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COVID-19 Update – Remote EPAs

We are pleased to announce that we’ve gained approval to deliver remote End-Point Assessments in Equine Groom and Outdoor Activity Instructor.

This is following the temporary guidance for apprenticeships, which has been set out by iFATE during the pandemic. You can read more about this here:

If you’d like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]

About

All apprenticeship standards now contain an end-point assessment (EPA).

EPA is a final, independent assessment of an apprentice that gives employers confidence that apprentices can perform in the occupation they have been trained in.

The EPA must be conducted by an independent organisation that is listed on the Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations. You can find out more information about the Register and which organisations deliver a particular standard on GOV.UK

1st4sport is a specialist sports and physical activity EPA organisation, approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). We already offer EPA for:

  • Level 2 Equine Groom
  • Level 3 Senior Equine Groom
  • Level 3 Outdoor Activity Instructor
  • Level 2 Community Activator Coach
  • Level 4 Sports Coach

Why choose 1st4sport?

Get access to invaluable tools, resources and support

By partnering with 1st4sport you’ll get access to:

  • Learning portfolio to support apprentices on-programme and at gateway, with all tasks clearly laid out.
  • A toolkit for employers, to ensure that the employer is involved in the process. The toolkit makes it clear what is needed at each stage and enables them to efficiently and accurately sign off the apprentice prior to EPA.
  • Skills Coach toolkit which contains assessment material, grading descriptors and standard overview.

Industry specialists, with experienced and qualified assessors throughout England

1st4sport specialises in the sport and physical activity sector, which means we understand the key challenges that training providers experience when delivering apprenticeship programmes. We use our industry expertise and partnerships to ensure our supporting resources are fit for purpose and in line with current best practice.

All our assessors are:

  • Experts in their field, with extensive relevant and up-to-date industry experience, in a higher occupation role than that being assessed.
  • Qualified to a minimum of Level 3 in assessment practice and regularly undertaking CPD activity to ensure that they are up to date with the latest developments.
  • DBS checked to ensure apprentices are not at risk during their EPA experience
  • Understand the specific challenges that face the apprentices and able to adopt a human approach, putting apprentices – from all walks of life – at ease.

Fair, equitable and independent assessments

Our Compliance and Risk team ensures rigorous quality assurance, malpractice and conflict of interest policies are followed, to ensure apprentices completing their EPA with 1st4sport are treated fairly and without prejudice by our assessors, in a safe environment.

Our impartial service complies with the regulatory authorities and is quality assured by the responsible body. What’s more:

  • Each 1st4sport EPA manager regularly reviews a representative sample of evidence for each component of the EPA to check for fairness and impartiality.
  • We insist any conflicts of interest are declared and we’ll take steps to ensure impartiality.
  • Clear operating rules are in place to prevent malpractice, maladministration or prejudice.
  • Corrective action procedures are in place should a policy breech occur.
  • We are fully committed to embracing diversity.

1st4sport is an organisation you can trust

19
Years as an accredited awarding organisation
39
Governing bodies partnering with us
300
Accredited qualifications
850
Training providers delivering our qualifications
850,000
Certificates awarded

Talus – Apprentice Management Solution

We use Talus as our Apprenticeship Management Solution. Talus is an EPA management system that manages and monitors the entire End- Point Assessment process from registration to completion. This cost-effective solution offers a streamlined process for all delivery partners to centrally store and share apprentice information, securely and paper-free.

The structure of Talus is built around five core areas:

  • Registration
  • Gateway
  • Assign Assessor and Schedule EPA
  • Manage the assessments in the EPA itself
  • Reporting

The 1st4sport EPA Journey

Our step by step EPA process is easy for you to follow.

What’s more, our EPA advisors will be on hand to guide you through every step of the journey.

01

EPA Agreement

After signing the 1st4sport EPA agreement, you’ll receive a welcome call and a step by step guide to help you progress your apprentices through the 1st4sport EPA journey. What’s more, we’ll put you in touch with a 1st4sport advisor who will support you throughout the process.

02

Apprentice Registration

The earlier you register apprentices for an EPA, the more support you’ll get. At this stage, your key contact will get access to all the 1st4sport resources and templates to help you prepare apprentices for their EPA.

03

Booking an EPA

The earlier you submit your preferred dates for an EPA, the more chance you’ll have of securing them. You’ll need to submit your booking a minimum of 60 days in advance of the EPA. We will of course confirm your booking in writing.

The EPA takes place at the end of the apprenticeship after all the on-programme training has been completed, after the gateway has been passed and when you are confident that the apprentice meets or exceeds the Occupational Standards.

04

The EPA

The methods of assessment always include a discussion and observation of the practical by a 1st4sport assessor.

Prior to the assessment, you’ll submit the apprentice’s portfolio for the appointed 1st4sport assessor to review.

Find out more by requesting our information pack below.

05

EPA Results and Certificate

After the assessment, you’ll receive a grading notification and a digital certificate to present to your apprentice.

Pricing

  • Equine Groom: £695
  • Senior Equine Groom: £795
  • Outdoor Activity Instructor: £845
  • Community Activator Coach: £795
  • Level 4 Sports Coach: £1,500

For each of the standards, the EPA fee will be invoiced in two instalments, with 20% of the overall cost payable at the point of apprentice registration and the remaining 80% as gateway is passed and EPA is scheduled.

50+ offer

As an organisation with 50 plus apprentices on programme at any one point, we have tried to make things easier by charging the main payment towards the end of the apprenticeship journey.

Therefore, the EPA Fee will be invoiced in two instalments; one at the point of apprentice registration (a small £25 Registration Fee) and the second covering the remaining balance (the Booking Fee) as gateway is passed and EPA is scheduled.

Registration cost

As a training provider, you can access funding to pay for your on-programme resources at the start of the Apprenticeship Programme, through the TNP1 Record. It would be budgeted into the Total Negotiated Price (TNP) rather than the Negotiated Price for Assessment. You can find further information here.

Information Request

Get in touch

Telephone: 0113 290 7600