Will training providers need to complete a formal quality assurance or approval process with an assessment organisation before they are authorised to deliver any component of apprenticeship assessment?
Yes. However, while the reforms introduce greater flexibility, such as enabling providers to participate in assessment delivery and marking, the overarching responsibility for ensuring the validity, reliability, and regulatory compliance of assessments remains with the AO.
As such, AOs must be able to demonstrate to Ofqual that any provider contributing to assessment adheres to agreed quality standards, and formal approval and quality assurance processes will be necessary to safeguard the integrity of the assessment.