2026-2027 is a critical year for apprenticeship delivery as the sector undergoes significant change, including the implementation of new co-investment and levy rules, development of Apprenticeship Units, more Foundation Apprenticeships and the not inconsequential assessment reforms.
In March 2026 we will receive the draft apprenticeship funding rules for 2026/27, with the implementation version due in May. Join us for our annual business-critical webinar series – to help you plan for the changes and understand the practical actions you will need to take across your organisation.
As we have done in every year we’ve run this series we’ll have done a lot of thinking for you. Using the stages of the learner journey, this 3-part webinar series will walk through the updates, what it means operationally for different teams along the way, where new risks might arise and practical ways you can mitigate them and is a must attend for leaders as well as compliance teams who want to develop best practices at the earliest opportunity.
You will receive a certificate of attendance after completing the series, as evidence of your personal development.
You will also receive a suite of practical resources, setting out all the key changes and actions you need to take across different teams, and providing you with simple foundations to accurately calculate RPL and OTJT.
A comprehensive implementation action plan setting out all the key changes and actions you need to take within different teams across your organisation.
This RPL Calculator uses the 2025-26 apprenticeship funding rules on minimum hours per standard. It calculates funding adjustments and co-investment values so you don't have to.
Use this tool to calculate OTJ hours so your learners are not viewed as ineligible for your programmes. If this issue isn’t addressed, your funding for those learners would be at risk.
Session 1 – Laying the ground (14 April 2026 – 11:00am-12:00pm) Free to the sector.
After the initial draft in March, we’ll go through the headline areas of change, reflect on the implementation challenges and risks and prepare the groundwork for change.
- Break down each of the core funding rule changes
- Explore the impact for independent providers, universities, colleges, and employer providers
- Identify key risks across your organisation
Session 2 – Detailed implementation (17 June 10.00am-1.00pm)
Having considered the first full version of the rules, this session will go in-depth into action planning and developing models of best practice. This session will explore:
- How the funding rule changes will impact on the learner journey: Pre-entry, Entry, On-programme, Gateway and apprenticeship assessment and Progression
- Specific changes you will need to make to your ILR and funding administration and management
- Practical adaptations you will need to make to your systems, processes and templates
- Q&A
We will issue a detailed implementation action plan to work through with this session
Session 3 – Supporting change (24 July 10.00am-11.00am)
Taking account of any further clarifications and further examples of best practice, this session will also feature significant time for Q&A and will include quality perspectives on the changes as well as the opportunity to get best practice answers to your questions
- Updates and clarifications
- Quality perspectives
- Q&A
About your session
The session will be facilitated by David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN’s compliance expert who has supported hundreds of providers in their apprenticeship journey including some of the UK’s largest, highest quality, specialist and new providers. David’s in-depth understanding of curriculum design and quality, as well as funding, gives him a unique insight into the practical implications of funding rule changes.
Who is this in-depth webinar for?
This webinar series is designed for apprenticeship providers, leaders overseeing the impact on apprenticeship journey delivery, compliance and operational staff, and quality managers.
Why an SDN Mesma Group webinar?
SDN Mesma Group has directly supported 5,000 apprenticeship staff, from 1,000 organisations, to prepare to deliver apprenticeship standards and end-point assessment. We’ve also worked closely with over 80 of the trailblazer employer groups, giving us a unique insight into what is required.
“This was excellent. You feel that an awful lot of work has gone into producing this, packed with helpful content, guidance and experience. Thank you so much!”
“Excellent in all aspects! Really interesting online sessions, and the workbooks and other additional materials are very detailed and useful.”
“It was very clear that a large amount of time and effort has gone into the preparation of today’s event – and that is why SDN is my first choice for webinars.”
“Excellent coverage, well planned and organised with clear expertise in the funding rules”
“Please let David know how much I enjoyed these sessions! I am practically bursting with ideas which is such a nice feeling to come away with.”
– Funding rules series 2025 attendees
Booking and payment:
You can either attend live sessions or be sent the recordings and materials if you prefer to review them in your own time. You can also mix and match for whatever works best for your schedule.
To keep prices down, payment for this event must be made online via credit card (book below). If you are a public sector body (e.g. Local Authority) who is unable to book via card, please email us on: events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk
The Terms and Conditions (including our refund policy) for SDN courses, events and webinars can be found here. When you make a booking, you agree to these Terms and Conditions (including those who request a booking via email and invoice).
Any questions, please email: events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk
Funding Rules webinar series tickets
- Live webinars x 3
- Webinar recordings
- Q&A sessions
- Changes Action Plan
- Recognition of Prior Learning calculator
- Off-the-job planning calculation tool
Cost: £295 +VAT
Group ticket: £495 +VAT – Max 5 attendees. You will receive instructions on registering your chosen 5 attendees shortly before the event.