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This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the mine management apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.
Mine management apprentices, their employers and training providers should read this document.
An approved EPAO must conduct the EPA for this apprenticeship. Employers must select an approved EPAO from the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s Register of end-point assessment organisations (RoEPAO).
A full-time apprentice typically spends 48 months on-programme (this means in training before the gateway) working towards competence in mine management. All apprentices must spend at least 12 months on-programme. All apprentices must complete the required amount of off-the-job training specified by the apprenticeship funding rules.
This EPA has 2 assessment methods.
The grades available for each assessment method are:
Assessment method 1 - project with report, presentation and questioning:
Assessment method 2 - professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:
The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the apprenticeship:
The EPA will be taken within the EPA period. The EPA period begins when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements are met and is typically 6 months.
The expectation is that the EPAO will confirm the gateway requirements are met and the EPA begins as quickly as possible.
The apprentice’s employer must confirm that they think their apprentice is working at or above the occupational standard. The apprentice will then enter the gateway. The employer may take advice from the apprentice's training provider(s), but the employer must make the decision.
The apprentice must meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA.
These are:
To ensure the project allows the apprentice to meet the KSBs mapped to this EPA method to the highest available grade, the EPAO should sign-off the project’s title and scope at the gateway to confirm it is suitable. A brief project summary must also be submitted to the EPAO. It should be no more than 500 words. This needs to show that the project will provide the opportunity for the apprentice to cover the KSBs mapped to this EPA method. It is not assessed.
Portfolio of evidence requirements:
The apprentice must compile a portfolio of evidence during the on-programme period of the apprenticeship. It should only contain evidence related to the KSBs that will be assessed by this assessment method. 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 portfolio of evidence 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 portfolio of evidence should contain a statement from the employer and apprentice confirming this.
The EPAO should not assess the portfolio of evidence directly as it underpins the discussion. The independent assessor should review the portfolio of evidence to prepare questions for the discussion. They are not required to provide feedback after this review.
The apprentice must submit any policies and procedures as 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.
A project involves the apprentice completing a significant and defined piece of work that has a real business application and benefit. The project must start after the apprentice has gone through the gateway. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The project must meet the needs of the employer’s business and be relevant to the apprentice’s occupation and apprenticeship. The EPAO must confirm that it provides the apprentice with the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade. The EPAO must refer to the grading descriptors to ensure that projects are pitched appropriately.
This assessment method has 2 components:
This EPA method is being used because in this occupation reports and presentations are commonly used in the workplace and this is a typical method of delivering project outcomes. The method was selected as it provides the opportunity to demonstrate a range of knowledge, skills, and behaviours that are usually demonstrated in a complex project environment and other assessment methods would be unsuitable due to the length of time the project takes to complete.
The further rationale for this assessment is:
The project with report, presentation and questioning must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
The apprentice’s project will be based on a typical mine management project, some example projects could include:
To ensure the project allows the apprentice to meet the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade, the EPAO should sign-off the project’s title, scope and summary at the gateway to confirm it is suitable.
The project output must be in the form of a report.
The apprentice must start the project after the gateway. They must complete and submit the report to the EPAO by the end of week 12 of the EPA period. The employer should ensure the apprentice has the time and resources, within this period, to plan and complete their project. The apprentice must complete their project and the production of its components unaided.
The apprentice may work as part of a team to complete the project which could include technical internal or external support. However, the project output must be the apprentice’s own work and reflective of their own role and contribution. The apprentice and their employer must confirm that the project output(s) is the apprentice’s own work when it is submitted.
The report must include at least:
The project report has a word count of 6500 words. A tolerance of 10% above or below the word count is allowed at the apprentice’s discretion. Appendices, references and diagrams are not included in this total. The project report must map, in an appendix, how it evidences the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
In the presentation with questions the apprentice delivers a presentation to an independent assessor on a set subject. The independent assessor must ask questions following the presentation. This gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The apprentice must prepare and submit their presentation speaker notes and supporting materials. The independent assessor must ask questions after the presentation. The presentation must include:
The apprentice must prepare and submit their presentation speaker notes and supporting materials to the EPAO at the same time as the report by the end of week 12 of the EPA period.
The apprentice must notify the EPAO, at that point, of any technical requirements for the presentation. During the presentation, the apprentice must have access to:
The independent assessor must have at least 2 weeks to review the project output(s), presentation speaker notes and supporting materials, to allow them to prepare questions.
