V1.1
This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the resilience and emergencies professional degree-apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.
Resilience and emergencies professional apprentices, their employers and training providers should read this document.
A degree-apprenticeship awards a degree with the achievement of the apprenticeship. The degree learning outcomes must be aligned with the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) in the apprenticeship. The degree must be completed, passed and awarded alongside the resilience and emergencies professional degree-apprenticeship.
The apprentice must complete their training and meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA. The EPA will assess occupational competence.
A degree-apprenticeship must be delivered by a Higher Education Provider (HEP) that is on both the register of apprenticeship training providers (RoATP) and the register of end-point assessment organisations (RoEPAO). The apprentice's employer must select an HEP who is on both registers.
If the HEP is using a credit framework, the EPA must contribute to the total credit value, and must be delivered in line with this EPA plan. However, the number of credits devoted to EPA may vary across HEP’s. The recommended EPA contribution is 20% of the total credit value.
A full-time resilience and emergencies professional apprentice typically spends 40 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.
This EPA should then be completed within an EPA period lasting typically 6 months.
Occupational competence is outlined by the EPA grade descriptors and determined, when assessed in line with this EPA plan, by an independent assessor who is an occupational expert and confirms the overall EPA grade.
Assessment method 1 - research project report and questions:
Assessment method 2 - professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:
The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall degree-apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the degree-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 6 months.
The EPAO should confirm the gateway requirements have been met and the EPA should start as quickly as possible.
The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice has attained sufficient KSBs to complete the degree-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:
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 12 discrete pieces of evidence. Evidence must be mapped against the KSBs. All sensitive information must be anonymised or redacted prior to submission. 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 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.
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 assessment method is being used because:
The research project report and questions must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
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 and scope 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 20 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 is the apprentice’s own work when it is submitted.
The apprentice must produce an independently researched and written project report. The report must identify an area within the business' resilience and emergencies capabilities that needs change and improvement. For example, an evaluation of the strengths and limitations of an existing resilience intervention or process or a proposal for a new resilience intervention or approach to fill an identified gap. The apprentice must collect and present evidence of the gap in capability or the need for an intervention, evidence that justifies recommended changes, and how the recommended changes could be implemented. The report must include notification of ethics authorisation and confidentiality restrictions on content as appropriate.
The project report must include the following:
In addition, the report should include:
The project report has a word count of 8000 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.
The EPAO must give the apprentice 2 weeks notice of the question and answer session.
Apprentices will be required to answer questions based on their project output.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be to clarify or add depth to the information included in the report.
The independent assessor must have at least 3 weeks to review the project and project output(s) in advance of the question- and- answer session to allow them to prepare questions.
The question- and- answer session will be arranged by the EPAO in consultation with the employer and apprentice. The question- and- answer session should take place on a one-to-one basis, either face-to-face or via online video conferencing.
The question- and- answer session must last for 30 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the total time by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to complete their last point or respond to a question if necessary. The question- and- answer session must allow the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs at the highest possible grade.
The independent assessor must ask at least 5 questions. They must use the questions from their 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.
Those KSBs that the apprentice did not have the opportunity to show within the report can instead be covered by questioning, although these should be kept to a minimum.
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 question- and answer- session must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO (for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises). The question- and- answer session should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The question- and- answer session 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.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the research project report and questions:
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.
This assessment method is being used because:
The professional discussion 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 professional discussion.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be to assess the following themes:
The EPAO must give an apprentice 2 weeks notice of the professional discussion.
The independent assessor must have at least 1 week 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 90 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.
The independent assessor must ask at least 12 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required. The independent assessor must use the questions from their EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in-line with the EPAO’s training.
The independent assessor must make the grading decision. The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
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 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 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 professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation, training, and moderation.
Performance in the EPA determines the overall grade of:
An independent assessor must individually grade the: research project report and questions and professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence 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. To achieve an overall EPA distinction, the apprentice must achieve a distinction in both assessment methods.
Grades from individual assessment methods must be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA overall.
The outcome of the EPA must be aggregated with the degree to enable the degree-apprenticeship to be awarded.
Once the overall EPA grade has been determined, aggregation can be achieved in a variety of ways. This will be determined during the creation of the degree-apprenticeship. Examples of how this aggregation can work include:
HEPs can explore other ways of aggregating the EPA with the degree outcomes in line with the latest IfATE degree-apprenticeship policy
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 5 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.
If the apprentice fails the project assessment method, they must amend the project output in line with the independent assessor’s feedback. The apprentice will be given 8 weeks to rework and submit the amended report.
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 EPAOs must have in place to ensure valid, consistent and reliable end-point assessment decisions.
EPAOs for this EPA must adhere to all requirements within the roles and responsibilities table and:
Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:
This degree-apprenticeship aligns with: Full membershipfor Emergency Planning Society
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | End-point assessment plan revised | 15/10/2024 | Not set |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 11/05/2023 | 14/10/2024 |
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