Thank you for attending EPA 2019. The presentations from the event can be accessed here.
Members of the Federation and The Assessors Guild receive a discounted rate
Delegate Rates
- £245 + VAT (corporate member of FAB or TAG)
- £265 + VAT (corporate non-member)
- £115 + VAT (self employed)
Who is exhibiting at EPA 2019 – Quality and Independence in Assessment?
For further details about exhibiting this year contact conference@awarding.org.uk
Headline Sponsors
OVERVIEW
More than 6 years since England’s major apprenticeship reforms were announced, the focus on quality and independence of assessment in apprenticeships has never been more important.
The conference offers an unparalleled opportunity for all of those involved in end point assessment to come together to network, consider the challenges in the system and explore the most effective ways to safeguard quality and the independence of end point assessment. This conference will be of interest to End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs), External Quality Assurance Organisations (EQAOs), Employer providers, Trailblazers, Individual assessors, Internal Quality Assurers (IQAs).
The conference is being jointly run by the Federation of Awarding Bodies – the voice and membership body of the qualifications and assessment industry and the Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards via The Assessors Guild – the professional membership Body for assessors.
OUTLINE PROGRAMME
Registration from 9.30am for a 10.30am start. Conference closes at 4.00pm.
Welcome
Tom Bewick, Chief Executive, Federation of Awarding Bodies
Belonging to a community of professionals
Sam Taylor, Head of the Assessors Guild
Title TBC
Nikki Christie, Deputy Director, Assessment, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Plenary and questions session 1, chaired by Charlotte Bosworth, Managing Director, Innovate Awarding
Putting the learner and quality at the heart of end point assessment.
Gary Tovey, Head of Assessment Services, Babcock Assessments
How to maintain the Quality of Assessors
Alison Pearce, Quality Delivery Manager – Apprenticeships, BCS
End point assessment from an employer/provider’s perspective
Genevieve Potter, General Manager, The Bauer Academy
Coffee break and exhibition
Plenary and questions session 2-
Making EQA work
Alex Morris, Head of Apprenticeship Quality Assurance,
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Steve Walker, Associate Director – Apprenticeships, Ofqual
Barry Smith, Head of Assessment, National Skills Academy for
Rail
Neil Cruickshank, Head of External Quality Assurance,
People1st International
Heather Akehurst, CEO, Open Awards
Seminars (delegates to choose one)
Independence in Assessment
Keeley Turton, Managing Director, Ever Tree Training
The Data Journey
Richard Mole, Senior Manager – Apprenticeships Assessment, ESFA
The Quality Code is Key
Katrina Cleaver, Assessment Development Manager, Chartered Management Institute
Dr Andy Smith, Standards and Frameworks Manager, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
Lunch and exhibition
Seminars repeated
Plenary and questions session 3
Making Apprenticeships Work – A Quality Model based on best practice
Patrick Craven, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Policy and Contracts, City & Guilds
Using Apprenticeships to address UK PLC’s Productivity puzzle
Cindy Rampersaud, Senior Vice President, BTEC & Apprenticeships, Pearson
Benefits of universal partnership working for the sector and sharing for learner success
Tom Bewick and Sam Taylor
Close
Alex Morris
Head of Apprenticeship Quality Assurance, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Patrick Craven
Director of Strategic Partnerships, Policy and Contracts, City & Guilds
Dr Andy Smith
Standards and Frameworks Manager, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
Genevieve Potter
General Manager, The Bauer Academy
Genevieve Potter, General Manager, The Bauer Academy
Making EQA Work plenary session
EQA has a crucial role to play in ensuring that apprentices are assessed fairly and consistently and that different end-point assessment organisations are interpreting assessment plans consistently.
This session will update delegates on the development and implementation of External Quality Assurance arrangements including the Institute’s enhanced overall framework for EQA; and emerging findings from early EQA activity from four EQA providers.
The Quality Code is Key seminar
The UK Quality Code for Higher Education is a key reference point for quality assurance, protecting the public and student interest and championing UK higher education’s world-leading reputation for quality. It enables providers to understand what is expected of them and what to expect from each other.
The Quality Code, which was significantly revised in 2018, is familiar to all those involved in delivering UK higher education and applies to all modes and models of delivery, including Degree Apprenticeships and other higher level apprenticeships that include a UK HE award.
This presentation will present an overview of the mandatory requirements of the code, the advice and guidance that supports the code and how these apply to all HE apprenticeships, whether or not the EPA is integrated within the degree, or separate to it.
The Data Journey seminar
In the session, delegates will receive an overview and status of the developments to bring end-point assessment into the overall digital customer journey within the apprenticeship service and discuss the things the ESFA are working on with the sector to improve delivery as volumes rise.
Independence in Assessment seminar
Keely Turton, MD from Ever Tree Training will provide a brief introduction to what independence is and why it is important, including the impact of not having it. She will explore internal independence and the importance of having independent/separate teams, policies and procedures in place and what these should include, the importance of keeping delivery and assessment functions completely separate. She will also explore with delegates external support, working with EQA and other organisations to ensure best practice is followed and that governance in place.
The seminar will also focus on conflicts of interest and how these can impact on independence as well as how to minimise and deal with conflicts of interest – both internal and external.
Making Apprenticeships Work – A Quality Model based on best practice Plenary Session
Two years on from the introduction of reforms we are sharing the follow up to the Quality Model that was devised by the City & Guilds Industry Skills Board. This model was devised by a representative group of employers whilst the reform was still under consultation. Much of what was proposed has come to pass and we took the opportunity to revisit the model and sense check how it was working in reality. This presentation shares the highlights of that recent study and the advice that employers want to give others engaging with the programmes today.
End point assessment from an employer/provider’s perspective plenary session
Genevieve Potter from the Bauer Academy gives her take on how EPAOs can work effectively with employers and training providers. The Bauer Academy is owned by Bauer Media, one of the world’s largest media businesses. Genevieve will present insights from Bauer Media and The Bauer Academy, a unique training provider who deliver apprenticeships both within Bauer Media and for external clients including ITV, Sue Ryder and the7stars.
Using Apprenticeships to address UK PLC’s Productivity puzzle plenary session
It’s been two years since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy. The implementation and impact of the new Apprenticeships has not been without its challenges for all stakeholders involved – providers, employers, apprentices, assessment organisations, trainers, funding and data analysts. This is a good time to take a step back and think of changes, amendments, efficiencies that can help employers and apprentices achieve the impact intended from the levy – productivity gains for UK PLC.
In this thought provoking talk, Cindy Rampersaud, SVP, BTEC & Apprenticeships, Pearson identifies key factors that can support the implementation of an impactful Apprenticeship programme for UK employers.
EXHIBITORS
