What Are The End-Point Assessment Technology Costs? - Skilltech Solutions

Investing in educational technology (edtech) can offer significant benefits to assessment organisations.

To give you a clearer understanding of the main costs involved in implementing End-Point Assessment (EPA) software, please have a look at the checklist below:

Administration and Overheads

There are several administrative and overhead costs to consider, typically including:

• IT platforms to support EPA.
• Staffing for administrative activities such as registering apprentices, carrying out checks, scheduling assessments, publishing results, arranging meetings, and arranging re-sits.
• Financial tasks, such as invoicing.
• Client management.
• Staffing for reasonable adjustments.
• Governance.
• Business overheads.

Training and CPD

All colleagues, including invigilators and assessors, must be appropriately trained in EPA processes, End-Assessment technology, and procedures. Specific software training costs are eligible for funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), whereas general ‘ongoing professional development’ is not, so it’s important to be clear about how staff will be developed and where the burden of the costs will lie.

EPA Guidance and Support Materials

With the implementation of the edtech portal, you’ll need to design and supply guidance and support materials for end-users. The EPA service will also need to be underpinned by data management and maladministration safeguard policies. To qualify for ESFA funding, support materials must be distinct from promotional information, as the latter falls outside the employers’ agreed price.

Contingency Planning

The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how unforeseen circumstances can create unexpected scenarios. In your cost modelling, it is advisable to plan for:

• Price amendments subject to the number of apprentices.
• Unexpected low volumes of apprentices.
• Changes to assessment plans.
• Late cancellations.

Delivery: Workforce, Scheduling, and Testing

The cost of delivering the EPA will depend on the specific assessment plan, but common factors to consider include:

• Personnel (assessors, invigilators, and markers).
• Scheduling, including online assessments and resits.
• Venue and equipment costs.

Invigilators’ time and travel will need to be calculated, as will the cost for assessors to prepare, deliver, and present assessments. Also, consider the cost of online examination systems, the marking of knowledge tests, and reasonable adjustments for eligible candidates. Not all costs are funded by the ESFA, such as resits of the EPA, which must be covered by the employer.

Contact Skilltech Solutions For Professional EPA Advice

If you require guidance about the costs of implementing an edtech portal to support End-Point Assessments, please get in touch with Skilltech Solutions. Our EPAPro platform is a cost-effective solution to EPA management and can save you time and money by streamlining assessment processes and improving visibility between stakeholders. For more information, or a free no-obligation demonstration of our EPA software in action, contact us today.