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Foundation Apprenticeships – what are they?

Foundation apprenticeships are the new apprenticeships aimed at supporting young people at the very start of their career. They share all the key principles of other apprenticeships, such as a real job with training, minimum duration, off the job training and being assessed as having reached the level of competence described in the occupational standard. Where there are differences, such as English and maths requirements for those who haven’t attained level 2, these have been added in response to stakeholder feedback with employers and providers. Employability skills have been included to ensure these young people can successfully make the move to full time employment and begin to build a successful career.

These new standards will sit alongside the existing high-quality standards and are not meant to replace them. This is not a mandatory entry route for young people, it’s a new, additional offer.

Foundation apprenticeships aim to support employers in key sectors to meet their current and future skills and resource needs by developing new opportunities to engage with younger employees and build pipelines of talent.

IfATE’s standards set out the recommended duration for the apprenticeships. In line with wider apprenticeships, the minimum duration will be 8 months, however this may be longer to accommodate individual learner needs.

The first foundation apprenticeships will be focussed on industrial strategy and government mission areas including:

Construction

Manufacturing

Health & Social Care

Digital

More information about foundation apprenticeship eligibility criteria and funding is available in the latest Apprenticeship Funding Rules

The end of the road for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE)

IfATE will officially be abolished at 2am on 1st June 2025. The quango established in 2017 will have its powers and functions transfer to the Department of Education (DfE).

Going forward, the development and approval of Apprenticeship Standards, Assessment Plans,
and Technical Education responsibilities, will be in-house, with most functions passing to Skills England.

For information about Skills England see: Skills England – GOV.UK

The Growth and Skills Levy

April 2025 saw the formal renaming of the Apprenticeship Levy, which is now called the Growth and Skills Levy.

This updated version of the levy aims to give employers more flexibility and control over their training budgets, giving them the freedom to fund a wider mix of training programmes tailored to their business’s specific skills needs. 50% of levy funds must still be used for apprenticeships, however the remaining 50% can be directed towards other approved training e.g., Skills Bootcamps and modular technical courses.

There’s no change to who contributes to the levy i.e., Large employers, those with a payroll over £3 million must pay in and then use the Apprenticeship Service to manage their funds. Small and medium-size employers i.e., those with a payroll under £3 million don’t pay in but can access government funding for apprenticeships.

For more information see: Pay Apprenticeship Levy – GOV.UK 

IfATE Occupational Maps

The maps created by IfATE, help anyone who has an interest, or is working, in technical education. This includes:

  • helping people understand the options to train and progress in their careers
  • showing how occupations at different levels link together
  • providing workforce and career planning information, including likely salaries

The maps group together occupations with related knowledge, skills and behaviours into 15 routes. This makes it easier to see how they relate to one another. IfATE call them maps because they help people navigate the technical education landscape.

The maps show occupational standards which are employer-led descriptions of occupations. These standards describe each occupation, including its duties and required KSB’s. IfATE’s apprenticeships and technical education products are based on these standards.

For more information see: Occupational maps / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Closure of the Education & Skills Funding Agency

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All its activity have moved to the Department for Education (DfE).

It was an executive agency of the government, sponsored by the DfE. It existed from 2017 to 2025.

The ESFA was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).   This brought together the existing responsibilities of the EFA and SFA, creating a single agency accountable for funding education, apprenticeships and training for children, young people and adults.

Latest reforms to Apprenticeships

The Government has announced changes to apprenticeships in England. These changes are designed to make apprenticeships shorter and more flexible, while giving employers greater control over the English and Maths requirements. Some changes were with immediate effect, i.e., 11th February 2025 for Functional Skills, whereas changes to apprenticeship duration will be implemented later this year.

