From education to employment

Apprentices taking charge of their End point Assessment

Aaron Bradbury & Vicky Wynne

We have recently published a new book called “The Apprentice’s Guide to End Point Assessment”, we have been sharing with you that this book would be coming out very soon and we now have copies, we’re feeling very proud and we wanted to share with you why we feel so.

18 months ago we were in the midst of apprenticeship development, teaching on a multitude of apprenticeships and also being part of some big trailblazers. Seeing these apprenticeship awards coming out means so much to us but something was missing. We realised that many of the training providers were getting ready for the End Point Assessment (EPA) and we were hearing that there wasn’t much material out there supporting apprentices and employers preparing for the Gateway to the EPA– so we took up the challenge!

The book is a new approach; there are concepts in there that you may recognise but the book focuses mostly on the apprentice. So, why do we think that each apprentice should get the book?

Well firstly, it’s not expensive, a deliberate strategy to ensure that it is financially accessible for all the learners; we would encourage each training provider to supply at least one copy on loan to help each learner prepare for their journey.

We also believe that the book looks at elements and concepts new to the learner, in them, themselves becoming prepared for their EPA and we firmly believe that this should be the approach. Ultimately it is their apprenticeship, so we wanted to stress their position in all of this in partnership with the employer and training provider.

“This book supports you with many requirements of the EPA, including English and maths requirements, pre-entry to the gateway, being ready for your EPA and giving you a detailed understanding of the EPA requirements. This book will support you to approach your EPA positively” Bradbury & Wynne (2020)

The book looks at concepts such as:

  • Maths and English Requirements
  • Looking after you as an apprentice
  • The role of your employer and training provider

We wanted to stress the importance of the End Point Assessment and how this was the same process for all apprentices on a Standard and in order to contextualise this we look at the history of apprenticeships and how the EPA has become the assessment process in contemporary times.

We both wanted to write a book from the perspective of the learner and throughout we have tried to maintain this approach. The book speaks to the learner, exploring key concepts whilst managing to maintain a balance through the journey to Gateway and to the EPA.

We have also tried to maintain a further balance which allows any learner on level 2-7 to be able to pick this book up and link to their current situation/experience within their apprenticeship. We really want apprenticeship learners to be in control of their apprenticeship journey and we hope that you do too.

We know that a triadic approach between the apprentice, employer and training provider is essential for a learning to take place effectively.

So there’s the book and whilst maintaining the apprentice at the heart of our writing – we think we have achieved what we set out to do – and we hope you enjoy reading it.

Aaron Bradbury & Vicky Wynne

Aaron is a Principal Lecturer in Childhood and Early Years at Nottingham Trent University with a specialism in Early Help, Child Development and Child Protection. Apprenticeships and Work Based Learning in Education, Early Years and Children′s Social Care. Research Interests: Widening participation (access for all) with links to apprenticeship pedagogy, Early Years and Education.

Vicky originally trained as a Registered nurse, firstly specialising in neuro-ophthalmology and then after completing her children’s nurse training, working with children with complex needs, life limiting conditions and safeguarding issues. Following a career change she moved into education, firstly FE and then more recently HE whilst completing an MA (Education) leading the development of NVQ’s, Foundation and Honours degrees in Mentoring and Higher Apprenticeships. Currently in her role as Assistant Dean at University College Birmingham, Vicky has led the development of Nursing and Physiotherapy into the School.

Bradbury, A. & Wynne, V. (2020) The Apprentice’s Guide to End Point Assessment. London. Learning Matters (Published September 2020)


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