The DfE updated its apprenticeship COVID-19 guidance on 2 June and can be found on the apprenticeship programme response page. Updates in this version include:
- information on which apprentices should be prioritised for face-to-face training in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement that further education settings can broaden the number of 16 to 19 learners attending on-site delivery from Monday 15 June.
- the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) have put in place a flexibility that enables apprentices to take end-point assessment (EPA) ahead of receiving their calculated functional skills qualification results later on in the summer. The apprenticeship gateway page on gov.uk has been updated with this information.
The DfE are keeping their guidance under review and will continue updating it as new information is available and/or the situation evolves. This guidance should be read alongside the guidance and support for businesses, in particular the salary support for furloughed employees, which also applies to apprentices.