Ofqual fined Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited (EAL) £150,000 for serious and repeated failures in delivering apprenticeship qualifications, according to a report published on 4 August 2026. Some apprentices were assessed against the wrong standards, in some cases covering skills relevant to workplace safety.

The report said 44 learners were directly affected by being assessed against the wrong version of an assessment plan, and that 8 of those had their certificates revoked. A further 13 learners were affected by failures in EAL's appeals process. Ofqual said the affected learners were certified without being tested on skills potentially relevant to workplace safety. For most of those affected by the assessment material errors, Ofqual said there was no impact on progression and no evidence that any appeal outcome changed.

Ofqual said a subsequent audit found serious weaknesses in EAL's systems, including limited assurance over its appeals process. EAL reported the issues, co-operated with the investigation and has set out remedial steps that Ofqual said it will check are delivered. The action followed a Direction Ofqual gave EAL in March 2025 over a separate incident involving incorrect results.