Ofqual Apprenticeship Assessment Changes 2025: Have your say.

Major Changes Coming to Apprenticeship Assessment in England

The landscape of apprenticeship assessment in England is set for significant transformation, with new proposals from Ofqual that could reshape how over 580 apprenticeship occupational standards are regulated. If you're involved in apprenticeships - whether as an employer, training provider, or apprentice - these changes deserve your attention. Read the full proposal here.

What's Changing?

The Department for Education's new Apprenticeship Assessment Principles, published in February 2025, are driving a fundamental shift away from the current end-point assessment (EPA) model. Instead of all assessment happening at the end of an apprenticeship program, the new approach aims to introduce flexibility:

• Assessment can now happen during the program itself, rather than being concentrated at a single endpoint. This means apprentices won't face the pressure of having their entire qualification depend on one final assessment period.

• Training providers will have expanded roles, with the ability to deliver and mark elements of assessments under appropriate oversight. This represents a significant departure from the current system where only independent awarding organisations handle marking.

• Streamlined assessment plans will replace the detailed, rigid structures currently in place. Skills England will phase out the existing complex assessment plans, giving awarding organisations more freedom to design assessments that truly reflect employer needs.

Why These Changes Matter

The current system has been criticised for creating unnecessary duplication and disproportionate assessment burdens. The new principles aim to make assessment more proportionate to the actual competencies being tested, potentially reducing stress on apprentices whilst maintaining rigorous standards.

For employers, this could mean assessments that better reflect real workplace scenarios and skills. For apprentices, it could mean more integrated, continuous assessment rather than high-stakes final examinations.

The Consultation Process

Ofqual is seeking feedback on how these principles should be embedded in their regulatory framework. The consultation, which closes on 27th August 2025, focuses specifically on the regulatory implementation - not the principles themselves, which have already been decided by the Department for Education.

The regulator faces a delicate balancing act: enabling the flexibility that the new principles demand while maintaining public and employer confidence in apprenticeship qualifications. With greater diversity of approach expected between different awarding organisations, Ofqual's oversight role becomes even more crucial.

Looking Ahead

These changes represent the most significant overhaul of apprenticeship assessment in recent years. While the increased flexibility is welcome, the success of these reforms will ultimately depend on how well they're implemented and regulated.

If you're involved in apprenticeships, this is your opportunity to influence how these changes take shape. The consultation runs until 11:59pm on 27th August 2025, and responses can be submitted online or via email to consultations@ofqual.gov.uk.