APPRENTICESHIP ASSESSMENT REFORM
What apprenticeship assessment reform means, why it’s happening and what changes for you.
We're not just ready for reform. We're leading it.
Apprenticeship assessment in England is changing, and at Accelerate People, we've been ahead of it from the start.
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The Department for Education announced its assessment reform principles in February 2025. Skills England is now leading the redesign of every apprenticeship assessment plan in the country. And assessment organisations like us are being asked to do something we've always believed in: stop following a prescribed script and start designing assessment that actually works.
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That's exactly what we're doing.
What the reform means
The shift from end-point assessment (EPA) to apprenticeship assessment isn't just a name change. It's a fundamentally different model, one that gives assessment organisations the freedom, and the responsibility, to design assessment systems that are fair, proportionate and genuinely useful.
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The key changes:
Assessment can now happen throughout the apprenticeship.
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It doesn't have to be concentrated at the end. Where it makes sense, assessment can be built into the programme, reducing unnecessary pressure and better reflecting real occupational competence.
Assessment plans are shorter and principles-based.
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Prescriptive, operational plans are being replaced with higher-level documents focused on outcomes. We now design the systems that make those outcomes happen. We are the model.
Duplication is being cut.
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If knowledge, skills or behaviours have already been evidenced, they won't be retested. Assessment should be proportionate to what's actually being measured.
Providers may take on a greater role.
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Under the new model, training providers can mark elements of the assessment, with assessment organisations maintaining overall responsibility for quality and validity. AP Flex, our centre assessment model, provides the flexibility in assessment.
The terminology is changing too.
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'End-point assessment' is now 'apprenticeship assessment'. 'EPAO' is now 'assessment organisation'. This reflects a real change in how and when assessment takes place, not just a rebrand.
Why this is good news
For too long, apprenticeship assessment was overly rigid, built around operational detail rather than occupational outcomes. The reform gives the sector an opportunity to fix that.
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At Accelerate People, we're treating this as a rare chance to challenge inherited assumptions, remove unnecessary burden and build something better. Not just for compliance, but because better assessment is better for apprentices, better for employers and better for the sector.
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We're already doing the work: reviewing every part of how we design and deliver assessment, asking hard questions and making deliberate choices about what we keep, what we change and what we leave behind.
What this means for you
Training Providers
How you work with us will evolve, and we'll make sure you have everything you need to stay ahead of it. Expect clear guidance on assessment expectations, booking, evidence requirements and any operational changes as they're confirmed.
New assessment plans are being released on a rolling basis throughout 2026. Current assessments remain in place while reform is implemented. We'll keep this page updated as guidance is confirmed.