The latest release shows that there are now 92 companies listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations!

 

The Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations (RoAAO) will open each month for applications and there will be an updated list of Standards for application on the How to apply page on the .Gov website.

The complete list of RoAAO:

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Applying to the RoAAO

If you are considering applying to become an apprentice assessment organisation, you will need submit your expression of interest on the BravoSolution portal.

There has been an update to the Register of end-point assessment organisations web page to include two narrated presentations:

•   Information for applicant organisations

•   Employers looking for an assessment organisation

There is also some new and updated guidance documents:

•    Register of end-point assessment organisations: conditions for organisations on the register of end-point assessment organisations

•    Register of apprentice assessment organisations: pre-application guidance.

•   List of apprenticeship standards for application (August 2017).

There is also valuable information on the Future Apprenticeships website along with an interesting workshop which could be beneficial for those wanting to become an apprentice assessment organisation.

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The latest release shows that there are now 60 companies listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations.

This is also good news from an ILR point of view as the new requirements as of May 1st include the value of the end point assessment to be returned with each ILR submission.

The Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations (RoAAO) will open each month for applications and there will be an updated list of Standards for application on the How to apply page on the .Gov website.

The complete list of RoAAO:

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Applying to the RoAAO

If you are considering applying to become an apprentice assessment organisation, you will need submit your expression of interest on the BravoSolution portal, the current deadline is May 31st.

The Register of apprentice assessment organisations: how to apply web page has the following guidance documents:

•    Introduction to the register and criteria for applying.

•    Register of apprentice assessment organisations: pre-application guidance.

•    List of apprenticeship standards for application (May 2017).

There is also valuable information on the Future Apprenticeships website along with an interesting workshop which could be beneficial for those wanting to become an apprentice assessment organisation.

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Exciting Times Ahead!

This post includes snippets of information that you may find useful or interesting in the countdown to the start of the apprenticeship levy & reform.

I don't know about you but I feel like there is a collective holding of breath in anticipation of all the new rules, registers and standards.

There are exciting times ahead but I have a sneaking suspicion it isn't all going to be plain sailing.

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The 10th National Apprenticeship Week will soon be upon us, 6th - 10th March and the SFA have just released a Communications Update newsletter with lots of information on how you can join in and support NAW.

There is also a templates page with information on PR and press releases for your events.

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RoATP Results

If you've applied to the first opening of the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) you only have a few weeks more to wait to find out the results.

I've had it from several SFA sources that 7th March 2017 is announcement day but contracts won't be allocated until the end of March.

This could be a very exciting National Apprenticeship Week for those successful applicants!

The SFA are also planning a series of workshops for those successful providers who will change from subcontractor to lead.

With luck the second round of RoATP applications will be announced before May but according to FE Week the SFA are reluctant to say.

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Institute for Apprenticeships
If you have opinions on how the Institute of Apprenticeships is to function then you have until 27th February 2017 to have your say on their draft operational plan.

The Institute of Apprenticeships board members were introduced in an interesting FE Week article which also highlights the distinct lack of representation by independent training providers, 7 out of 8 being college appointments.

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Framework Withdrawals

The 4th batch of framework withdrawals has been announced for new starts as of 1 April 2018.

Click to download the latest list of withdrawn frameworks.

There is another consultation survey which is open from Wednesday 22 February to Wednesday 5 April 2017 so pop along and have you say!

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Approved Standards

The list of approved standards is steadily growing but there are still quite a few standards still in development.

There are only 48 companies on The Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations as I understand the application process is really quite rigorous.

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Funding Bands

Just a reminder that all frameworks and standards fall within the 15 funding bands as of May 2017, the spreadsheets can be downloaded below.

Apprenticeship standards: funding bands

Apprenticeship frameworks: funding bands from May 2017

If you aim to deliver standards as of May you will need to factor in the cost of the end point assessment, as this is included in the upper limit price and not an additional cost.

Only organisations found on The Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations can perform this task.

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Considering an MI System?

No matter how you decide to manage your data in the early stages you must take into account that your obligations don't stop with ILR submissions as you will be in scope for Ofsted inspections too.

Athena MIS is packed with tools for internal tracking and progression of a learner journey as well as the all important ILR generating features.

