From 1 August, level 3 apprentices were due to need minimum C grades in English and maths to start their Early Years Educator course, but now they can gain them alongside it.
The move, which extends the 'exit' requirement currently in place, comes after trainers have reported drops of up to 96 per cent in those taking up apprenticeships, and pressure from the employer ‘trailblazer’ group involved in devising the new apprenticeship standard.
The group submitted a revised version of the standard on 4 June in a bid to get the rule changed. A previous draft, published in August, also had the GCSEs as a course exit requirement, but Government rules were imposed which meant GCSEs were needed at the start to receive funding.
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