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V1.1
This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the small commercial vessel crewmember apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.
Small commercial vessel crewmember apprentices, their employers and training providers should read this document.
A full-time small commercial vessel crewmember apprentice typically spends 24 months on-programme (this means in training before the gateway). The apprentice must spend at least 12 months on-programme and complete the required amount of off-the-job training in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
The apprentice must complete their training and meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA. The EPA will assess occupational competence.
An approved EPAO must conduct the EPA for this apprenticeship. Employers must select an approved EPAO from the register of end-point assessment organisations (RoEPAO).
This EPA has 2 assessment methods.
The grades available for each assessment method are below.
Assessment method 1 - practical demonstration with questions:
Assessment method 2 - interview underpinned by a training record book:
The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the apprenticeship:
The EPA is taken in the EPA period. The EPA period starts when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements have been met and is typically 3 months.
The EPAO should confirm the gateway requirements have been met and start the EPA as quickly as possible.
The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice has attained sufficient KSBs to complete the apprenticeship. The employer may take advice from the apprentice's training provider, but the employer must make the decision. The apprentice will then enter the gateway.
The apprentice must meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA.
They must:
Training record book (TRB) requirements
The apprentice must compile a training record book during the on-programme period of the apprenticeship. It should only contain evidence related to the KSBs that will be assessed by the interview. It will typically contain 15 discrete pieces of evidence. Evidence must be mapped against the KSBs. Evidence may be used to demonstrate more than one KSB; a qualitative as opposed to quantitative approach is suggested.
Evidence sources may include:
This is not a definitive list; other evidence sources can be included.
The TRB should not include reflective accounts or any methods of self-assessment. Any employer contributions should focus on direct observation of performance (for example, witness statements) rather than opinions. The evidence provided should be valid and attributable to the apprentice; the TRB should contain a statement from the employer and apprentice confirming this.
The EPAO should not assess the TRB directly as it underpins the interview. The independent assessor should review the TRB to prepare questions for the interview. They are not required to provide feedback after this review.
The apprentice must submit the gateway evidence to their EPAO, including any organisation specific policies and procedures requested by the EPAO.
The assessment methods can be delivered in any order.
The result of one assessment method does not need to be known before starting the next.
In a practical demonstration with questions, an independent assessor observes the apprentice completing a task or series of tasks set by the EPAO. The EPAO decides where it takes place. The assessment environment must closely relate to the apprentice’s natural working environment. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
This assessment method is being used because:
The practical demonstration with questions must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
An independent assessor must conduct and assess the practical demonstration with questions.
The independent assessor must only observe one apprentice at a time to ensure quality and rigour. They must be as unobtrusive as possible.
The EPAO must give an apprentice 2 weeks' notice of the . practical demonstration with questions
The practical demonstration with questions must take 2 hours.
The independent assessor can increase the time of the practical demonstration with questions by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to complete a task or respond to a question if necessary.
The practical demonstration with questions cannot be split, other than for comfort breaks or to allow apprentices to move from one location to another. Where breaks occur, they will not count towards the total EPA time.
The EPAO must manage invigilation of the apprentice during the assessment, to maintain security of the EPA, in line with their malpractice policy. This includes breaks and moving between locations.
The independent assessor must explain to the apprentice the format and timescales of the practical demonstration with questions before it starts. This does not count towards the assessment time.
The independent assessor must observe the following during the practical demonstration:
The EPAO, following discussion with the employer regarding suitability, will agree on a vessel that the apprentice is familiar with as part of their normal place of work. The EPAO will manage predictability of the EPA by the apprentice not knowing in advance which vessel the practical demonstration will take place on. The vessel will typically be no more than 24 metres in length. The vessel will be berthed during the practical demonstration. The Master of the vessel will be on board but does not have an active role in the observation. The Master will ensure the overall safety of the vessel and compliance with any port requirements.