The changes to Functional Skills, applying to new starts as well as existing learners on-programme are:

  • For the employer and their apprentices who began or will start their apprenticeship when aged 19 or older, they can choose to study towards English and Maths qualifications if they wish, but the choice is optional. Some employers may want their apprentices to undertake Functional Skills, others may not. The DfE will continue to fund adult apprentices who take up this option.
  • Apprentices who began or will start their apprenticeship when aged 16 to 18, will still be subject to the mandatory requirement, to study towards and achieve English and Maths.
  • The Government also announced changes to End Point Assessments (EPAs). Where appropriate, apprentices will be assessed on some elements during their apprenticeship rather than all at the end, meaning training providers may be able to deliver elements of the assessment, rather than having to rely on external end-point assessors. This means apprentices don’t have to be re-tested on the same skills they have already demonstrated, such as by taking a mandatory industry exam, reducing duplication of assessment.
  • The minimum duration of an apprenticeship beginning the next academic year, 1st August 2025 will be reduced to 8 months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

A new Growth and Skills Levy announced last year will replace the existing Apprenticeship Levy and include new foundation apprenticeships. This levy will allow funding for shorter apprenticeships as under the existing system apprenticeships must run for at least 12 months.

For more information see:

Apprenticeship funding rules, August 2025 to July 2026 – Version 1

Apprenticeship funding rules August 2024 to July 2025: summary of changes Version 2 February 2025

Apprenticeship funding rules August 2024 to July 2025 Version 2 February 2025

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) It is the Government’s intention to bring forward legislation to pass IfATE’s functions to Skills England.

Or, contact: trish@lewtay.co.uk or your apprenticeship Coach.

How to obtain replacement exam certificates

If you have misplaced or lost your certificates you can obtain replacements by contacting the Examination Board. There are presently 5 boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a replacement certificate for an O level, CSE, GCSE or A level. However, you can obtain a ‘certified statement of results’ instead, especially where your old Exam Board no longer exists. This can be used in place of your exam certificate, for example for a university application. You might need to check with your old school, college or training provider if you’re not sure which exam board holds your results.

The Exam Board may give you a replacement certificate for other qualifications they offer and you have completed. You may need to prove your identity and pay a fee.

For more information see: Get a replacement exam certificate: Who to contact – GOV.UK

For each Exam Board see:

AQA – Past results and lost certificates

Council for Curriculum and Examinations Assessment (CCEA) – Replacement certificates

Pearson/Edexcel – Certificate services

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exams (OCR) – Replacement certificates

Welsh Joint Examinations Committee (WJEC) – Replacement exam certificates

Move from classic Outlook for Windows to new Outlook for Windows

Next year in preparation for changing all to the new updated version of Outlook, Microsoft are looking to migrate those of us who are using ‘classic’ Outlook to the new ‘Outlook for Windows’, with their goal being to give users an opportunity to try new Outlook. Some of us using Outlook are already able to try out their new version.

Starting April 2026, users with Microsoft 365 for Enterprise licenses will be toggled from classic Outlook for Windows to new Outlook for Windows. Users will be toggled into new Outlook once with this roll-out, with potential to be toggled again in the future. Users will maintain the ability to go back to and use classic Outlook.

New Outlook apparently will give “Users a most users the most modern experience with Copilot features, theming, and a wave of valuable time-saving features like Pinning and Snoozing mails.”

For more information see Microsoft’s article: Switch to new Outlook for Windows – Microsoft Support

Petitions – what are they?

You may be aware from articles that have appeared on social media about ‘petitions’, one which amassed some 3.08 million signatures. But what is a petition and what impact can it have?

A petition is a document signed by a number of people demanding or asking for some action to be taken by a government or another authority e.g., a local council. In law, a petition is a formal letter to a law court asking for a particular legal action to be taken, e.g., a petition for divorce.

The petition mentioned above was created on the Petitions – UK Government and Parliament website. If a petition gets 10,000 signatures the Government will respond and with a 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament. So, if you are not happy about something and enough people think the same, you can petition the Government, and hopefully you will get a response.

Anyone can start a petition on this website as long as they are a British citizen or UK resident. For more information about petitions see: https://petition.parliament.uk/help

You may be aware of other petition websites, such as change.org They advertise themselves as “The world’s platform for change.” Whilst a global platform, they have many local, UK petitions that you can sign should you wish, helping to address people’s concerns and effecting change for the better.

So, if you are not happy about something and you think action needs to be taken, sign or start a petition so that your view is known.

Are you thinking about completing an apprenticeship?

If so you might want to check out: Become an apprentice. Here, you will find information about how to become an apprentice, what apprenticeships are available, which employers offer them and information about starting an apprenticeship.

