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 or an 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.
This page directs you to our support and resources that cover the changes to apprenticeship assessment:
- EP/AO Conference
- Free webinar series on upcoming changes
- Supporting offer for Awarding Organisations and providers
- Professional development for your teams
EP/AO Conference 2025
Preparing for the future of apprenticeship assessment
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the EP/AO Conference 2025, chaired by SDN Mesma Group’s Lou Doyle. This conference, organised by the Apprenticeship & Skills Group, was for leaders and professionals looking to be well prepared for the changes in apprenticeship assessment.
The day offered 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?
Conference summary: Paul Johnstone – Senior Associate at SDN Mesma Group, Specialist in education and skills policy – delivered the closing session at the conference and summarised the key points made.
Download his summary of the conference here.
If you missed the conference or forgot to grab your special issue of ‘The Assessor’, you can download the primer below.
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.
Supporting Offer for Awarding Organisations and Apprenticeship Providers
SDN Mesma Group is a nationally recognised consultancy in technical education and assessment reform and has worked with over 1,000 apprenticeship providers and 90 assessment organisations. Our team is here to provide comprehensive support, strategic insight and practical expertise to help you navigate change and deliver excellence.
Awarding Organisations
AOs (previously referred to as EPAOs) face new challenges in designing, validating, and delivering high-quality apprenticeship assessments. As a nationally recognised consultancy in technical education and assessment reform, we bring strategic insight and practical expertise to help AOs meet these evolving requirements — with confidence.
- Organisational readiness & diagnostic review
- Assessment design & development support
- Regulatory submission & recognition support
- Team development support
Apprenticeship Providers
Recent changes mean rethinking curriculum design, staff capability, assessment literacy, and quality assurance. As national leaders in technical education and assessment reform, we offer a comprehensive support offer to help you rethink delivery models, upskill teams, and implement robust, assessment-ready provision aligned with current expectations.
- Diagnostic and strategic planning
- Curriculum re-design and assessment integration
- Workforce development and delivery training
- Internal quality assurance (IQA) and compliance support
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.
You will receive a CPD attendance certificate after completing one of our courses, as evidence of your personal development.
Take a look at the session below, or visit our events page for our full professional development offer.
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.
Embedding Effective Assessment in Apprenticeships
Webinar series | Starting 26 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.
- Involving employers so they can play an active role.
- Simple tools to plan, record and review assessments.