Initial Assessment for English and Maths - for exempt learners

Use your judgement I think? Someone with A Levels/Degree/Post-Grad doing an L5 App, probably not? Someone who scraped a C at GCSE on the fourth attempt 20 years ago, yeah, probably would. More for Ofsted to show you're taking account of any possible gaps in their knowledge that might affect their progress on the rest of the App than anything else?

The funding rules state:

Judgement of an apprentice’s current level

P148 If an apprentice does not have acceptable evidence of previous attainment of English and / or maths you must carry out a judgement of their current level. You must use current assessment tools based on the national literacy and numeracy standards and core curriculum or DFE published English and maths Functional Skills subject content. The judgement of the current level is used to determine the level the apprentice must start working towards, and does not remove the requirement to achieve the minimum required level in English and maths, (refer to paragraphs P136 and P142).

In practice many providers may require this as part of initial assessment to confirm the level the learner is currently at but this is not a requirement of the funding rules.

HTH

Thank you both,

That's; really useful , I did think that it may be at our discretion,  but was just unsure as we've always had to do it regardless which seemed like a pointless exercise when we're not going to enrol them to FS.

Tracey

Hi All. Is this a relaxation in the funding rules this year? I always thought it was mandatory that all apprentices completed maths and English initial assessments.

Thanks,

Matt

No, it has not changed been the same for several years.

If an apprentice does not have acceptable evidence of previous attainment of English and / or maths, main providers must carry out a judgement of their current level.

Can we clarify that the assessment for English and Maths Support as stated in the funding rules, is satisfied by asking a learner if they have the level certificate required for that apprenticeship or equivalent? If we gain a copy of this certificate would this then not require an initial assessment?

We have been advised that even if we have a certificate to prove a qualification, we are still required to do the initial assessment of English and Maths as a baseline. Is this correct please?

Are we breaking funding rules if we don't do an initial assessment for all of our learners, who can provide us with their certificates as evidence.

Yes, scroll up in the chat. Judgement of an apprentice’s current level
43. If an apprentice does not have acceptable evidence of previous attainment of
English and / or maths the provider must carry out an assessment of their
current level.
43.1. The provider must use current assessment tools based on the
National Standards for Adult Literacy and Numeracy Subject content
Functional Skills: English and Subject content Functional Skills:
Mathematics.
44. The assessment outcome is used to determine the level the apprentice must
start working towards and does not remove the requirement to achieve the
minimum required level in English and maths (see paragraphs 38 to 39).