Apprenticeships: Trainees No Longer Required to Have Maths & English GCSE

An update from the Wiser Academy for you;

Insurers and brokers will now be able to directly assess apprentices’ behaviour in the workplace following one of the biggest shake-ups to system in years.

As of 1 August, End-point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs) can now share assessment responsibilities with training providers – including award-winning insurance training specialist Wiser Academy – while employers will take the lead in evaluating key behavioural competencies on the job.

Previously, all assessments were conducted solely by EPAOs, who were often not as well positioned as employers and training providers to evaluate areas such as behaviour.

The reforms, originally announced by the Department for Education (DfE) in February, aim to simplify assessment, remove duplication, and make programmes more flexible for employers and learners alike.

Key updates include:

• Removal of mandatory English and Maths qualifications for apprentices aged 19+ (if not already held), eliminating a key barrier to completion.
• Abolition of the traditional ‘end-point assessment’ model, replaced by a modular and synoptic approach built into the full programme.
• Delegation of assessment responsibilities: End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) will now be able to share assessment duties with providers like Wiser Academy, while employers will assess behaviours directly in the workplace.
• Introduction of fixed off-the-job training hours, replacing the old 20% requirement, making expectations clearer for both part- and full-time apprentices.
• Launch of Accelerated Apprenticeships, cutting the minimum programme length from 12 to eight months where prior learning exists.

Lauren Pullen, Director of Operations at Wiser Academy, said: “The reforms represent a positive shift for both learners and employers. Learners will benefit from more flexible and accessible apprenticeships that better reflect real workplace practices, helping to reduce end-loaded delays and ease the burden of bottlenecked assessments through integrated synoptic assessment. Employers will, in turn, gain a more agile and responsive system that supports the delivery of high-quality training.”

While full implementation will be phased in standard-by-standard, Wiser Academy is already preparing to support employers through the changes. Wiser Academy will soon host a free webcast to discuss all of this in detail, and all employers are welcome to join.