Your first month as an apprentice and progress reviews

This guide covers England. The rules on paperwork and progress reviews below come from the Department for Education’s funding rules for apprenticeships in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes, so check the guides to apprenticeships in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for how they work.

Starting an apprenticeship is a mix of a new job and a new course, so there’s a lot to take in. This guide covers what usually happens and who’s responsible for what.

The paperwork you’ll sign

You’ll usually deal with two main documents. They do different jobs, and the rules say they must be separate.

Document	Who signs it	What it’s for
Apprenticeship agreement	You and your employer	A legal agreement that forms part of your employment arrangements. It includes your apprenticeship’s standard and level, start and end dates, and how much off-the-job training you’ll get
Training plan	You, your employer and your training provider	A three-way plan for what you’ll be taught and when. It’s a working document, so it can be updated

A valid apprenticeship agreement has the status of a contract of service, which means employment law applies to it. Keep your own copies of both documents.

Two start dates

Your agreement and training plan can show two dates. The first is when your apprenticeship starts, and the second is when your training starts. If an employer recruited you specifically as an apprentice, you may get a short time in the job before the training begins. The funding rules say these dates would usually be no more than 2 to 3 weeks apart.

Ask which dates apply to you, so you know when your first day at college or with your provider will be.

Assessments and your plan

Before your plan is finalised, your provider has to carry out an initial assessment. It looks at what you already know, including your English and maths, so your training is matched to you. It isn’t part of your off-the-job training hours. If you have prior learning or experience, you can agree this with your employer and provider so your training is tailored. Our English and maths guide explains what that means for those subjects.

GOV.UK’s apprentice guide to assessment also suggests asking your employer and training provider during induction how you’ll be assessed and what’s expected of you. If you have additional needs, tell them early so they can make reasonable adjustments. See how end-point assessment works for what comes at the end.

What a first month can look like

Employers don’t all publish what a first week involves, so treat these as examples rather than a rule.

• Aldi says its store apprentices sign contracts, meet their assessor and complete enrolment paperwork for their qualification on day one. Its page says you can get a lot done in ten weeks of Store Assistant training.
• Laing O’Rourke says trade and technical apprentices get a dedicated mentor and training provider who give regular feedback.

When you get your start date, ask your employer who your main contact is, who your training provider is and when your first day of training will be.

How progress reviews work

A progress review is a regular meeting to check how your apprenticeship is going. In England, your training provider must hold them as part of the funding rules.

Question	The rule in England (2026/27)
How often?	At least every 3 calendar months. If a review is on 1 August, the next must be on or before 30 November
Can it be less often?	Only if a different timetable is agreed with your employer in advance, and then no more than 6 months apart
Who’s in it?	You, your employer and your training provider. Your employer must be given the chance to contribute if they can’t attend
How is it held?	Face to face, virtually or by email
What happens afterwards?	A summary of the discussion goes to everyone and is signed, as a minimum, by your provider and you

What gets covered

Your provider has to make sure each review:

• checks progress against actions from the last review and the training you’ve had since
• checks your overall progress against your training plan, and notes if you’ve fallen behind on planned off-the-job hours
• gives you a chance to update the training plan
• lets you raise concerns or new information, such as a change in your circumstances, learning difficulties or support needs
• agrees actions for the next review

So a review is a good moment to say if you’re finding something hard, or if you can’t get your training time at work. The guidance says a progress review is a discussion rather than training, so it doesn’t count towards your off-the-job training hours.

What employers do on top

Some employers go beyond the minimum.

Employer	What it says about reviews and support
Aldi (Store Assistant)	Your assessor visits monthly, and every three months you meet your store manager, area manager and assessor
Laing O’Rourke (trade and technical)	Quarterly three-way reviews between you, your workplace mentor and your training provider, used to spot any support you need
JLR (Level 6 and above)	A three-way review every twelve weeks

If something’s not right

If you’re struggling, don’t wait for the next review. Acas says it’s a good idea to raise a problem informally first by talking to your employer. You can also speak to your training provider or college. If that doesn’t solve it, you can raise a formal grievance with your employer. Our guide to your rights as an apprentice covers what you’re entitled to, and Acas gives free advice on its website.

A few tips

• Keep your own copies of your agreement, training plan and review summaries.
• Write down what you’ve learned before each review, so you’ve got examples ready.
• Say if you want to do more. Reviews are a good time to ask about extra responsibility.
• Ask what counts as training. Your provider should be able to tell you how your off-the-job hours are being recorded.