Major changes in apprenticeship assessment are on the way – with a greater role for apprenticeship training providers and employers.
Over the coming months, as details become clearer, we’re offering a variety of support to help you ask the right questions, understand where the reforms create opportunities and risks, and support you in preparing for your organisation’s future role.
Whether you’re an apprenticeship provider, EPAO or AO, our proven expertise and practical solutions help you to take action where it matters most. From curriculum and assessment redesign to quality assurance and regulatory readiness, we work alongside your team to identify what’s required and build what works with confidence, quality and impact.
EP/AO Conference 2025
Preparing for the future of apprenticeship assessment
We are delighted that SDN Mesma Group’s Lou Doyle will be chairing the EP/AO Conference 2025, organised by Apprenticeship & Skills Group. This event is for leaders and professionals looking to be well prepared for the changes in apprenticeship assessment.
Date: 23 September
Location: Birmingham – Millennium Point
The day offers a timely space for open discussion, sharing ideas, and practical thinking with an agenda packed with panels and workshops focused on the questions that matter.
- Policy context – how is apprenticeship assessment changing?
- What do the reforms to apprenticeship assessment mean for EPAOs/AOs and their future role?
- What role will providers/employers play in apprenticeship assessment, and how do we prepare?
- Regulation – how will this assure the quality of apprenticeship assessments?
The EP/AO Conference 2025 has a line-up packed with sector leaders, employers, and policy voices who bring valuable insights and perspectives at this critical point in the evolution of apprenticeships.
Free webinar series: Apprenticeship Assessment Reform
Against a backdrop of wider sector change, we know that having easy-to-access support and professional development is critical. That’s why we’re hosting a free webinar series on the changes to apprenticeship assessment – to help you prepare to implement the changes effectively across your organisation.
Over the coming months, as apprenticeship reform details become clearer, we will adapt the content of our series to make sure you are always up to date and getting the support you need.
Session 1: Preparing for your Organisation’s Future Role
Webinar recording
This session took place on the 4th September – you can catch up on the webinar recording below.
This webinar focused on the information shared so far and the key strategic and practical questions apprenticeship training providers should be considering.
- What do we know so far, and what’s the direction of travel?
- How prepared are you (and the wider sector) for change?
- What are the key opportunities and risks for apprenticeship training providers?
- What are the key strategic and practical questions we should be asking ourselves?
Upcoming sessions
23rd October and 28th November
Two further sessions for this series are being developed. You can pre-book your place below and keep an eye out for updates to this ongoing free series.
Professional Development: CPD to support your organisation through change
SDN Mesma Group events and online seminars don’t simply take you through the details and help you understand a topic – we help you to move from theory to practice. If you have a group of individuals interested, we can host a bespoke version for your organisation and tailor the content to suit your needs.
In each of the following sessions, you will receive a CPD attendance certificate after the series, as evidence of your personal development.
Take a look at the sessions below, or visit our events page for our full professional development offer.
Embedding Effective Assessment in Apprenticeships
Webinar series | Starting 17 November
Get ahead of the changes – build assessment practice that works for learners, employers and your team.
The way assessment is used in apprenticeships is shifting. With more focus on on-programme and pre-Gateway assessment, providers need to make sure their approach is fit for purpose. This session will help you build assessment into the apprenticeship journey from the very start – making it meaningful, manageable and linked to real workplace performance.
We’ll cover:
- Practical ways to design and apply assessment methods that work across different standards
- How to build assessment into delivery – from day one through to Gateway
- Making assessments reflect the behaviours, skills and knowledge needed in the job
- Using progress reviews to give you (and the apprentice) better insight
- Involving employers so they can play an active role
- Simple tools and templates to plan, record and review assessments
Curriculum Design for the New Apprenticeship Landscape
Workshop | 9 December
Plan your curriculum so that apprentices are ready for assessment and to succeed in the workplace.
Changes to how assessment is carried out will have a direct knock-on effect on how you design and deliver your curriculum. This practical workshop will help you map, sequence and refine your programme so it sets apprentices up to succeed – without adding unnecessary workload.
We’ll cover:
- Building assessment into your curriculum from the outset.
- Designing learning activities and content that develop the right competencies.
- Linking sequencing and delivery to on-programme assessment points.
- Using digital tools to save time and improve planning.
- Stripping out “filler” and focusing on what works.