Guidance

Annex 2: Generic Performance Descriptor tables – Level 2 to Level 7

Published 19 June 2026

The tables in this annex detail the purpose of language in the generic descriptors, but boundaries are not absolute and some language may serve multiple functions.

Level 2 criteria

Table 1 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 2.

Table 1

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Applies knowledge, facts, procedures, and ideas appropriately in a significant range of varied work activities and contexts, some of which are complex or non-routine.	Applies knowledge, facts, procedures, and ideas with consistently high accuracy, insights or efficiency in a significant range of varied work activities and contexts, some of which are complex or non-routine.
Applied skills	Selects and applies practical skills consistently in a significant range of varied work activities and contexts, some of which are complex or non-routine. Solves straight-forward, well-defined problems, to an acceptable standard.	Integrates practical skills with precision in a significant range of varied work activities and contexts, some of which are complex or non-routine. Solves straight-forward, well-defined problems, that add value.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Gathers and interprets legislation, regulation, and guidance relevant to the role, with minimal noncritical errors, although depth of insight or adaptability may be limited	Applies interpretation of legislation, regulations, and guidance relevant to the role, with minimal noncritical errors and with reasonable depth of insight or adaptability.
Communication and collaboration	Communicates and collaborates effectively within a team or group setting, delivering reliable customer service.	Communicates with clarity and sensitivity, within a team or group setting, delivering a courteous customer service.
Information use and decision making	Gathers and interprets information relevant to the role, informing decisions and actions that are fit for purpose in the work context.	Applies interpretation information and feedback relevant to the role, shaping actions that add value.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for completing tasks and procedures. Exercises autonomy and judgement subject to overall direction or guidance. May collaborate with others perhaps through a work group or team.	Exercises informed judgement and self-direction when taking responsibility   for completing tasks and procedures anticipating the needs of the task or team.

Level 3 criteria

Table 2 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 3.

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Applies sound application of factual, procedural, and theoretical knowledge in a broad range of varied work activities, performed in a variety of contexts, most of which are complex and non-routine.	Applies thorough application of factual, procedural, and theoretical knowledge in a broad range of varied work activities, performed in a variety of contexts, most of which are complex and non-routine.
Applied skills	Selects and applies skills, methods, and procedures consistently in a broad range of varied work activities and a variety of contexts, most of which are complex and non-routine. Solves well defined problems, which may be complex and non-routine, with sound judgement.	Integrates using skills, methods, and procedures proactively and resourcefully in a broad range of varied work activities and a variety of contexts, most of which are complex and non-routine. Solves well defined problems, which may be complex and non-routine, that improve outcomes.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Interprets and evaluates legislation, regulation, and guidance relevant to the role, with minimal noncritical errors, and with some depth of insight and adaptability.	Applies evaluation of legislation, regulation, and guidance relevant to the role, with minimal noncritical errors, and with greater depth of insight and adaptability.
Communication and collaboration	Participates effectively in team environments and applies effective communication and customer service approaches, supporting daily operations.	Communicates clearly and confidently in team environments, adapting communication and customer service approaches, supporting effective daily operations.
Information use and decision making	Interprets and evaluates information relevant to the role, from a variety of sources, supporting decisions and actions with sound judgement.	Applies evaluation of information from a variety of sources, relevant to the role, with insight, supporting conclusions that improve outcomes.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures including, where relevant, taking responsibility for supervising or guiding others. Exercises responsibility, autonomy and judgement within limited parameters.	Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures with confident autonomy and sound judgement within limited parameters. Proactively manages own work, confidently, recognising when to refer issues beyond their responsibility.

Level 4 criteria

Table 3 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 4

Table 3

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Applies sound application of theoretical and technical knowledge in a broad range of complex or technical work activities, performed in a variety of contexts.	Applies precise application of theoretical and technical knowledge in a broad range of complex or technical work activities, performed in a variety of contexts.
Applied skills	Selects and applies practical skills consistently in a broad range of complex or technical work activities, performed in a variety of contexts. Solves complex and non-routine problems which are normally fairly well defined, with sound reasoning.	Adapts and applies practical skills with flexibility and operational fluency in a broad range of complex or technical work activities performed in a variety of contexts. Solves complex and non-routine problems which are normally fairly well defined, to improve outcomes.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Analyses and interprets legislation, regulation, and organisational procedures relevant to the role with sound judgement.	Applies evaluation of legislation, regulation, and organisational procedures relevant to the role with insight and flexibility.
Communication and collaboration	Communicates clearly and collaborates effectively with colleagues and stakeholders, adapting communication approaches to meet different needs or contexts. Contributes effectively to team working for a responsive customer service culture.	Communicates confidently with colleagues and stakeholders, tailoring communication approaches effectively for different needs or contexts. Actively supports team working for an improved customer service culture.
Information use and decision making	Analyses and interprets information from diverse sources relevant to the role, making well supported conclusions with sound reasoning.	Applies evaluation of information from diverse sources relevant to the role, making informed conclusions, providing insightful justification for decisions that improve outcomes.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for courses of action, including, where relevant, taking responsibility for the work of others and allocation of resources. Exercises responsibility, autonomy and judgement within broad but generally well-defined parameters.	Proactively takes responsibility for courses of action, with confident autonomy and sound judgement within broad but generally well-defined parameters.

