Category Archives: Apprenticeship Levy

Highfield Assessment receives ‘5 stars’ from FE Week

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We had some great news this morning thanks to FE Week, who rated Highfield Assessment ‘5 stars’ in their investigation into apprenticeship assessment organisations (AAOs).

The weekly magazine, which is read throughout the further education sector, conducted mystery shopper tests on a number of AAOs and their end-point assessment (EPA) offers, with Highfield receiving full marks!

You can read the article for yourselves (pages 10-11) at http://feweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FE209-Digi.pdf?mc_cid=3974ee5b08&mc_eid=8f4553ca0a

To find out more about how Highfield Assessment can help you, go to https://www.highfieldassessment.com/

Apprenticeship EPA approval for hospitality and adult care

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Highfield has been approved to deliver end-point assessment (EPA) for five more apprenticeship standards.

The five standards are:

  • Adult Care Worker
  • Lead Adult Care Worker
  • Commis Chef
  • Hospitality Team Member
  • Hospitality Supervisor

The training sector is currently undergoing some of its biggest changes in over 30 years, and will see new apprenticeship standards – developed by groups of employers known as ‘trailblazers’ – being assessed by EPA instead of continuous assessment.

This means individual apprentices will have their work and competence assessed towards the end of their learning against criteria established by employers.

There will also be the introduction of the apprenticeship levy from 1 May 2017, with larger employers paying into a central fund that must be used for apprenticeship training, while smaller employers will see 90 percent of their costs covered by the government.

For more details, go to Highfield Assessment .

Support for retail employers on apprenticeship levy and assessment

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Employers looking to make the most of the impending changes to apprenticeships this spring will have help from one of the UK’s leading awarding organisations.

Highfield Qualifications has been approved by the government to provide end-point assessment (EPA) for the new Retailer Level 2 apprenticeship standard, which is currently being introduced throughout the sector, and will be offering retail employers a full range of support services to make the most of their potential apprenticeship levy payments.

The changes are some of the biggest ever to training in the UK, and will see new apprenticeship standards like the Retailer Level 2 use EPA instead of continuous assessment, meaning individual apprentices will have their work and competence assessed towards the end of their learning against criteria established by retail employers.

There will also be the introduction of the apprenticeship levy from 1 May 2017, with larger employers paying into a central fund that must be used for apprenticeship training, while smaller employers will see 90 percent of their costs covered by the government.

Chris Sprenger, Highfield MD, said, ‘We understand the forthcoming changes have caused concern to many businesses in a retail sector already facing the prospect of minimum wage rises and an uncertain landscape after Brexit.

However, with our recognition by government as an apprentice assessment organisation (AAO), Highfield is in a position to provide specific assessment services for those businesses already taking on Retailer Level 2 apprentices. We can also offer consultancy and advice to any organisation still trying understand the changes and make the most of them –  whether they are looking to take on apprentices for the first time, wanting to have their existing in-house training recognised, or searching for services and resources to ensure they claim their full share of funding entitlement’.

He added, ‘Apprenticeships are great for business and can provide a welcome boost to staff development and productivity when it is most needed, but it’s vital that organisations understand from day one how to make sure the changes are of benefit to them and their employees’.

Highfield’s apprenticeship services are being offered through its Highfield Assessment brand.

For more information, go to www.highfieldassessment.com

You can also contact Highfield at info@highfieldabc.net or by calling 0845 2260350.

Video updates are available here (Retailer standard)  and here (AAO approval).

Regular social media updates are available on Twitter and Facebook .

ENDS
Notes to editors:

  1. Highfield Qualifications has been approved by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) as an apprenticeship assessment organisation (AAO) for the provision of end-point assessment for the Retailer Level 2 apprenticeship standard. Highfield’s apprenticeship services are delivered through its Highfield Assessment brand.
  2. Highfield Qualifications is one of the UK’s top five awarding organisations (AO) and winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2016, offering over 250 qualifications covering a wide variety of industries including retail, health and social care, rail, food safety, security, catering and hospitality, and logistics.
  3. Highfield Qualifications is part of the Highfield Group, which includes:
  • Highfield Qualifications – awarding organisation (AO)
  • Highfield International – learning resources publisher
  • Highfield elearning – developer of e-learning, e-assessment and learner management systems
  • Highfield Assessment – apprenticeship assessment organisation (AAO)
  • Highfield MEA – international operations, based in Dubai

Apprenticeship standards: further views requested on CYP options

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Skills for Health is looking for feedback on qualifications units to support the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Healthcare Support Workers (Children and Young People’s option) and is asking professionals in the sector to complete a survey.

