Ofqual Proposes Scrapping End-Point Assessments, What Next? | FE Soundbite Edition 802

June 21, 2025

Welcome to FE Soundbite Edition 802: 21st June 2025 | Ofqual Proposes Scrapping End-Point Assessments, What Next? | FE Soundbite Edition 802

This is the weekly e-newsletter and e-journal by FE News: ISSN 2732-4095. We know life is busy, so here's a snapshot of the latest announcements and epic thought leadership articles from sector influencers and thought leaders across FE and Skills this week on FE News.

Gavin’s Reflective Perspective

Again, another week of massive announcements and major changes. This week, we have three major developments that will reshape how we think about skills, assessment, and workforce planning.

Major Changes to Apprenticeship Assessment Proposed By Ofqual

Ofqual have announced consultation with a major shift in Apprenticeships with a move away from End Point Assessment to Apprenticeship Assessment Principles. The new approach enables assessment throughout the apprenticeship journey rather than only at the end, allowing training providers to deliver and mark elements of assessment with appropriate oversight, and introduces streamlined assessment plans giving awarding organisations greater design flexibility while maintaining employer confidence in results.

Synoptic Assessment

Ofqual proposes to issue guidance suggesting synoptic assessment should comprise approximately 40% of the overall assessment, though organisations may take different approaches where this can be justified.

Streamlined Assessment Plan Structure

A key component of the reforms is Skills England’s development of a new streamlined structure for apprenticeship assessment plans. The new plans will be significantly shorter and higher-level than current detailed assessment plans, containing only the minimal prescription required to demonstrate occupational competence.

We have a full article breaking down the proposed changes here.

Free Speech Guidance

New freedom of speech guidance from the Office for Students (OfS) was released this week, this includes examples of how universities and colleges might best respond to a range of scenarios. Shockingly: One in Five University Academics Don’t Feel Free to Teach Controversial Topics. So hopefully this new guidance is helpful to you and your teams. As the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act comes into force on 1 August this year! So not long!

NHS Workforce Crisis Paradox

The Careers and Enterprise Company complete some really interesting research on Teen career aspirations. Basically, young people are more eager than ever to pursue careers in the NHS, ranking in the top two sectors , ahead of finance, law and sports.

So this should be a match made in a Skills Heaven... So Why Are There 100k Vacancies and a £2bn Agency Bill asks the Careers and Enterprise company. Check out the article and research here.

Leadership Lessons

I also really enjoyed this article from Mandeep Gill on leadership, people often talk about the highs of leadership, the genius of navigating choppy waters, but this is a brilliant, beautiful, raw and really honest article from Mandeep on leadership when you find yourself in the valley. I love this, it is brave and honest. It is called: Failing, Totally. Utterly. Absolutely. Check it out.

I hope you enjoy FE Soundbite this week.

Epic Exclusives Thought Leadership Articles

Our Top 3 Thought Leadership Articles This Week

Developing a Centre based model for Ofqual regulated EpAOs By Jacqui Molkenthin from JEML Consulting, Sarah Sutcliffe and Jackie Stark from ProAssess

After the Demise of Level 7 Apprenticeships, What Next? By Andy Forbes, Executive Director, Lifelong Education Institute

Employability in the Age of AI: Why Work-Based Learning Models Deserve Closer Attention By Sam Holland, a digital learning specialist working in work-based learning (WBL) in South Wales, with a focus on embedding emerging technologies in vocational training environments.

This week, we also had some other Epic Exclusives!

Innovation by Necessity: How Africa’s Startup Ecosystem is Tackling Youth Unemployment and Shaping the Global Economy By Mr. Rafiq El Alami Head of the Digital Innovation Center of Excellence (DICE) at University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P)

Failing, Totally. Utterly. Absolutely. By Mandeep Gill

Let’s Give Teachers Their Time Back. Because Students Deserve It. By Gavin Cooney, Co-Founder & CEO of Learnosity

What’s New in the World of FE?

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Are you going to join us on the 30th October in Manchester, for the Green Skills, Green Mindset Micro Collective. This is in partnership with our friends at Education and Training Foundation. Come and join us to help shape this massively important report, particularly after Skills England have highlighted the massive need in this massively important area. Spaces are limited, so I'd recommend booking early!

We hope you enjoy FE Soundbite this week. Stay curious, keep innovating, and let's shake up the world of FE together – catch you next week!

By Danny O’Meara, Digital Project Manager, FE News

By Gavin O’Meara, CEO and Founder, FE News and FE Careers

FE Soundbite Weekly Journal | ISSN 2732-4095