Functional Skill EPA requirements

Hi Sam

The funding guidance has not yet been updated, but hopefully we should see this in the next day or two so we can understand how this is to be applied. The devil is always in the detail.

10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth   - GOV.UK 

Thanks

Paul

 I wish!!!

No guidance that I can see. 

Do we think this will affect existing apprentices or just those that start from today? 

We think existing, see Simon Ashworth on LinkedIn, but yes nothing from the government other than  – which will come into effect immediately – employers can decide what they require from apprentices over the age of 19. Please share if anyone hears anything.

I'm hoping it applies to all learners, but learners are able to continue with and achieve their Functional Skills after EPA. We're already getting learners ask us if they need to achieve their functional skills this morning we've said that we'll know more in a week.

Here, once again, to say how much I *love* government by press release...

Why not just release the updated rules at the same time???

Hi All, this is the link we have for info so far....

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/10000-more-apprentices-as-government-slashes-red-tape-to-boost-growth

Steve Hewitt

I agree, but am also not surprised at the lack of updated rules.

I have to say a press release is a step above how they've communicated other changes. I'm thinking of the scrapping of the register of EPA orgs that we only discovered by trying to use it, or by reading an article in FE Week.

The policy change will be effective from 11 February 2025 and will apply to new starts and existing learners currently on programme. From Apprenticeship support service.

This makes me very uneasy and I for one will continue as is until official ESFA guidance is released and the green light is shining brightly :)

Seen this but would of liked a notification from the ESFA:

Good Afternoon,

 As of this morning as I am sure you are aware there has been an update on the need for functional skills for apprenticeships.

 Please see below for the response we have from ESFA:

 Functional Skills
The policy change will be effective from 11 February 2025 and will apply to new starts and existing learners currently on programme.
 
The requirements for English and maths will be optional for apprentices who are aged 19+ at the start of their apprenticeship training.  These apprentices must continue their English and maths training until agreed otherwise in a discussion between the apprentice and the employer. Employers must agree with apprentices to continue or discontinue studying towards English and Maths by 1st April 2025 and relay this decision to providers.
 
Providers must ensure the outcome of the discussion between the employer and apprentice is recorded in the training plan. It’s at this point that apprentices who are aged 19+ at the start of their apprenticeship training are no longer subject to the English and maths exit requirement.

Yeah I feel we can plan with that, but we're not going to communicate that to learners until it's clearly communicated.

Key clarification for me is if they meant 19+ or over 19 (i.e. 20+). It would seem more sensible to have the slice at 19 in my mind given the 16-18 and 19+ age brackets. It's been an interesting day reading different interpretations of this due to the lack of any underlying detail from DfE / ESFA.

I had a query with the Apprenticeship Service re the FS flexibilities, to which I have just received a response. They included a link to this article. Changes to English and maths requirements – Apprenticeship Service Support

Internally, we have been waiting for the updated funding rules, reference the English and Maths announcement on 11th Feb, hoping to find answers to our internal questions of (1) 'will there be an expectation to deliver some form of English and Maths learning, even if employers opt-out', and (2) 'will there be a scale back in terms of funding for English and Maths'.

These two paragraphs help:  - Instead, apprentices will demonstrate their proficiency through the development and assessment of occupationally relevant English and maths skills as part of their apprenticeship. And, it also goes some way towards answering our question re funding in this paragraph - Funding will continue to be available for English and maths qualifications for all apprentices, including those aged 19 and over, when either the employer or apprentice feels this is required

We had completely missed the fact that the Apprenticeship Service had updated this article, as our email notifications are set to DfE communications/updates, not articles like this. Sharing it in case others have not seen it

Id like some clarification of 'on programme' in this change. I have a learner that completed training elements around 6 months ago and was ready for EPA but they failed Maths. This person, in my view, is still on programme? They have not withdrawn and they have not failed EPA. Would be interested in others views. Her employers are keen for her to go through to EPA without the Maths. Thanks 

Funding rules have been updated! 

Apprenticeship funding rules 2024 to 2025

Thanks Helen, I'm still unsure about one of my leaners. See note above. These changes have been made in the 2004/5 funding rules but what if leaners started in the 2003/4 funding year? 

It's any continuing learners, doesn't matter when they started. In your example above, yes the learner is still on-programme but can now go to Gateway if only thing stopping them was failing Maths (you'll need to sign it all off with the employer though (and hope your EPAO has updated their procedures!!!))

