What the Move Away From Traditional EPA Means for Delivery, Responsibility and Readiness This Year

As we enter 2026, the apprenticeship system in England is no longer preparing for reform it is actively living through it.

Changes introduced through the 2025/26 funding rules have already begun to reshape how apprenticeships are delivered and assessed. At the same time, the sector is looking ahead to further changes expected from August 2026, particularly as Skills England continues to embed a more flexible, employer-led approach to skills and assessment.

This article is the first in a series of thought-leadership pieces from CQM Training & Consultancy. Our aim is to help employers and training providers make sense of what’s changing, what it means in practice, and how to stay ahead as further reforms emerge.

From “End-Point Assessment” to Ongoing Apprenticeship Assessment

One of the most significant shifts now underway is the move away from a single, End-Point Assessment (EPA) towards a broader apprenticeship assessment model.

Revised assessment plans are already being implemented for a growing number of standards, with common features including:

• Assessment taking place across the apprenticeship, not just at the end
• Employers now verifying behaviours as part of the standard 
• Training providers delivering and marking some assessment components, under regulated conditions
• A clearer focus on real workplace performance, rather than assessment being something that happens “to” the apprentice at the end

The aim is to embed assessments throughout the programme, making them more meaningful and relevant, rather than a standalone task completed at the end that can delay completion.

What This Means For Employers in 2026

For employers, this year represents a steep change in responsibility.

Employers are now expected to play a more explicit role in:

• Verifying behaviours as part of the standard 
• Working more closely with providers to ensure evidence is valid, timely, and robust

For many employers, this is a positive development. It aligns assessment more closely with actual job performance and reinforces apprenticeships as a workforce development tool rather than a compliance exercise.

It also means learners will benefit from more timely assessment, reduced duplication, and a less daunting experience overall. 

What This Means For Training Providers in 2026

For training providers, especially smaller and independent organisations, 2026 is a year of both adaptation and risk.

Key implications include:

• Increased delivery complexity – Providers may now be responsible for assessing elements they previously prepared learners for but did not mark.
• Stronger quality assurance requirements – Internal assessment decisions must stand up to external scrutiny, placing pressure on systems, staff capability and governance.
• Closer employer collaboration – Assessment planning can no longer be treated as a late-stage activity; it must be designed jointly with employers from the outset.

Looking Ahead: August 2026 and Beyond

While much of 2026 is about embedding current reforms, the sector is already looking towards further changes expected from August 2026.

Based on policy direction to date, we expect continued movement towards:

• Greater modularisation of skills and training
• Increased employer choice and flexibility in how training is used
• A stronger emphasis on outcomes, productivity and progression, rather than inputs alone

What remains less clear, and will be critical, is how assessment assurance, funding alignment and provider capacity will be managed at scale.

This uncertainty is not a reason to pause. But it is a reason to stay informed and engaged.

How CQM T&C Is Supporting Employers and Providers

At CQM Training & Consultancy, our approach has always focused on:

• Practical, employer-aligned delivery
• Robust but proportionate quality systems
• Capability-building, not dependency

As apprenticeship assessment continues to evolve, we are working closely with employers and providers to:

• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Build confidence in assessment readiness
• Design delivery models that remain compliant and commercially viable

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