Assessment changes to focus on degree, candidates who pass the Express Manager degree will be awarded their apprenticeship without further assessment. Apprenticeship Distinctions gone. It will be graded pass with degree or fail without degree. Behaviour assessment moves to employers. End point assessment to finish. Timescales of implementation vague but expected in a twelve month window. Big changes in assessment are coming for the degree apprenticeships. First Express sector degree management students graduated this year from UWL, completing a degree and then entering into a project and a professional discussion with a sector expert. Latest tranche on the three year programme started this year at Ruskin College, Oxford. It’s a successful three year programme delivered both on campus and virtual in the workplace. The programme completes with a final assessment of the apprenticeship standard, giving access to application for fellows level at the Inst of Couriers. The apprenticeship assessment for all sectors is being reformed following a DfE review in 2024 which found that while apprenticeships continue to deliver strong outcomes, the apprenticeship assessment process can be overly complex, burdensome, and time-consuming.

In February 2025, the Government published a new set of assessment guiding principles outlining the changes required. These changes will apply to all apprenticeships, at all levels. These along with the requirements and guidance for apprenticeship assessment, set out by Skills England in June this year, provide the framework for the revision of all apprenticeship assessment plans, including degree apprenticeships. Skills England have begun work to apply the new assessment policy to degree apprenticeships. August held an Occupational Group (previously trailblazer) sessions to discuss apprenticeship reform and upcoming changes for degree apprenticeships.

IOC deliver the summary of the assessment review

Assessment changes to focus on degree, Distinctions gone. Behaviour assessment moves to employers. End point assessment to finish. Timescales of implementation vague. But first assessment plan feedback asked for twenty days. Employers unanimously said, ‘These timescales in August are bonkers!’

Angela Packward and Karen Wright from Skills England. ‘Please don’t shoot the messenger.’ ‘You have 20 days for feedback, feedback must be in by 20th August.

The virtual meeting, ‘Overview of the reforms triggered by burdensome procedures. The new system is expected to be more balanced, target to plan publications in twelve months time. Keeping the KSBs and remain audited by OFQUAL. Principles include simpler assessment plans aligned to employer standards. Less lengthy, two to three pages and less duplication on behaviour units. There has been closer collaboration work with the assessment team. Assessment during the apprenticeship rather than just at the end of a programme. More innovation to help EPAOs develop assessments meeting the employer needs.

Maintaining quality, Office for students remains, they will be the external quality body for all assessments. There will be occupational groups similar to the Trailblazers. As a minimum there must be stakeholders, including: employers , assessment organisations, training providers and industry bodies. The group will influence the standard and its evolution. For new standards there will be an assessment approval panel. Skills England have prioritised groups focused by govt, including youth. Aligned with the new Prime Minister.

A degree can be mandated in the apprenticeships, KSBs will remain, but Behaviours will no longer be assessed.

The degree will become the sole assessment. The degree must cover all the K&S units. The degree plan will be in a five section set format and include any details of professional recognition with external bodies. The future will be pass or fail, no distinction grade exists in the new plan.

Timescales not yet set, but this change looks likely to enact for students in around twelve months.

It is clear that there may be more than degree detail to meet operational plan for professional body recognition, including fellow grade at Inst of Couriers.

Academic delivery will be business as usual with HEIs recognising the academic degree content.

Employer will take over recognition of behaviour assessment, (Behaviours for Express management degree include, Integrity & honesty)