FAQs - Apprenticeship Assessments

The training provider is responsible for selecting the Assessment Organisation and negotiating the price, unless the employer chooses to do so. A list of approved AOs can be found on the Department for Education’s Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR).

Apprentices receive their grades directly from Open Awards. Instead of waiting for a training provider or employer to relay the information, Open Awards sends grades straight to the learner’s email inbox. This creates a simpler, quicker and more transparent process.

The outcome for each individual assessment will be released within 10 working days of that assessment taking place. The overall grade will be released within 10 working days of the final assessment being completed.

Where a knowledge test forms part of the assessment, results are normally released within 2 working days.

• Strictly adhere to word limits. Check with Open Awards and standard-specific guidance carefully.
• Aim for as close to the upper limit as possible without going over.
• Use the full word count to provide rich, well-evidenced content.
• If struggling to meet the word count, consider:

– Expanding on analysis, reflection, or outcomes

– Including more real examples to demonstrate KSBs

Where an apprenticeship assessment plan requires an apprentice to provide a portfolio, it normally makes reference to the portfolio containing a number of “discrete pieces of evidence”

A discrete piece of evidence is a free-standing, individual item or artifact that clearly demonstrates an apprentice’s competency. The item is distinct and separate from other pieces of evidence, allowing for focused evaluation.

Discrete evidence normally meets the following characteristics:

• Individual: It stands alone as a unique piece of evidence.
• Relevant: It targets identified knowledge, skills or behaviours, or duties.
• Authentic: The evidence should be genuine and directly reflect the apprentice’s abilities or performance.
• Sufficient: There should be enough evidence to make a reliable judgement about the apprentice’s abilities or performance

For example, an observation record detailing an apprentice undertaking a task and photograph of an apprentice’s finished work are normally considered two separate pieces of evidence. However, if a photograph showing the apprentice working is embedded within/ linked to an observation record and both clearly relate to the apprentice undertaking a specific task at a point in time, collectively these may be considered a discrete piece of evidence. In the latter example, there is a clear relationship between the observation record and the photograph and their value as evidence must be considered collectively.

To ensure apprentices have the best possible opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, there is an expectation that all assessment requirements will be undertaken within a specific time period following the completion of the gateway to completion checks. This time period is known as the Apprenticeship Assessment window. The duration of any window is normally specified within the assessment plan associated with the apprenticeship standard. Therefore, the duration of the assessment window will be Standard specific. Please refer to the relevant Apprenticeship Assessment Handbook for more information.

Submission of the gateway to completion declaration form to Open Awards indicates the apprentice is at gateway to completion and triggers gateway checks. This form must only be completed on or after the gateway to completion meeting. Where evidence suggests it was completed prior to the gateway to completion meeting, it will be returned to the training provider.

Wet signatures are our preferred option, e.g., the gateway to completion declaration form can be signed as a single document and a scan uploaded, or the individual sections signed separately and scans uploaded. However, an electronic signature may be used to replace a wet signature where training providers can ensure authenticity can be proved and security maintained e.g., a valid eIDAS accredited e-signature provider/ system is utilised.

Open Awards recognises that the apprentice’s planned gateway day when registered with us may change. However, we have a minimum requirement of three months (12 weeks) notice in advance of the gateway to completion date. We may be able to accommodate gateway checks with less than this notice timeframe. However, this would be considered on an individual apprentice basis.

It is an expectation that apprentices are registered with Open Awards at least six months (24 weeks) before the apprentice’s planned gateway date. This supports Open Awards to make the necessary plans to deliver Apprenticeship Assessment as efficiently as possible. Where an apprentice is on an accelerated apprenticeship, Open Awards expects training providers to ensure this is reflected within the registration information. However, we have a minimum requirement of three months (12 weeks) notice in advance of the gateway to completion date.

Open Awards is required by the DfE to retain information about the assessments undertaken and payment received for six years after the activity took place. This information includes details of what assessments were undertaken, against which versions of the standard and assessment plan, when and by whom, along with assessment outcomes and evidence of the internal quality assurance of those assessments.

Open Awards is also required to share Apprenticeship Assessment information with the external quality assurance provider to ensure they are able to undertake their regulatory role. The external quality assurance provider in most cases is Ofqual.