All End Point Assessments (EPAs) that the CIPD offer have a range of possible grading outcomes. In all cases the overall EPA grade is determined through a combination of the grades achieved for the assessment methods.

Select your apprenticeship standard tab to see how the score and grade is awarded.

Resits and retakes are available to apprentices with their employers’ authorisation. Find out about additional costs and read the resit policy and guidance.

Level 3 HR Support

 

To pass the Level 3 HR Support EPA, an apprentice will need to achieve full coverage. This means all knowledge, skill and behaviour components must be sufficiently evidenced. The components are split between the assessment methods with knowledge and some skills assessed in the Consultative Project and behaviours and the remaining skills assessed in the Professional Discussion.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of the two assessment methods.

 
Overall EPA Consultative Project Professional Discussion
Fail Any Grade Fail
Fail Fail Any Grade
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Distinction Pass
Pass Pass Distinction
Distinction Distinction Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all components have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Pass is where all components have been sufficiently evidenced and the overall score is between 60% and 84%
  • Distinction is where all components have been sufficiently evidenced, Distinction components have exceeded requirements and the overall score is between 85% and 100%

Level 5 HR Consultant Partner

 

To pass the Level 5 HR Consultant Partner EPA, an apprentice will need to achieve full coverage. This means all knowledge, skill and behaviour components must be sufficiently evidenced. The components are split between the assessment methods with knowledge and some skills assessed in the Consultative Project and behaviours and the remaining skills assessed in the Professional Discussion.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of the two assessment methods.

 
Overall EPA Consultative Project Professional Discussion
Fail Any Grade Fail
Fail Fail Any Grade
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Distinction Pass
Pass Pass Distinction
Distinction Distinction Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all components have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Pass is where all components have been sufficiently evidenced and the overall score is between 60% and 84%
  • Distinction is where all components have been sufficiently evidenced, Distinction components have exceeded requirements and the overall score is between 85% and 100%

Level 3 L&D Practitioner

 

To pass the Level 3 L&D Practitioner EPA, an apprentice will need to achieve full coverage. This means all grading descriptors need to be sufficiently evidenced. A premium has been placed on EPA1 - Work Based Project with Professional Discussion, which means that a Distinction must be achieved in EPA1 for an overall Merit or Distinction.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of the two assessment methods.

 
Overall EPA EPA1 - Work Based Project with Professional Discussion EPA2 - Presentation and Q&A based on the Learning Journal
Fail Any Grade Fail
Fail Fail Any Grade
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Pass Distinction
Merit Distinction Pass
Distinction Distinction Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all grading descriptors have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Pass is where all grading descriptors have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Distinction is where all grading descriptors including the Pass and Distinction criteria have been met

Level 5 L&D Consultant Business Partner

To pass the Level 5 L&D Consultant Business Partner EPA, an apprentice will need to achieve full coverage. This means all grading descriptors need to be sufficiently evidenced. A premium has been placed on EPA1 - Work Based Project with Professional Discussion, which means that a Distinction must be achieved in EPA1 for an overall Merit or Distinction.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of the two assessment methods.

 
Overall EPA EPA1 - Work Based Project with Professional Discussion EPA2 - Presentation and Q&A based on the Learning Journal
Fail Any Grade Fail
Fail Fail Any Grade
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Pass Distinction
Merit Distinction Pass
Distinction Distinction Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all grading descriptors have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Pass is where all grading descriptors have been sufficiently evidenced
  • Distinction is where all grading descriptors including the Pass and Distinction criteria have been met

 

Level 5 People Professional

To pass the Level 5 People Professional EPA, an apprentice will need to be fully occupationally competent. To achieve a merit or distinction they will have shown in their EPA that they are working above the level of occupational competence. 

To achieve a pass, an apprentice needs to achieve a rating of met for all pass level grading descriptors. To achieve a distinction in either assessment method, they will need a rating of met for all pass and distinction level grading descriptors.

The grades of the assessment methods are then combined to form an overall grade.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass, Merit and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of  all assessment methods.

 

Presenting and questioning

Professional Discussion Integrated Unit Overall EPA Grade
Fail Any grade Any Grade Fail
Any grade Fail Any Grade Fail
Any grade Any grade Fail Fail
Pass Pass Pass Pass
Distinction Pass Pass Merit
Pass Distinction Pass Merit
Distinction Distinction Pass Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all Pass level grading descriptors have achieved a rating of met or exceeded
  • Pass is where all Pass level grading descriptors have achieved a rating of met or exceeded
  • Distinction is where all grading descriptors including Pass and Distinction level have achieved a rating of met or exceeded

Level 7 Senior People Professional

To pass the Level 7 Senior People Professional EPA, an apprentice will need to meet the required standard across all areas. This means all grading descriptors need to be sufficiently evidenced. The grading descriptors are split between the assessment methods with the majority in the Professional Discussion.

The available grades are: Fail, Pass and Distinction which are determined based on a combination of the two assessment methods.

 
Overall EPA Professional Discussion Project Proposal, Presentation and Questioning
Fail Any Grade Fail
Fail Fail Any Grade
Pass Pass Pass
Pass Distinction Pass
Pass Pass Distinction
Distinction Distinction Distinction

Grades are achieved for each assessment method based on these rules:

  • Fail is where not all Pass level grading descriptors have achieved a rating of met or exceeded
  • Pass is where all Pass level grading descriptors have achieved a rating of met or exceeded
  • Distinction is where all grading descriptors including Pass and Distinction level have achieved a rating of met or exceeded

Resits
and retakes

Resits and retakes are available to apprentices with their employers’ authorisation. Find out about additional costs and read the resit policy and guidance.

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End Point Assessment resources

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Costs and fees

Costs and fees related to apprenticeship programmes.

Apprenticeship standards we assess

As the professional body for the people profession, the CIPD has huge experience in assessing professional standards for HR, L&D and OD