burden on providers and apprentices.

Assessment plan implementation

All revised assessment plans will be reviewed and approved by Skills England before providers can use them for delivery. Approved plans ensure:

• alignment with occupational standards and the Apprenticeship Assessment Principles
• practical delivery arrangements for providers and employers
• validity and quality of assessment against regulatory expectations.

Providers should monitor the Skills England revisions and adjustments status report for updates on which plans are being revised and when they become live for delivery. Skills England has published illustrative assessment plans for a small number of occupations to help stakeholders prepare for the changes. These examples are for guidance only, and current end-point assessment (EPA) arrangements remain in place until revised plans are live.

Timeline

• October 2025 – the phased introduction of revised assessment plans begins
• 2025–2026 – transition period; current end-point assessment (EPA) plans remain available until replaced
• Spring 2026 – Ofqual expects to publish its new regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment, following consultation 2026–2027 – apprentices begin being assessed under revised plans as they go live.
• Revised plan publication and start dates vary by occupation. You can check the Skills England Apprenticeship Finder for the latest details.

What this means for providers

Training providers should:

• continue to use existing end-point assessment (EPA) plans until revised assessment plans are live for starts
• monitor the Skills England revisions and adjustments status report
• prepare provider teams for increased involvement in assessment delivery and marking where permitted
• engage employers on their role in verifying behaviours
• watch for Ofqual’s new regulatory framework, which is open for consultation until 11 February 2026.

Regulation & quality (Ofqual updates)

Ofqual regulatory framework and consultation

Ofqual is developing a new regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment to reflect DfE’s assessment principles and ensure validity and comparability under the reformed system. This framework will set out:

• Conditions and requirements awarding organisations (AOs) must follow
• How assessments must cover knowledge and skills in the occupational standard
• Design expectations and general purposes of assessment plans

The consultation on draft conditions, requirements and guidance is currently open and closes on 11 February 2026. After this, Ofqual will publish final rules and statutory guidance (expected Spring 2026).

Ofqual has also published outcomes from an earlier phase of its regulatory review, confirming its commitment to embedding DfE’s assessment principles while ensuring continued rigour and reliability.

Interim guidance

Skills England has published an interim General Requirements for Apprenticeship Assessment to help stakeholders understand the baseline features of assessment during the transition. Final guidance is expected after Ofqual’s framework is finalised.

If you would like to deliver the Apprenticeship assessment centre assessment model, you must apply for NCFE approval.

Contact us to let us know you'd like to gain approval and we will support you through the process. 

Apprenticeship funding rules have been updated for 2025/26. Updated rules include adjustments to how training and assessment costs are calculated, continued use of funding bands, and standard approaches to calculating earnings and completion payments. GOV.UK

Providers should refer to the Apprenticeship Funding Rules 2025 to 2026 guidance for full details. View full details on GOV.UK

The minimum duration for apprenticeships has been reduced to 8 months from August 2025.

• The following standards have been updated to reflect a shorter typical duration to gateway:
• Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker (Health and Social Care) – 8 months
• Level 2 Dual Fuel Smart Meter Installer (Construction and Built Environment) – 8 months
• Level 3 Production Assistant – Screen and Audio (Creative and Design) – 9 months
• Level 6 Postgraduate Teacher (Education and Early Years) – 9 months

See the government’s latest announcement on shorter apprenticeships 

Foundation apprenticeships are a new training route for young people, usually aged 16–21, combining paid work with structured learning in priority sectors. They are shorter than standard apprenticeships and aim to give young people a fast track into technical careers.

Key points:

• Who can apply: primarily 16–21-year-olds (with some exceptions, as set out in DfE funding rules).
• Length: around 8 months (pending legislation that allows shorter apprenticeships).
• Learning requirements: at least 187 hours of off-the-job training.
• Approval needed: providers must have EPAO recognition before starting delivery.
• Employer incentive: up to £2,000 per apprentice, depending on retention and progression.

 Available foundation apprenticeships: -

Explore foundation apprenticeships on Skills England 

NCFE foundation apprenticeships

NCFE are pleased to announce that we have received Ofqual approval for the following foundation apprenticeships.

• Software and data foundation apprenticeship
• Health and social care foundation apprenticeship

We have hosted 2 webinars where we share details of our approach, pricing, guidance and support available, which can be accessed here.

Speak to a member of our team about our foundation apprenticeships.

The government is refocusing investment towards young people at the start of their working lives, rather than those already in work with higher levels of prior learning and qualifications.

From 1 January 2026, Level 7 apprenticeships will be government-funded for young people aged 16-21, and under 25 for care leavers and those with an EHCP at the start of their apprenticeship in England.Apprentices who started a level 7 apprenticeship before 1 January 2026 will continue to be funded through to completion.

• As part of the government’s 10-Year health plan for England level 7 apprenticeships in five health professions will continue to be funded until 2028-29.
• The professions are advanced clinical practitioner, specialist community public health nurse, district nurse, clinical associate in psychology, and population health intelligence specialists.

Find out more about Level 7 apprenticeships

Links to official guidance

Department for Education

· Changes to apprenticeship assessment, 2025–26: official DfE guidance on reforms. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-funding-rules-2025-to-2026/changes-to-apprenticeship-assessment-2025-to-2026 GOV.UK

Skills England

• Skills England blog: Understanding the apprenticeship assessment reforms https://skillsengland.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/16/understanding-the-apprenticeship-assessment-reforms-and-what-they-mean-for-you-by-gemma-marsh/ Skills England ·
• Apprenticeship Finder (assessment plans): https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/ Skills England
• Revisions and Adjustments Status Report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-standards-revisions-and-adjustments-status-report GOV.UK

Ofqual

• Regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment (consultation open): https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/regulatory-framework-for-apprenticeship-assessment-conditions-requirements-and-guidance GOV.UK