Foundation Apprenticeships - arrangements for assessment in session 2023-24
SQA and SDS have confirmed the following arrangements for the delivery and assessment of Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) in session 2023-24 only.
FA learners completing in session 2023-24
Now that Covid-19 restrictions have been removed, centres are urged wherever possible to ensure all learners undertaking a Foundation Apprenticeship are assessed in a workplace in line with the original frameworks.
However, to minimise disruption for existing learners and centres, the following arrangements will be in place for learners completing a Foundation Apprenticeship in 2023-24 only:
- Learners starting a Foundation Apprenticeship in June 2023 who will complete in a single year, or current learners who are already entered on a two-year delivery model, can either:
- use optional Customised units or pathways if required, or
- use the original framework.
- Current learners already entered on a two-year delivery model on a fully Customised pathway (Social Services and Healthcare (GR84 46) and/or Social Services: Children and Young People (GR85 46)) must use Customised units, as per Sector Skills Council requirements.
These are one-year arrangements that will be closely monitored.
Centres must ensure that they are approved by SQA to deliver the appropriate Foundation Apprenticeship prior to commencing delivery and that all these learners are entered for all Customised components of their Foundation Apprenticeship by 1 December 2023. No entries should be made for learners on these arrangements after that date.
This will ensure these learners can be certificated by December 2024 at the latest.
We will remove all Customised units and Customised pathways from Foundation Apprenticeship frameworks in December 2024 without exception. These only apply for session 2023-24 and new arrangements will be announced in due course for session 2024-25.
FA learners completing in 2024-25
The arrangements detailed above do not apply to learners who are starting a Foundation Apprenticeship in 2023-24 on a two-year delivery model.
Any learner beginning their Foundation Apprenticeship on a two-year delivery model – completing in 2024-25 – must use the original Foundation Apprenticeship framework and accordingly, learn and be assessed in a workplace.