The government has confirmed it will remove English and maths functional skills exit requirements for adult apprentices with immediate effect.
Ministers will end the current requirement that apprentices aged 19 or older (at the point of enrolment) must pass level 2 functional skills courses to complete their apprenticeship.
The exit rule will be made optional for adults from 11th February onwards and can be applied to existing apprentices currently on-programme as well as new starters.
The DfE have said that providers will have until 1st April 2025 to “agree with their existing adult apprentices whether to continue or discontinue studying towards English and maths and will need to update their training plans accordingly”.
There will be no change to the requirements for 16 to 18 apprentices, who will still be required to pass level 2 functional skills exams to complete their apprenticeship, in line with existing government priorities.
Speaking following the announcement, Crown Vocational Training director, Karen Sallows, was pleased to hear of the development and said “This change to the rules will open the apprenticeship pathway for many more adult learners and employers who previously saw this as a significant barrier to successfully completing the programme.”
If you would like to discuss how Crown Vocational Training might be able to assist with training for your business, get in touch with us on 01702 597499 or e-mail us at [email protected].
