Brock Hospitality chiefs strike deal with Westminster Kingsway to provide apprentices’ End Point Assessments

Brockenhurst College’s Hospitality department staff will perform commis chef and chef de partie End Point Assessments for apprentices training at the prestigious Westminster Kingsway College in London, it has been announced.

Brock was chosen to partner with Westminster Kingsway because of its expert staff and commitment to excellence in Hospitality learning.

The Service Level Agreement will see up to 50 apprentices put through their paces under exam conditions at Westminster Kingsway kitchens in the first year, starting this autumn.

There are four separate components to be completed over two months for commis chefs and three months for chef de partie candidates.

Commis chef assessments will start with a two-hour culinary challenge, which is a real test of apprentices’ cooking skills and timing.

For this they must prepare from scratch, cook, and present a two-course lunch menu of a main course and a dessert.

Candidates must then complete a 90-minute theory test where the pass mark is 69%.

This will be followed by a workplace observation lasting three hours at the apprentices’ workplaces.

Finally, they must participate in a 40-minute professional discussion with their employer and the chef examiner.

Each component is then graded at refer, pass or distinction against national criteria set by the Institute of Apprenticeships.

The process for chef de partie apprentices is very similar but longer and more complex.

Brockenhurst College Senior Assessor EPA Lead Hospitality, Allan Collier, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Westminster Kingsway College, which is one of the UK’s top Hospitality schools.

“This is another big step forward for Brock, which is one of the only Further Education colleges in the country to be registered to deliver End Point Assessments for Hospitality apprentices.”

Brock already performs End Point Assessments for Hospitality apprentices from Havant and South Downs College, University of West London, Bath College, Bournemouth and Poole College, and Stratford-upon-Avon College.