Nadine Baister commented, 31 March 2022 11:59

Hi  I have queried this with the ESFA previously and with many trailblazers.  We use 3 dates;  Start date Practical period end date Apprenticeship end date.  The practical period end (PPE) date is always our estimated 'gateway' date - so for non-integrated that's generally the award board. This is the expected end date we put in the ILR.  The apprenticeship planned end (APE) date is the number of months the Assessment Plan says the EPA takes, and this is added onto the PPE date. This doesn't go into the ILR - it's more just for our / learner / employer reporting & planning purposes.  For Integrated degree apprenticeships, we also use the estimated Gateway date, as this is still the PPE date. Example, our Nursing Associate programme is fully integrated and just goes through an award board and the NMC need to be notified within 1 month. The AP says we must 'confirm' the degree modules are ready for board (EPA) - so we do the gateway declaration once the last module has been 'marked' and we know it's proceeding to board. Date examples; Start date - 1st March 2020 Last module submission deadline 15th Jan 2022 Add 4 weeks on for academic marking the last submission - 15th Feb 22 Gateway meeting / declaration 16th Feb 22 (end of practical period - ILR end date) Award board 28th Feb 22 HEI informs NMC that apprentice has achieved no later than 28th March 22. (APE date - internal reporting/monitoring only).  For integrated EPAs with synoptic assessment required; example, Advanced Clinical Practitioner is a 180 credit degree, with 20 credits being attributed to an EPA module, spanning 3 months, we set the dates as follows;  Start date - 1st March 2020 Last module submission for 160 credit deadline 15th Jan 2022 Add 4 weeks on for academic marking the last submission - 15th Feb 22 'partial' award board (160 credit) 28th Feb 22 Gateway confirmation 1st March 22 (PPE date)  3 month EPA takes place - 31st May 22 (APE date)  

1. Degree planned end date

Hi  I have queried this with the ESFA previously and with many trailblazers.  We use 3 dates;  Start date Practical period end date Apprenticeship end date.  The practical period end (PPE) date i...

Nadine Baister commented, 28 October 2021 23:09

Steve Hewitt Ben James Sue Bishop I know this is a really old post - but in relation to the signed statement from the employer saying the apprentice will be employed until EPA completion - what are people doing to cover this? Would a progress review just before Gateway suffice? I don't see the point in the need for a statement from the employer saying the apprentice will still be employed until EPA completion - when the very next day, the apprentice could resign or get dismissed! Surely the Apprenticeship Agreement would show the learner is going to be employed for the full duration ... it's just creating more work for the sake of it :(

1. Apprenticeship Completion Certificate for Standards

Steve Hewitt Ben James Sue Bishop I know this is a really old post - but in relation to the signed statement from the employer saying the apprentice will be employed until EPA completion - what are...

Nadine Baister commented, 20 May 2021 15:20

Hi Gill  Oh  - that sounds great too. Yes, we use SITS - although I don't personally. Is there any other way I could access it?  I use that peg analogy daily!! haha

1. Degree Apprenticeship - Networking Groups?

Hi Gill  Oh  - that sounds great too. Yes, we use SITS - although I don't personally. Is there any other way I could access it?  I use that peg analogy daily!! haha

Nadine Baister commented, 13 March 2023 15:57

Steve Hewitt but the compliance paperwork and ILR price would be inaccurate. We need to provide evidence on completion that EPAO payment has been made and we'd want this to match what costs outlined in the contract and financial schedule. 

1. EPAO changing prices midway through programme

Steve Hewitt but the compliance paperwork and ILR price would be inaccurate. We need to provide evidence on completion that EPAO payment has been made and we'd want this to match what costs outline...

Nadine Baister commented, 03 March 2023 09:16

Donna Hunt Martin West sorry to jump on your post here - but in relation to evidencing the first day of learning towards FS, would just an 'attendance mark' suffice as 'evidence'? Or would the attendance register need to be accompanied by a SoW/lesson plan of some sort?  Words of wisdom appreciated. 

1. Functional skills learning evidence

Donna Hunt Martin West sorry to jump on your post here - but in relation to evidencing the first day of learning towards FS, would just an 'attendance mark' suffice as 'evidence'? Or would the atte...

Nadine Baister commented, 08 February 2023 16:39

Martin West  do you know if there is an updated version of the link you've pasted above? https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=F6B514EF79E4540A!95981&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AJXNDsNAdrEAFRA  

1. ESFA audit Checklist

Martin West  do you know if there is an updated version of the link you've pasted above? https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=F6B514EF79E4540A!95981&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AJXNDsNAdrEAFRA  

Nadine Baister commented, 13 June 2022 16:58

Thanks Martin West. So you are saying the 'where relevant' applies to the occupational diagnostic and maths/English? It certainly needs to be clearer - it looks as thought it's just saying math / English diagnostics are needed, where no exemptions apply. 

1. New Funding Rules 22_23 ESFA - Initial Assessment - HELP

Thanks Martin West. So you are saying the 'where relevant' applies to the occupational diagnostic and maths/English? It certainly needs to be clearer - it looks as thought it's just saying math / E...

Nadine Baister commented, 23 March 2022 12:41

Steve Hewitt - another quick query on the subject of payments - for functional skills funding, does this work like the apprenticeship funding where we get 20% lump sum on completion of the FS being achieved? Or is it just equal payments over the duration outlined in the ILR regardless of whether they pass the exam or not? 

1. Failed EPA - completion payment

Steve Hewitt - another quick query on the subject of payments - for functional skills funding, does this work like the apprenticeship funding where we get 20% lump sum on completion of the FS being...

Nadine Baister commented, 10 March 2022 11:29

Hi Kelly Knights  Thanks for your reply :)  What if the VLE report literally just says  Date/Time; Number of logins 6 / Number of clicks 30? Under university regulations / HESA, this is acceptable evidence of 'engagement' and should be used for the degree withdrawal date. I am not convinced this is acceptable to ESFA regulations... Martin West could you offer any words of wisdom? 

1. Last day of learning

Hi Kelly Knights  Thanks for your reply :)  What if the VLE report literally just says  Date/Time; Number of logins 6 / Number of clicks 30? Under university regulations / HESA, this is acceptable ...

Nadine Baister commented, 04 February 2022 15:56

Brilliant - thanks for everyone's input.

1. BIL while in Gateway

Brilliant - thanks for everyone's input.