The independent assessor must observe the following tasks during the practical demonstration:
1. Simulated use and maintenance of lifesaving appliances (LSA) and firefighting equipment (FFE) (typically 35 minutes)
2. Preparing a vessel to go to sea (typically 35 minutes)
3. Use of electronic charts, including checking vessel position (typically 25 minutes)
4. Mooring and unmooring a small commercial vessel (typically 25 minutes)
These activities provide the apprentice with the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The independent assessor must ask questions. The purpose of the questions is to assess the apprentice's level of competence against the grading descriptors.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The practical demonstration with questions must take place in a simulated environment selected by the EPAO for example, a vessel owned by the employer. The simulated environment must relate to the apprentice’s natural work environment. Equipment and resources needed for the practical demonstration with questions are ultimately the responsibility of the EPAO. The EPAO should liaise with the employer who can provide these. The EPAO and employer must maintain the confidentiality of the setting for the simulated practical demonstration.
The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.
The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of tasks and questions in the case of re-sits and retakes, to minimise predictability.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the practical demonstration with questions:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
In the interview, an independent assessor asks the apprentice questions. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their training record book.
This assessment method is being used because:
It allows for the assessment of KSBs that may not naturally occur during the practical observation with questions as described in the document.
It allows for the testing of responses when there may be a range of potential answers.
It is cost-effective, as whilst seeking assurance of competence across a range of KSBs, it does not require the independent assessor to directly observe all of them.
The interview must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
An independent assessor must conduct and assess the interview.
The purpose is to assess the apprentice’s competence against the following themes:
The EPAO must give an apprentice 2 weeks' notice of the interview.
The independent assessor must have at least 2 weeks to review the supporting documentation.
The apprentice must have access to their training record book during the interview.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their training record book however, the training record book is not directly assessed.
The interview must last for 60 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the interview by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.
The independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. The independent assessor must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank.
The independent assessor must make the grading decision.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The interview must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises.
The interview can be conducted by video conferencing. The EPAO must have processes in place to verify the identity of the apprentice and ensure the apprentice is not being aided.
The interview should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.
The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the interview underpinned by a training record book:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
Performance in the EPA determines the overall grade of:
An independent assessor must individually grade the practical demonstration with questions and interview underpinned by a training record book in line with this EPA plan.
The EPAO must combine the individual assessment method grades to determine the overall EPA grade.
If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they will be awarded an overall fail.
To achieve an overall pass, the apprentice must achieve at least a pass in all the assessment methods. Apprentices must pass the practical demonstration with questions and gain a distinction in the interview underpinned by a training record book (trb) to gain an overall distinction.
Grades from individual assessment methods must be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA overall.
If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they can take a re-sit or a re-take at their employer’s discretion. The apprentice’s employer needs to agree that a re-sit or re-take is appropriate. A re-sit does not need further learning, whereas a re-take does. The apprentice should have a supportive action plan to prepare for a re-sit or a re-take.
The employer and the EPAO should agree the timescale for a re-sit or re-take. A re-sit is typically taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification. The timescale for a re-take is dependent on how much re-training is required and is typically taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification.
Failed assessment methods must be re-sat or re-taken within a 6-month period from the EPA outcome notification, otherwise the entire EPA will need to be re-sat or re-taken in full.
Re-sits and re-takes are not offered to an apprentice wishing to move from pass to a higher grade.
The apprentice will get a maximum EPA grade of pass for a re-sit or re-take, unless the EPAO determines there are exceptional circumstances.
The EPAO must have reasonable adjustments arrangements for the EPA.
This should include:
Adjustments must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.
Internal quality assurance refers to the strategies, policies and procedures that an EPAO must have in place to ensure valid, consistent and reliable EPA decisions.
EPAOs for this EPA must adhere to the requirements within the roles and responsibilities table.
They must also appoint independent assessors who:
Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:
This apprenticeship is not aligned to professional recognition.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Occupational standard and End-point assessment plan revised. | 25/03/2025 | Not set |
| 1.1 | Occupational standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band revised | 27/11/2023 | 24/03/2025 |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 07/08/2018 | 26/11/2023 |
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