We have a wonderful team of sixteen qualified EPA assessors working across the country. It’s their job to ensure you meet the standard required to achieve your qualification, put you at ease during your assessment, and provide you with in-depth feedback on how your assessment went.
If you have an End-Point Assessment coming up with FuturU, you’ll receive an email ahead of time outlining who your assessor will be, plus a pre-call with them over the phone to answer any last minute questions.
And to help put a face to the name we’ve put together this article, which introduces some of the team, and shares their assessment tips, motivations and some (sometimes surprising) facts about them.
Meet our assessors
Alison Colville
Hi, I’m Alison and I’m based in Eastbourne on the South Coast. Alongside my work as an assessor, I also work for myself doing recruitment, searching for candidates for Office and Technical roles in Kent and across the South East. Outside of work, I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes – I never measure anything, it’s all instinct and taste for me. They always end up tasting good, although I’m not so successful with cakes as they do require using weighing scales!
If you’ve got an assessment coming up, I’d definitely recommend doing the mock exams first – they’ll help get you used to the style of questions and how to do the situational judgement test when you come to do your actual assessment.
If you’re feeling nervous, have a look over any previous training modules or questions you’ve completed before, and make sure you have plenty of time and aren’t feeling rushed or under pressure.
It’s lovely when learners are surprised that they’ve passed – it’s such a relief when they see PASSED at the end!
Carol Clifton
My name’s Carol, but I also go by ‘Curly Carol’. I’m based mostly in Staffordshire, but spend around three months in the Caribbean each year house-sitting for friends.
My day starts the previous evening, checking learners’ details and sending out friendly introductory emails. In the morning, I check that all systems are ‘go’ and give my first learner a call around 15 minutes before their assessment. I try to put them at ease and make them laugh, then meet them on Zoom for the formal part. After the assessment is complete, I’ll tidy up the admin and move onto the next session, popping a wash on or walking my Basset Hounds in the odd gaps.
I love putting learners at ease and encouraging self-belief – I try to create a friendly, positive and fulfilling experience. I also love to learn new things and take on new challenges. And of course, work with my lovely colleagues!
If you have a situational judgement test coming up, try to take lots of practice tests – practice really does make perfect. For a professional discussion, ask your tutor for the fifteen discussion points, and prepare bulleted notes around these with examples from your work, practice and relevant legislations. Request a practice discussion with your tutor too.
If you’re feeling nervous I’d recommend you:
- Get a good night’s sleep before your assessment and remember food and fluids
- If you’re in doubt about the correct answer on your situational judgement test, think of a respected colleague or manager and the answer they’d choose
- Listen carefully to the questions you’re asked in your professional discussion, and remember to breathe!
Gill Griffiths
Hi, I’m Gill. I’m based in Stockport, Greater Manchester and have been an EPA assessor for almost two years. Before this, I worked as an Apprenticeship/Diploma/NVQ assessor and IQA, and have ‘mounds’ of experience in ‘hands on’ caring roles too.
I became an assessor because I really enjoy helping people – there’s nothing better than seeing learners develop themselves and achieve awards they didn’t think they could.
On a typical working day, I get up around 7am, feed Eddy the Beagle and let him out, then grab a coffee and get washed and changed for the day. I like to contact learners prior to meeting them, and set up all the information I’ll need for the day before getting started with the assessments themselves.
My top tips for anyone with an assessment coming up are to:
- Go back through your mandatory units and refresh yourself
- Request a practice run on both the situational judgement test and professional discussion so you have an idea of what to expect
- Use FuturU’s practice tests and the other training we offer – knowledge is a powerful thing
- Get your notes ready if they’re allowed in your assessment, remembering that you can have up to two single-sided A4 pages of bullet point notes
- Remember that we’re human like you and we’ve been there too – we’ve completed the award you’re completing, and want you to pass as much as you do!
Julie Brown
Hello, my name’s Julie and I’m based in Wiltshire. I first became an assessor by accident! I started assessing short courses on a very part time basis that ran alongside my job managing care services. I really enjoyed it and gradually built it up, eventually shifting to assessing full time.
I really enjoy meeting so many new people and hearing about their work in care. I’m continuously inspired by the commitment shown by people working in health and social care and love hearing how they make a positive difference to the individuals they support.