I think reading your earlier coment Julie Maycock you'd record that the learner failed the FS maths, retain evidence of the attempt and training. Then open gateway for the learner. The negative completion would count against you in someway on the AAF (which hasn't been announced yet), but not the apprenticeship QAR or retention figures. I think the 1st of April date, is a way of removing Functional Skills for learners who are in funding this acadmic year but are not going to coninue with them, so they don't count against you on whatever AAF metric they're going to add that will check in paragraph 47.

43. Unusual retention patterns in English and maths provision for apprentices aged
19+ can be considered as a contextual factor in performance reviews under the
Apprenticeships Accountability Framework.

Hi all, am I being daft or are we still required to do an assessment of a learner's current level on English and maths (where they don't have prior quals) even for new starts over the age of 19 who don't want to do English and maths?

54. 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.  

54.1. The provider must use current assessment tools based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and Numeracy: Functional Skills: English and Subject content Functional Skills: Mathematics.  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 48 to 50). 

The wording in 54.1 suggests it should only apply to those who will be doing English and maths - but the placement of the section seems to suggest it applies to all learners. Have I just not had enough coffee yet? 

It means we'll still have to beg learners to dig their GCSE certs and marriage/name change certs out of whatever loft they might be in or (as they'll see it) 'take a maths test', even though they know they don't need maths anymore... Hopefully I'm wrong. Please tell me I'm wrong! ;)

EDIT 27 FEB 2025:

I asked the above question of the helpdesk at the same time and received an answer yesterday:

Thank you for your query regarding the new rules for English and Maths.
 
I can confirm that rule 54 will only need to be followed if it is agreed that the apprentice will be completing the functional skills.
 
If they are aged 19 or older and it is agreed that they will not be completing the functional skills, then this assessment at rule 54 would not apply.
 
I hope this clarification is useful.

See, I think it's a Quality thing at this point? Kind of *particularly* if they've not done any formal E&M for 20 years, I'd want to know what their current baseline is to work out what I'm going to have to help them with during their programme *regardless* of qualifications, or lack of?

Doesn't matter if they're not going to do Functional Skills, I think we still need to know how their maths and English level will deal with the programme?

What are people thinking about a learner who refers one of their Functional Skill English exams, decides to move to gateway having failed FS english, however then reattempts and passes functional skills english after their EPA is finished?

I was wondering how people are considering showing this in the ILR?

Ooh, that's a good one! It'll not let you have a component end date after the ActEndDate on the prog aim, will it? Suspect this may have to be looked at by the Validation Rule team but, for now, would probably just update the outcome on the FS aim to achieved, even though the end date will be a bit early? Hasn't really mattered in the past...

Sam Bern and Steve Hewitt - It already allows English and maths components to go on past the Programme Aim, we've done that a few times when it was a L2 FS on a L2 App, but the validation will allow any E&M to carry on.

Ruth Canham-James I stand corrected! Forgot about those ones that were already a thing!

Thanks so much Ruth Canham-James, so the Standard can show full achievement, but the english or maths sub aim can have a later date? I guess it would show as a withdrawal initially then be updated if they resit and pass?

Sam Bern Yeah, could be continuing or fail, then updated later.

My biggest query over the changes to the Apps rules is this bit on paragraph 161:

Clarification: Where there is a change of employer, and the apprenticeship originally started prior to 1 April 2024, then the coinvestment waiver will not apply to the new employer regardless of the apprentice’s age at the time (this also covers where an apprenticeship re-starts). 

This is suggesting that, even if the apprentice was 16-18 at start date, and the new employer is small (this is for starts before April 2024 when smallness was still relevant), the new employer just has to pay the 5% regardless ("the waiver will not apply"). That doesn't seem right. I can only hope they mean that the new 16-21 waiver doesn't apply, but of course it wouldn't as they started before 1st April 2024. If you didn't know the waiver had changed, that is deeply confusing.

Yes, you're right, 16-18s starting before April 24 moving to a SEM would still get the waiver. You're also right that it's confusing!

Does anyone know how this is being approached for Gateway and EPA? I am seeing that EPAOs are approaching this differently, and some are not collecting evidence of FS now (inc. for 16-18) as it was removed from gateway requirements. Has any guidance been updated outlining specifically what the gateway requirements are?

Owen, yes, we are seeing EPAO's approach this differently, with most asking for a revised declaration to be submitted at gateway. However, regardless of how the EPAO's are approaching this, the onus is on us as providers to ensure that we have the appropriate evidence on file to support the decisions that have been made re the inclusion (or otherwise) of English and Maths