The survey has been split up into sections and the units have been allocated under different sections for ease: Safeguarding, Communication and relationship building, Mental Health, Providing support, Child development, Knowledge only units, Babies, Generic units and their applicability to Children & Young People.

The feedback will inform the final structure of the qualification pathway.

It does not include the mandatory units and only includes those units with outstanding queries.  These will be optional in the qualification for Children & Young People (not the full list of optional units).

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3346081/Children-Young-People-s-qualification-units

This survey will close at 12pm noon on Thursday 9 th March 2017 .

If you have any queries about the survey, please email qualifications@highfieldabc.net

Survey on end-of-life care content of new qualification

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A new qualification is being developed to support the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Healthcare Support Workers.

This survey relates to End of Life Care content of the proposed qualification. There are existing units for end of life care and this survey seeks your views on any changes that need to be made to ensure that they are fit for purpose. The final units will be available as optional units in the Level 3 Diploma qualification.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3341850/End-of-Life-Care-units

The survey will close at 12pm noon on Monday 27 th February 2017.

If you have any queries, please email qualifications@highfieldabc.net

Views sought on new healthcare support workers qualification

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Skills for Health is seeking feedback from industry professionals on the development of a new qualification to support the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Healthcare Support Workers.

The survey asks for your views on existing qualifications units and any gaps to support the Allied Health Professional – Therapy Support option within the apprenticeship standard.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3330384/Allied-Health-Profession-Therapy-Support-qualification-pathway

The level 3 Diploma qualification will have shared core of mandatory units that meet the content requirements of the apprenticeship standard and that everyone taking the qualification will do, regardless of pathway. Areas covered include health and safety, handling information, communication, equality and diversity, personal development, duty of care and person-centred approached. Individual units that correspond with the content of options within the apprenticeship standard will also be available for learners to select.

The survey will close at 12pm noon on 6 March 2017 .

Should you have any queries, please email qualifications@highfieldabc.net

Government confirm final funding proposals for Apprenticeship Levy

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974x300-linkedin This week the government confirmed the introduction of the apprenticeship levy from April 2017.

The levy will be payable by all UK employers that have a wage bill of more than £3 million. Employers will have to pay 0.5% of their pay roll costs, and these payments will be collected by HMRC from April 2017.  Employers that are not eligible to pay the levy will continue to receive government support towards apprenticeship training and assessment.

Following an open consultation with employers and training providers, the government has confirmed the final funding proposals of how the apprenticeship levy will work. While much of the guidance reiterates points that were announced in August, adjustments have been made to ensure that the reforms benefit more employers, providers and apprentices.

Key features from the updated funding policy include:

  • employers and training providers who take on 16 to 18-year-olds or 19 to 24-year-olds, who were in care or who have an education, health and care plan, on an apprenticeship framework or standard, will receive a £1,000 payment from the government
  • employers will now have 24 months to spend the levy funds within their digital account before they expire, extended from the 18 months originally proposed
  • higher funding bands for STEM apprenticeship frameworks; this has increased by 40% for level 2 and 80% for level 3
  • non-levy paying employers will only have to contribute 10% to the cost of training and assessment, with the remaining 90% funded by the government
  • employers with fewer than 50 employees who do not pay the levy will receive full government funding if they take on apprentices who are 16 to 18 years old, 19 to 24-year-old care leavers, or 19 to 24 year olds with an education, health and care plan
  • a commitment to introduce the ability for employers to transfer funds within their digital account to other employers in their supply chain and sector by 2018
  • training providers will also receive an additional cash payment equivalent to 20% of the funding band maximum where they train 16 to 18-year-olds on apprenticeship frameworks
  • the 15 funding bands have now been confirmed, which range from £1, 500 to £27,000
  • additional funding support up to £600 for apprentices who live in disadvantaged areas to ensure that the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship is open to everyone, regardless of where they live, their background or family circumstances
  • training providers will be able to claim a flat rate of £471 direct from the government if they deliver English or maths, so that all apprentices have a basic knowledge of each subject
  • training providers will be able to claim up to £150 of additional funding on behalf of apprentices who require extra support because of a learning or other disability

To read the government document in full, please visit here .

If you are still unsure about how the levy will impact your business, or still have unanswered questions, please contact a member of the Highfield Assessment team today on sales@highfieldabc.net