New Apprenticeship Standards update

New Apprenticeship Standards update

Pearson has responded to a consultation on the Retail Assessment Plans on 21 September 2015. People 1st are reviewing all feedback and plan to submit the final versions on 24 September 2015. We expect to hear the outcome as to whether it has been approved by BIS in November/December 2015.

There will be no mandatory qualification for the Apprenticeship but there will be a period of On-Programme Assessment (10 months minimum) followed by a period of Independent End Assessment (3 months).

The On-Programme Training and Assessment will be conducted by the Employer or Training Organisation. Apprentices will need to develop skills, knowledge and behaviours against All aspects of the standard. They will need to a keep a log of progress. After a minimum of 10 months, the employer will need to sign off the apprentice as being ready for Independent End Assessment (IEA).

The IEA will be a series of assessment activities carried out by an assessor that has not been involved in any way with the apprentice’s on-programme assessment.

In sum, the assessment are proposed to be a Knowledge Test; followed by an Observation or Business Project (depending on role/level); and a Professional Discussion.

The IEA will be quality assured by an Assessment Organisation (such as Pearson).

Pearson will be developing assessment tools to support elements of the IEA.

It is expected that the standards will be available for use from Spring 2016. However, please note that the date is to be confirmed and SASE apprenticeships, including the Retail Skills and Retail Knowledge qualifications will still be valid for the first 12 months that the new standards are available.