Or, as you’re on our website, you might want to give Lewtay a call – 01733 552 475.

Are you struggling to find suitable help and support?

Then try the Hub of Hope website.

The Hub of Hope is a UK mental health support database, provided by the national mental health charity ‘Chasing the Stigma’.  It brings together details of local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.

The services and support listed on the Hub of Hope are not only for when things become unbearable – a crisis point, they are also for those times when we notice we are starting to struggle, or when we need extra support as we start to emerge from a particularly difficult time.

The Hub of Hope also lists support and services for family members and friends to enable them to find help for themselves, as well as for the person they are supporting.

There is also a free Hub of Hope app you can download.

Remember, if you or someone you know feels suicidal, or may be a danger to themselves or others, call 999, your local crisis service or contact Samaritans or Crisis Text Line.  The latter can be accessed through the Hub of Hope via the ‘Need Help Now’ link: https://hubofhope.co.uk/need-help-now.

Source:  https://hubofhope.co.uk

Do you own a cat?

Are you aware of the new legislation that came into force in June 2024?  Your cat must be microchipped!

The new rules mean cats must be implanted with a microchip before they reach the age of 20 weeks and their contact details stored and kept up to date in a pet microchipping database.  All owners should have their cat microchipped and owners found not to have microchipped their cat may face a fine of up to £500.

For more information see: Microchipping for cats becomes compulsory – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Support for Windows 10 ending in October 2025

For those who aren’t aware and to give you time to prepare, Microsoft will be ending its support for Windows 10 next year. When the support ends in October 2025, your Windows 10 will still function, but you will no longer receive fixes, new features, or security updates. This means that you will be more vulnerable to cyber threats.

If your device meets the minimum hardware requirements you should be able to transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, possibly free of charge. If your device doesn’t meet the minimum hardware requirements you may want to start considering your options.

If you are still using Windows 7 or 8.1, support for these has already ended.

For more information see: End of support for Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 | Microsoft Windows

You may have noticed that Microsoft has retired Skype, utilising it’s functions in MS Teams.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Driver and Vehicles account

Drivers in the UK now have extra ways of getting their licence or making changes with the additional functionality offered in the DVLA’s Driver & Vehicles Account. Also, those learning to drive can now apply for their first provisional licence through the same service.

The D&V account allows you to check various details, such as the vehicles you are allowed to drive, what penalty points or driving bans you’ve acquired, and the tax rates for your vehicle(s). The service also allows you to receive your vehicle tax reminder(s) by text or email rather than through the post.

For more information on this service and to sign up for it, see: https://gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account

Landlines in the UK are going digital

By 2025, the existing analogue technology (the PSTN – Public Switched Telephone Network) which has supported phone and broadband services for decades will be switched off and replaced with newer digital technology. Why? Because these analogue networks have reached the end of their serviceable life.

New digital phone lines will allow communications providers to offer consumers and businesses clearer and better quality phone calls, as well as new features such as anonymous caller rejection or three-way calling.

For most consumers, this change should be straightforward, although the exact migration process will depend on your communications provider and the equipment they use. If you already have an internet connection, the change may be as simple as plugging your phone into your broadband router rather than the socket on the wall.

Telecoms companies should contact their customers ahead of the migration taking place, so you do not need to take any action until your provider contacts you directly. You should look out for communications material from them and be careful not to confuse this with marketing material.

For more information see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines and: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/future-of-landline-calls or visit your provider’s website.

Being able to vote in UK Elections

Hopefully, if you were eligible you were able to exercise your democratic right and vote in the 2nd May and 4th July elections. If you did then you were registered and so should be able to vote in any future elections that take place.

However, if you weren’t eligible at the the time but now are, or you weren’t on the Voting Register, make sure that you can vote in any forthcoming elections. You can can do this online using your National Insurance number, or by writing to your local council’s Electoral Registration Office.

Don’t forget on Polling Day, you will need to show an acceptable form of photo ID in order to vote. You do not need the Polling Card which should have been sent to you.

If you are registered to vote but do not have any of the 22 acceptable forms of ID, or you no longer look like the image in the ID you have, you can apply for a free document known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You need to have done before the Voting Day.

For more information visit: Vote in UK elections – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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