Integration
Updated on [02/10/2024]
In April 2024, we shared the decision to integrate the NCFE and Active IQ end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) into one single EPAO, regulated through NCFE. The purpose of this integration is to combine the strengths of both organisations and offer an enhanced and streamlined experience for customers and learners. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes with our regulators and by reviewing our processes and ways of working, making improvements and ensuring the transition is as seamless as possible for you. Thank you for your patience and continued support during this time.
Changes to our EPA management platform
We’re making a change to our EPA management platform and we’ve made the decision to partner with epaPRO, a leading EPA platform management service.
Benefits of epaPRO include:
- all EPA documentation will be held within one platform
- it will remove manual activities such as completing webforms for special considerations, resits and retakes
- you can receive notifications within the system, keeping you updated every step of the way
- you can access insightful and useful reports
- you'll get wider visibility of learner management
- integration with other systems such as Aptem and Surpass
- it provides you with a Statement of Results certificate.
Transitioning to epaPRO
NCFE customers will transition over to epaPRO from Monday 28 October 2024. To support the transition, training sessions and support will be available throughout October. Our Relationship team will continue to be on hand to support with the transition.
Where customers work with both Active IQ and NCFE, we’ll transfer all learners currently registered on SEPA across to epaPRO in preparation of the system going live on 28 October 2024. All learners already registered on Active IQ epaPRO will be transferred to NCFE epaPRO, in preparation for the system going live on 2 December 2024. For Active IQ customers, apprentices that enter Gateway prior to 29 November 2024 will continue their EPA with Active IQ under the Active IQ epaPRO account.
epaPRO training webinars
To support the transition, we’ll be co-hosting training sessions with epaPRO throughout October. These sessions will include:
- walkthrough of the end-to-end EPA journey and what this will look like for users and learners
- information on system access
- demonstration of the registration process
- details on how to manage users, request EPA and access results
- examples of how to request reasonable adjustments, special considerations and appeals.
Please book your place by selecting one of the sessions below. If you’re unable to attend one of the sessions, don't worry – they’ll be recorded and shared after the session.
- epaPRO walkthrough - 8 October 2024 - 10:00 - 11:30 - Register here
- epaPRO walkthrough - 16 October 2024 - 13:30 - 15:00 - Register here
- epaPRO walkthrough - 23 October 2024 - 10:00 - 11:30 - Register here
- epaPRO Q&A - 13 November 2024 - 10:00 - 11:00 - Register here
Key dates
To support your planning, we wanted to highlight some key dates below where SEPA will not be accessible. Our Relationship team will also be in contact over the next few weeks to review your users, learner registrations and expected Gateway dates. They’ll guide you through the plans in place to support the transition to epaPRO and will support you with any queries, as well as helping to ensure your EPA activities can continue as planned, with no disruption to apprentices. Take a look at our timeline.
To support the migration of data from SEPA to epaPRO, the SEPA system will be unavailable to access from 6pm on Tuesday 22 October, and all users will transition to epaPRO from Monday 28 October.
The key points to note are:
- You can send Gateway requests and access the SEPA system until 6pm on Tuesday 22 October.
- Between 6pm on Tuesday 22 October until midnight on Sunday 27 October, you’ll be unable to make any requests via the system. This downtime will not interrupt any assessment activities and results will still be released within the agreed SLAs. Our Relationship team will be available to share any reports or access any data you require during the scheduled system downtime.
- From Monday 28 October, all users will be transitioned to epaPRO.
Further support and future updates
Take a look at our FAQs document to support with any queries you may have. You can also reach out to us via email at [email protected].
