The government is reforming apprenticeships in England. The changes aim to simplify delivery, improve quality and better meet the needs of employers.   

As your awarding organisation, we're here to help you prepare for what's coming.  

Assessment plan changes will be introduced in 2026, and we expect the first delivery for our standards to begin in early 2027.  

Key changes for assessment  

Revised apprenticeship standards are likely to include:  

  • More flexibility for us in how we design assessment methods 
  • On-programme assessment, delivered during the apprenticeship rather than all at the end 
  • Internal assessment delivered by the training provider, with the CIPD providing moderation 

  

What this means for training providers  

The knowledge, skills and behaviours for each standard are not expected to change in most cases. However, there are some key shifts to plan for: 

  • Confirming with employers that behaviours have been met 
  • Delivering internally assessed components in line with our Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) strategy  
  • Adapting programmes to reflect changes to gateway process  

  

We’re running regular training provider panel sessions to gather your feedback and make sure our assessment design works for you and your apprentices. Sign up here.  

Next steps  

We’re committed to supporting you through these changes. If you have questions, please email us at  MyEPA@cipd.co.uk.  

In the meantime, you can: 

  • Check back here regularly to see the revision status of each standard.  
  • Sign up for the training provider panel  

Revision status 

Apprenticeship standard/level Status
Level 3 HR Support ST0239 Revision under way
Level 5 People Professional ST0238 No updates yet
Level 3 Learning and Development Practitioner ST0562 Finished public consultation
Level 5 Learning and Development Consultant Business Partner ST0563 Revision under way
Level 7 Senior People Professional ST0813 No longer funded for apprentices over the age of 21 since 1 January 2026. No revision updates yet