Level 5 criteria

Table 4 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 5.

Table 4

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Applies insightful application of theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.	Applies refined and insightful application of theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.
Applied skills	Selects and applies practical methods consistently across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. Solves broadly defined, complex problems with effective and defensible judgements.	Adapts practical methods refining methods to optimise outcomes across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. Solves broadly defined, complex problems with highly developed and insightful judgements.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Analyses, interprets and evaluates legislation, regulation, and organisational procedures relevant to the role, adapting nuanced issues in practice.	Applies evaluation of legislation, regulation, and organisational procedures relevant to the role, adapting approaches effectively.
Communication and collaboration	Communicates confidently and collaborates effectively with a range of colleagues and stakeholders, adapting communication approaches to meet different contexts, priorities and perspectives. Applies well-judged communication to resolve issues and inform decision making, contributing to effective team or service outcomes.	Applies advanced communication skills to influence and engage with a range of colleagues and stakeholders, adapting communication approaches to meet different contexts, priorities and perspectives. Applies insight and judgement to build alignment, contributing to improved team or service outcomes.
Information use and decision making	Analyses, interprets and evaluates competing or conflicting information relevant to the role, offering well-justified, reasoning to draw conclusions.	Applies evaluation of competing or conflicting information relevant to the role, offering balanced well-justified, nuanced reasoning and awareness of different perspectives to draw conclusions.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for planning and developing courses of action including, where relevant, taking responsibility for the work of others and allocation of resources. Exercises responsibility, autonomy and judgement within broad parameters. Takes accountability for the analysis and diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation.	Exercises strategic responsibility for planning and developing courses of action with impact confident autonomy, accountability and well-developed judgement within broad parameters.

Level 6 criteria

Table 5 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 6.

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Applies critical application of advanced specialist, theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.	Applies critical and insightful application of advanced specialist, theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.
Applied skills	Determines, refines and adapts advanced practical skills and methods consistently across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. Solves problems that have limited definition and involve many interacting factors, with strategically informed judgements.	Evaluates advanced practical skills and methods to enable sustained improvement, innovation or change across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. Solves problems that have limited definition and involve many interacting factors, with strategically leading judgements.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Critically analyses legislation, regulation and organisational procedures relevant to the role, recognising strategic implications.	Applies critical analysis of legislation, regulation and organisational procedures relevant to the role, anticipating strategic implications.
Communication and collaboration	Applies authoritative and confident communication, influencing a wide range of stakeholders, adapting collaboration strategies to navigate complexity. Applies well-judged communication for sustained improvement or change.	Applies advanced and authoritative communication influencing and shaping a wide range of stakeholders, adapting collaboration strategies to navigate complexity effectively.  Applies insight and judgement for sustained improvement or change.
Information use and decision making	Critically analyses the information with many interacting factors relevant to the role, drawing informed well-judged decisions, recognising strategic implications.	Applies critical analysis of the information with many interacting factors, relevant to the role, drawing informed well-judged decisions, anticipating strategic implications.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for planning and developing courses of action that are capable of underpinning substantial changes or development. Initiates and leads tasks and processes, taking responsibility where relevant, for the work and roles of others and the allocation of substantial resources. Exercises broad autonomy and judgement.	Confidently takes responsibility for planning and developing courses of action that are capable of underpinning substantial changes or development. Applies authoritative autonomy and advanced judgement in initiating and leading tasks and processes.

Level 7 criteria

Table 6 shows what an apprentice will need to do to achieve a pass or distinction at level 7.

Table 6

Criteria	Pass	Distinction
Applied knowledge	Reformulates and applies advanced specialist, theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.	Applies and synthesises advanced specialist, theoretical and or technological knowledge across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts.
Applied skills	Applies specialised practical skills and methods across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts appropriately. Conceptualises and solves problematic situations with broader interacting factors with strategically informed judgements.	Implements and critically evaluates specialised practical skills and methods across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts to influence systems or organisations. Conceptualises and solves problematic situations with broader interacting factors with exceptional judgements.
Regulatory and procedural awareness	Synthesises and critically evaluates legislation, regulation and organisational procedures relevant to the role, recognising broader and strategic implications.	Applies critical synthesis of legislation, regulation and organisational procedures relevant to the role, anticipating broader and strategic implications.
Communication and collaboration	Provides strategic and authoritative communication and collaboration, leading a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, adapting collaboration strategies, and supporting strategic decision making.	Applies exceptional strategic and authoritative leadership through communication and collaboration, leading and guiding a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, adapting collaboration strategies with credibility, and supporting strategic decision making.
Information use and decision making	Synthesises and critically evaluates ambiguous or interdependent information relevant to the role, recognising broader and strategic implications.	Applies critical synthesis of ambiguous or interdependent information relevant to the role, anticipating broader and strategic implications.
Responsibility and autonomy	Takes responsibility for planning and developing courses of action that initiate or underpin substantial changes or developments. Initiates and leads complex tasks and processes, taking responsibility, where relevant for the work and roles of others and the allocation of substantial resources. Exercises broad autonomy and judgement across a significant area of work.	Takes authoritative responsibility for planning and developing courses of action that initiate or underpin substantial changes or developments. Confidently initiates and leads complex tasks and processes. Exercises exceptional and broad autonomy and judgement across a significant area of work.