The EPAO must give the apprentice at least 7 days notice of the presentation with questions.
The apprentice must deliver their presentation to the independent assessor on a one-to-one basis.
The independent assessor must ask questions after the presentation.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be
• to seek clarification on the report or presentation
• to assess the depth and breadth of knowledge, skills and behaviours
• to assess those KSBs that the apprentice did not have the opportunity to demonstrate during the project, although these should be kept to a minimum.
The presentation and questions must last 60 minutes. This will typically include a presentation of 25 minutes and questioning lasting 35 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the total time of the presentation and questioning by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to complete their last point or respond to a question if necessary.
The independent assessor must ask at least 5 questions. They must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in-line with the EPAO’s training. Follow up questions are allowed where clarification is required.
The independent assessor must use the full time available for questioning.
The independent assessor must make the grading decision. The project components must be assessed holistically by the independent assessor when they are deciding the grade.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The presentation with questions must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO (for example the EPAO’s or employer’s premises).
The presentation with questions should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The presentation with questioning 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 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 should maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting 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.
EPAO must produce the following materials to support the project with report, presentation and questioning:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation, training, and moderation.
In the discussion, an independent assessor and apprentice have a formal two-way conversation.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate their competency across the KSBs mapped to this EPA method.
The rationale for this assessment method is:
• it allows for assessment of KSBs that do not occur on a predicable or regular basis and may not naturally be assessed as part of the project
• it allows for testing of responses where there are a range of potential answers
• it is cost effective, as apart from a venue, it does not require additional resources.
The professional discussion must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this EPA method to the highest available grade.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be to assess the depth and understanding of the apprentice's knowledge and skills, and to ensure that all mapped knowledge, skills and behaviours are assessed.
The EPAO must give an apprentice at least 2 weeks notice of the professional discussion.
The independent assessor must have at least 2 week(s) to review the supporting documentation.
The apprentice must have access to their portfolio of evidence during the professional discussion.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence, however the portfolio of evidence is not directly assessed.
The professional discussion must last for 75 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the professional discussion by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.
For the professional discussion, the independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed. The independent assessor must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in-line with the EPAO’s training. The professional discussion must allow the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this EPA method at the highest possible grade.
The independent assessor conducts and assesses the professional discussion.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. The records must include the KSBs met, the grade achieved and answers to questions.
The independent assessor will make all grading decisions.
The professional discussion must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO (for example the EPAO’s or employer’s premises).
The professional discussion 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 professional discussion should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The EPAO must write an assessment specification and question bank. The specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs shown in the mapping. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO should maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting employers. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this. The assessment specification and questions must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The EPAO must develop purpose-built question banks and ensure that appropriate quality assurance procedures are in place, for example, considering standardisation, training and moderation. EPAOs must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard.
The EPAO must ensure that apprentices have a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:
The EPA methods contribute equally to the overall EPA grade.
Performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of:
Independent assessors must individually grade the: project with report, presentation and questioning and professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence according to the requirements set out in this EPA plan.
EPAOs must combine the individual assessment method grades to determine the overall EPA grade.
Apprentices who fail one or more assessment methods will be awarded an overall EPA fail.
Apprentices must achieve at least a pass in all the EPA methods to get an overall pass. In order to achieve an overall EPA distinction, apprentices must achieve a distinction in the project report with presentation and questioning assessment method and a pass in the professional discussion.
Grades from individual assessment methods should be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA as a whole.
Apprentices who fail one or more EPA method(s) can take a re-sit or a re-take at the 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.
Apprentices should have a supportive action plan to prepare for a re-sit or a re-take.
The employer and EPAO agree the timescale for a re-sit or re-take. A re-sit is typically taken within 2 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 4 months of the EPA outcome notification.
If the apprentice fails the project assessment method, they will be required to amend the project output in line with the independent assessor’s feedback. The apprentice will be given 4 weeks to rework and submit the amended report.
Failed EPA 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 apprentices wishing to move from pass to a higher grade.
An 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 how EPAOs ensure valid, consistent and reliable EPA decisions. EPAOs must adhere to the requirements within the roles and responsibilities section and:
Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:
This apprenticeship aligns with:
Incorporated Engineer (IEng) for Institute of Minerals, Mining and Metallurgy
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 29/09/2022 | Not set |
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