Learning & development

Programme Structure & Delivery

• Duration: 36 months of continuous learning plus the End Point Assessment (EPA).
• Learning Split: A 60/40 model, which is slightly different from the traditional 80/20 apprenticeship split.
• 60% On-the-job: immersive clinical experience within the employing trust.
• 40% Off-the-job: academic learning delivered by the university.
• National Reach: primarily delivered through online teaching and work-based exercises, making it accessible to trusts across the country regardless of their proximity to Sheffield.

In-Person Requirements

While the majority of the theory is online, there are mandatory face-to-face elements to ensure clinical competency and allow apprentices to feel part of the university community:

• Year 1: a “Welcome Week” to establish the cohort and introduce academic expectations.
• Year 2: two days of face-to-face teaching with the optics team
  Annual Exams: apprentices must attend the University of Sheffield once a year for practical clinical examinations.
• External Placements: a one-month placement in a different clinical setting each year to ensure a breadth of experience (e.g., a small community clinic vs. a large teaching hospital).

Dates for Welcome Week, teaching sessions and placements for the duration of the 36 month programme will be given at the start of the course to allow apprentices and employers to plan for these. Dates for the clinical exams will be given as soon as these are confirmed.

Assessment & Support

In line with apprenticeship requirements, we will use a helpful “tripartite” support system & both academic and local support.

• Mentorship: the employing trust must provide at least one qualified orthoptist clinical mentor.
• Regular Reviews: progress (tripartite) meetings between the apprentice, the employer, and the university occur every 10–12 weeks with guided prompt questions that reflect the stage of the course. For example, between years 1 and 3, the focus shifts from basic observation to independent clinical decision-making.
• Diverse Assessment: a mix of online exams, written assignments, clinical portfolios, and hands-on clinical exams.

Clinical placements

• The course includes a one-month placement in an alternative clinical setting to the apprentice’s employing trust. In very large trusts, this could be a different clinical site within the same trust and plans for this would have a tripartite discussion.
• The one-month placement will need to be completed in a different setting for each of the years.
• Apprentices and employers can arrange the setting of the clinical placement with a neighbouring trust if preferred, or our university placement teams can arrange this. Placement provision planning would be a discussion point at tripartite review.

You can also find out more about the course itself via the University of Sheffield website.