End-Point Assessment (EPA)
End-point assessment (EPA) is the final stage of an apprenticeship. It is an impartial assessment of whether apprentices have developed the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the apprenticeship standard.
Assessments are designed by employers in the sector and, for non-integrated programmes, are conducted by independent bodies known as end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs).
You can see the Register for End Point Assessment Organisations here. It is the employer's choice with regards to who the End Point Assessment Organisation is, but the University can help support this decision and will already have connections with such organisations.
In some cases, the EPAO is the University – this is if apprentices are on an integrated apprenticeship programme. The End Point Assessment will form part of their academic programme and will be assessed by university staff who have had no part in the teaching of the programme and are therefore impartial.
We will support apprentices throughout their programme to work towards their End Point Assessment – this is not something apprentices just start to think about at the end of their programme.