Apprenticeships are a great way of learning – you can be putting what you learn into practice everyday in your role. It will help you provide good quality care to the people you support, and you can use the experience to be the best you can in your current role, or progress your career. A particular highlight for me was assessing a level 5 learner, who had started as a care worker and worked through the levels, through different roles and becoming a service manager – she talked about all her learning and experience in her discussion and achieved a distinction.
If you’ve got an assessment coming up, I’d recommend preparing as early as you can, reminding yourself of the knowledge, skills and behaviours you’ll need to demonstrate. Make notes on how you’ll do this or try recording what you plan to say. You can then develop these into briefer bullet points that you can use as prompts in your assessment (if notes are allowed). Think about examples that will showcase your individual abilities and what you contribute to your role and organisation that you can use in your discussion.
Outside of work, my favourite activity is doing agility with my rescue dog 🐕
Julie Degg
I’m Julie, and I’ve worked in the Health and Social Care sector for thirty years, including having my own domiciliary care agency for 17 years. While setting up my own business, I did my certificate in education so that I could train my own staff.
My favourite part of my role is meeting learners and putting them at ease – my aim is for them to enjoy their assessment. It brings me joy when learners actually enjoy their professional discussion!
If you’re feeling nervous before your assessment, try doing some deep breathing exercises, and remember you’re in good hands.
Outside of work, I am a Licensed Lay Minister in Training with the Church of England ⛪
Lynn Renshaw
Hi, I’m Lynn, and I’m based in Worsley, Greater Manchester. I’ve worked in adult care since leaving school, working my way from Care Assistant to Deputy Manager in a resource centre for older people, before becoming an assessor.
I love supporting our learners to meet their full potential and achieve their qualification. My top tips for learners approaching their assessment are to:
- Ensure you’re ready, prepared and feeling confident for each assessment method
- Remember to breathe, and know that we’re not trying to catch you out, but to ensure you have an opportunity to showcase your knowledge.
Outside of work, I love to spend time with my family – they are my world 🫶
Sarah Edgar
I’m Sarah and I’m based in Christchurch, Dorset. I became an assessor through a friend in the business – Kerrie and I studied towards our FdSc Nursing Associate together. I’d been diagnosed with breast cancer and was advised to temporarily take a break from my role within a care home while undergoing treatment and due to Covid-19. I returned to my role as a nursing associate, but was unable to work long hours due to other issues caused by chemotherapy, which didn’t work for the company and the nature of my role. Kerrie let me know that there were roles available – it was a great fit as I knew I could keep encouraging others to deliver high standards within care and it gave me a better work/life balance.
At first I was nervous about having scripts and being recorded, but after a few assessments it became much easier – now I really love seeing learners overcome nerves and pass their situational judgement tests before moving into the next stage of their EPA. I have a passion for healthcare and am elated that I can still play a part in developing others.
Before your assessment, I’d encourage you to take some time to yourself to do something you enjoy, whether that be making a cuppa, doing a practice paper, practising yoga or meditating, listening to music or even going for a drive. Just don’t overthink it, and know that we’re on hand to answer any questions you may have.
An interesting fact about me is that I love collecting fifty pence pieces 💸
Sarah Flint
Hello, my name’s Sarah and I’m based in rural South Wales. In the distant past I was the admin support for a group of assessors, and from there began helping out with key skills delivery. I acquired my assessor award, and in time became an IQA (Internal Quality Assurance). I spent 15 years assessing key skills before leaving to work in the care sector so that I could become occupationally competent to assess health and social care.
Now I work part time as an assessor, in the afternoons – in the morning I work as a Staff Wellbeing Officer in the care sector, finishing up at 12 and heading home to feed my dogs and get ready for my first assessment by 1pm.
I get a great deal of pleasure making people feel welcome and putting them at ease prior to their assessment starting. I’m also thrilled to see the joy and relief learners display when they get their results following a successful situational judgement test.
When preparing for your EPA, I’d recommend spending time reflecting on your care practice and what your day-to-day role involves. Being prepared for your assessment will make you feel more at ease too.
You might be surprised to learn that I’ve represented the Royal Navy in parachuting 🪂
