Ideal Boilers Limited (Groupe Atlantic)

Ideal Boilers Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sarah Seaman, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Bridgehead Business Park Hessle Hull HU13 0DG Monitoring visit: Ideal Boilers Limited, 14 and 15 August 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

Ideal Boilers Limited began offering training in domestic and commercial heating engineering in 2020. It currently offers three Skills Bootcamps in heat pump installer, heat pump and F-gas installer, and advanced service technician. These are offered from three sites in Hull, Leeds and Luton. At the time of the visit, there were 19 learners across the three programmes. All learners are aged 19 years or over. Learners are either self-employed or employed in the industry and looking to expand their skills to enable them to work with low-carbon heat pumps.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers have a clear intent and purpose for their Skills Bootcamps. There is a national need for qualified and experienced heating engineers to develop their skills in line with government policies to reduce carbon emissions which involve moving away from gas boilers to heat pump installation. Leaders have worked with the Hull and East Yorkshire local enterprise partnership to develop a set of Skills Bootcamp pathways to respond to technology advancements and tackle the shortage of skilled heating engineers.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers engage very effectively with a range of relevant stakeholders to inform and develop their curriculum so that it is relevant and up to date. Leaders and staff have long-standing relationships with relevant trade bodies, as well as working alongside prominent awarding organisations.

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Significant progress

Leaders have invested significantly in resources that reflect industry standards. Each training facility provides a realistic working environment where learners can train safely and gain exposure to the latest technologies within the sector. For example, each training centre provides learners with access to a unique clear piped thermodynamic heat pump where they can view the change of state of refrigerant when in operation. In addition to the practical work environments, leaders have invested in high-quality recording technology to create a suite of helpful training Monitoring visit: Ideal Boilers Limited, 14 and 15 August 2024 videos that learners can access following the completion of their Skills Bootcamp. Learners value the training that they receive from the provider while on their course and the support provided to them when they have completed their programme.

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Significant progress

Leaders recruit highly skilled trainers who use their extensive industrial experience to prepare learners for the realities of working with heat pumps. Leaders invest in their staff by providing them with an extensive programme of training and development opportunities, including industry updating and the acquisition of professional teaching qualifications.

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Significant progress

Leaders ensure that learners have the experience and fundamental skills required to access the new learning provided on their Skills Bootcamps. All courses lead to a range of relevant qualifications required for work in the industry. In addition to the content required for the qualification, the courses cover additional elements, based on what learners will need in real-life situations. A high proportion of learners achieve their qualifications and successfully move into heat pump installation and service work.

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Significant progress

Learners benefit from high-quality teaching in theory sessions, with a strong emphasis on health and safety throughout. Trainers provide informative, relevant and interesting presentations on course content. They consistently check learners’ understanding of key concepts and refer back effectively to prior learning. Learners enjoy all aspects of their programmes and are highly motivated, participating in discussions and demonstrating their understanding of substantial and very technical information confidently.

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Significant progress

Learners make considerable progress during their programme and demonstrate high levels of competence in carrying out practical tasks. They quickly apply what they learn on rig units first, before making joints on real units. They complete more difficult brazing joints, moving from simple joints using copper to more complex and challenging joints using silver alloy. Trainers provide clear guidance and constructive feedback on learners’ practical work which helps them to improve.

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Significant progress

Leaders and staff are ambitious for their learners. Their high expectations for professional values and industry-related standards are demonstrated through day-to- day activities. Leaders and staff are highly focused on enabling their learners to gain the skills needed to be successful. They provide a flexible delivery model to meet individual learner needs ensuring that all learners are developing the required knowledge and skills to be work-ready and competent in this new area.

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Significant progress

Trainers support learners with learning difficulties well. Learners who have dyslexia, for example, are provided with support to meet their individual needs such as the Monitoring visit: Ideal Boilers Limited, 14 and 15 August 2024 use of coloured overlays to reduce visual distortions when reading. As a result, learners with learning difficulties are successful on their programmes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented effective safeguarding policies and procedures with clear reporting in place. They implement appropriate safer recruitment practices to ensure all staff are suitable to work with learners, including vulnerable adults. Leaders and managers are taking appropriate steps to meet the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead and safeguarding team fully understand their responsibilities in safeguarding. They understand that because their learners live and work in different parts of the UK, they need to be knowledgeable of issues which are prevalent in different areas. For example, staff recognise in Hull there are issues with right-wing extremist behaviour yet in Luton, there are increasing issues with gun crime. Monitoring visit: Ideal Boilers Limited, 14 and 15 August 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

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Reasonable progress

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

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