An introduction to Athena MIS & RAIL  outlines all the current features and benefits Athena MIS & RAIL provides for the management of your learner, employer, contract and subcontracted data.

We have a fully functional demonstration site and a You Tube channel full of  'How To..' videos to give you an idea of what Athena MIS is capable of.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to check it out!

We now also offer a data management service including ILR validation and submission!

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End Point Assessment Update 2

During the first opening only 13% of End Point Assessment Organisation applications have been approved, according to an article in FE Week on 19th October.

This comes as a bit of a shock when a previous article in FE Week pointed out that here are 147 approved standards, but by July this year only 56 had attracted one or more apprentices AND out of the 56 standards, a whopping 59% didn't have an approved End Point Assessment Organisation.

Are you up to date with new standards available for delivery now?

Do you know which occupations have been approved to develop a standard?

 

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Register of Apprentice Assessment Organisations

The first round of applications has been and gone, which makes a total of only 19 companies so far on the Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations.

1. BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
2. British Institute of Facilities Management
3. British Institute for Non-Destructive Testing
4. BT PLC
5. Chartered Institute of Credit Management
6. Chartered Institute of Housing
7. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx)
8. City & Guilds
9. Energy & Utility Skills Ltd
10. Excellence, Achievement & Learning (EAL)
11. FDQ Ltd
12. Leicester College
13. NCTJ Training
14. NOCN
15. Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations
16. Pearson Education Ltd
17. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
18. The Pensions Management Institute
19. Training 2000 Ltd

The RoAAO will open each month for applications and there will be an updated list of Standards for application on the overview page on the .Gov website.

If you are considering applying to become an apprentice assessment organisation, you will need submit your expression of interest on the BravoSolution portal.

Check out the RoAAO Introduction document (the last link on the page), for information on whats involved in the process.

It would seem that you have to apply to deliver individual standards, but only as they become approved.

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The most important reform so far!

End Point Assessments

I would say that the most challenging part of the apprenticeship reform is the introduction of end-point assessments, as you can't assess your own learners.

Employers will use the DAS (Digital Apprenticeship Service) to choose a lead provider and end-point assessment organisation. (Non levy paying employers will use the DAS for information only.)

The candidate must be signed off by the training provider and employer at the gateway prior to moving on to their end-point assessment, to ensure that each candidate is actually ready to be assessed.

This follows the successful completion of any required qualifications, functional skills and employer requirements outlined in the standard.

Although each standard has different content they all have common elements that must take place in sequence.

The candidate won't achieve their apprenticeship unless they pass the end-point assessment.

Assessment Plan

Each standard will have its own assessment plan which will outline how the apprenticeship will be assessed, what will be assessed and who will assess it.

The plan will focus on the apprentice being assessed in a fair, impartial and independent way, with the expectation that the candidate will demonstrate that they can perform within the job role in a holistic, competent and productive manner.

There are many methods of end point assessment which include:

• Practical assessments
• Produce a project
• A viva – assessment of theoretical or
• technical knowledge
• Professional discussion
• A portfolio of work
• Observational assessment
• Written test
• Multiple choice test
• Virtual assessment – online tests or video evidence.

Assessments will, in most cases, have a 3 level grading system such as pass, merit and distinction along with the percentages needed for each grade.

If you haven't seen an assessment plan for you sector yet why not take a look at one of these to get an idea of the variation of assessment methods.

Rail Engineering Operative                Adult Care Worker             Dental Technician              Commis Chef

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Who are Assessment Organisations?

You may have noticed that most awarding bodies are now registered as assessment organisations but this does not mean you can't be one too.

Training providers (as long as they don't asses their own learners) and employers can apply to be an assessment organisation.

If you don’t want to miss out on being able to deliver end-point assessments you MUST apply to be on the Register.

Bear in mind that the end-point assessments you wish to deliver MUST be agreed for delivery BEFORE you can apply to be on the register, so keep an eye on the  Apprenticeship Standards Ready for Delivery page.

There are a series of questions to answer and you must prove that you are capable of carrying out assessments as well as ability to develop tests, examinations and to run an assessment centre for tests and discussions to take place in.

Once approved by the SFA successful organisations will then be listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations.

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