Duplex Business Services Limited

Duplex Business Services Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Vicki Locke, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 29 February and 1 March 2024

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

29 Arboretum Street Nottingham NG1 4JA Monitoring visit: Duplex Business Services Limited, 29 February and 1 March 2024

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Duplex Business Services Limited provides technical training for the automotive sector. Leaders have previously worked in partnership to offer sector work academy programmes. In 2023, leaders started to offer skills bootcamp courses. Learners study courses at levels 2 to 4 in electric and hybrid vehicles (EHVs). To date, leaders have trained 377 learners. All learners are aged 19 and over, and almost all are in current employment.

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Significant progress

Leaders are sector experts and key players in the automotive training landscape. Directors sit on, or chair, national boards, such as the Institute of Motor Industry advisory group ‘Tech Safe’, and the Motor Manufacturers Technical Training Group.

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Significant progress

The skills bootcamp curriculum has a very clear rationale to meet the growing demand for skilled technicians to work on EHVs. There are vast employment opportunities for learners who successfully gain these skills. Leaders work very effectively with combined authorities and local enterprise partnerships to deliver courses to meet these skills shortages.

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Significant progress

Leaders ensure, and invest in, high-quality specialist physical resources. Learners benefit from spacious, modern, and well-equipped training academies.

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Significant progress

Trainers are highly knowledgeable with extensive expertise within the automotive sector. They have relevant backgrounds, such as training roles with leading companies, such as Volvo and Toyota.

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Significant progress

Leaders have long-standing relationships with many local employers. Leaders work extensively to promote the significant benefits of EHV training for their businesses. Monitoring visit: Duplex Business Services Limited, 29 February and 1 March 2024 Almost all learners are employed. The very few unemployed learners benefit from effective job-seeking support. This includes individual guidance from careers staff, access to a job board, and pre-arranged interviews with two employers.

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Significant progress

Leaders have sound oversight of quality of training and learners’ progress. Managers undertake learning walks and report on these at monthly quality meetings. There is careful consideration of learners’ progress and outcomes. A governance board with non-executive membership meets quarterly. The board meetings provide effective and challenging discussion and scrutiny of provision.

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Significant progress

Courses are well designed so learners gain the new skills they need swiftly. Learners attend block weeks where they undertake a combination of theory and practical learning.

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Significant progress

Trainers carefully undertake start of course assessments to establish learners’ pre- existing knowledge about key concepts. For example, learners’ understanding of voltage, circuits, charging and batteries.

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Significant progress

In classroom sessions, trainers develop learners’ theoretical understanding effectively. Training includes presentations, discussions, and workbook tasks. Learners use locktronic kits and simulators to safely practise their skills in the classroom setting.

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Significant progress

In workshop sessions, trainers use their knowledge very well, so learners are well prepared to work proficiently on EHVs. Trainers provide clear demonstrations about how to work on the range of components, such as lithium batteries, invertors, power rings and motor generators. Learners undertake realistic scenarios that prepare them for the challenges and dangers that they may face.

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Significant progress

Learners benefit from a year’s access to the high-quality technical online learning platform. This helps them to thoroughly revisit what they have learned.

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Significant progress

Trainers monitor learners’ progress well. They review the work that learners complete in their workbooks, on the online platform, and in practical assessments. Where learners fall behind, trainers encourage and support them readily.

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Significant progress

Most learners successfully achieve their qualifications. They remain in their current employment and undertake additional responsibilities with EHVs. Monitoring visit: Duplex Business Services Limited, 29 February and 1 March 2024 Learners and employers highly value the training. Level 2 learners, who work in roles such as store staff, better recognise the potential risks with EV vehicles. Level 3 learners can safely power off systems to allow repair or maintenance. Level 4 learners can confidently diagnose, test and repair EHVs. Employers benefit from their employee’s newly acquired skills. This supports their business to deal with the growing number of EHVs in the UK market.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders rightly place a strong focus on learners’ safety. Leaders use pre-course health checks and robust risk assessments to ensure learners work safely with the high-voltage resources.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders provide appropriate support for learners’ well-being while they undertake their block weeks in the training academy. For example, information about external helplines, such as drink-sense and the suicide prevention ‘hopeline.’

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding policies, procedures, and safer recruitment are appropriate. Leaders and staff undertake relevant safeguarding training.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers promote the importance of safeguarding with care. Learners feel safe. They know who to contact at the provider if they have any concerns. Monitoring visit: Duplex Business Services Limited, 29 February and 1 March 2024 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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