IOEX Ltd

IOEX Ltd

Address: Export House, Lynch Wood, Minerva Business Park, Peterborough, PE2 6FT Unique reference number (URN): 2804865

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an effective culture of inclusive practice. They have a designated inclusion lead who holds responsibility for inclusive practice. They use their expertise to ensure that apprentices from a wide range of backgrounds receive the support they need to succeed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that appropriate adjustments and support are put in place for apprentices swiftly. Through assessments at the start of the course, staff identify apprentices' learning needs and temporary barriers to learning early, such as medical or personal circumstances. They put in place appropriate support and adjust it accordingly, helping apprentices to make progress in line with their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Coaches receive training, so they know how to identify and put appropriate support in place for apprentices. They make flexible adaptations for apprentices who may experience temporary barriers to learning. Coaches amend training times, put in place one-to-one support and adjust deadlines for assignments to help reduce barriers to learning and support apprentices to continue learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor apprentices' progress and the impact of support closely. They rightly identify the need to continue to enhance the systematic review of apprentices who face temporary barriers to learning, which is currently being implemented.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision to provide specialist apprenticeships in international trade and logistics in response to industry skills shortages and employers' need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a sound understanding of the strengths and areas for development. They focus on the right priorities to improve the quality of provision, including in the quality of teaching and enrolment processes and the development of functional skills teaching.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are developing their governance processes. Board members hold leaders to account effectively for the quality and performance of the apprenticeship provision. Leaders provide board members with focused reports with close scrutiny of actions taken and their impact. This is beginning to bring improvements in the quality of the training.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders place a high importance on professional learning. They provide staff with helpful feedback on their teaching practice and a personalised development programme, so they can improve further. When needed, leaders provide coaches with training to increase their knowledge of the logistics industry.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel valued and motivated, as leaders consider carefully their workload and work-life balance. Leaders empower staff with the autonomy to make decisions about the curriculum they teach and the adaptations they need to make to meet the needs of their apprentices. Stakeholder engagement is effective. Leaders work closely with employers to ensure that the training is of high quality and to safeguard apprentices’ wellbeing. They intervene promptly where concerns arise.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most apprentices achieve their qualification. Those apprentices with barriers to learning, including additional learning needs, achieve in line with their peers. However, very few apprentices achieve a distinction grade as they do not score highly enough on the knowledge test of the final assessment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices apply the knowledge and skills they gain confidently in the workplace. Freight forwarding apprentices understand insurance and customs regulations. They know how to transport dangerous and hazardous goods, such as paint, fireworks and sulphuric acid. Employers value the contribution that apprentices make in their workplace.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices produce work of an appropriate standard. Work is mostly well written with clear application of concepts to the logistics sector.

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Achievement Expected standard

Apprentices remain in secure jobs with their employers and many gain additional responsibilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and managers have a secure understanding of where they need to improve their provision. They have introduced actions to improve how they integrate English and mathematics into the curriculum, including for those who need to take examinations in these subjects. They have reviewed how they prepare apprentices for the knowledge component of the final assessment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches are highly skilled in teaching online. They use a range of interactive teaching approaches and tools effectively with apprentices, such as 'word clouds', to consider relevant questions and check apprentices' understanding. Coaches use workplace scenarios to help apprentices apply their knowledge. Through these activities, coaches thoroughly check and extend apprentices' understanding. For a few apprentices on level 5 programmes, especially those who had been out of learning for a substantial period of time, staff do not provide suitable study skill support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches regularly share information with apprentices' managers and align training closely to workplace activities. When apprentices need to broaden their experience beyond their job roles to know how knowledge is applied in the workplace, such as in freight forwarding and accounting, coaches arrange for them to shadow colleagues in relevant roles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Coaches use assessment well to check apprentices' understanding. They provide helpful feedback to apprentices on the quality of their written work. Following this feedback, apprentices improve the quality of their work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Apprentices with barriers to learning receive the support they need to be successful on their courses. Staff know these apprentices well and make adjustments to how the course is taught to meet their needs.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches mostly provide apprentices with helpful and supportive ongoing careers advice and guidance. They discuss careers and different pathways with apprentices. Coaches have recently improved their careers provision so that apprentices complete careers 'road maps'. These help apprentices to consider their future careers. A few apprentices have now started using these maps to think about and plan their next steps.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches skilfully embed fundamental British values in their teaching sessions. For example, when discussing the role of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, they link this with logistics and discuss the prevention of terrorism, smuggling and product sabotage.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Coaches consider apprentices’ wider development needs. They encourage international freight forwarding apprentices to explore areas of interest in more depth, such as industry trade organisations and key regulatory organisations. Trainers encourage apprentices to attend webinars run by sector organisations, such as the Civil Aviation Authority. Apprentices complete shadowing across their organisations to broaden their experiences and to gain insight into the breadth of roles in the industry.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices enjoy their training. Those who are new to the freight and customs industry appreciate that they are working in a sector that offers career progression and future opportunities.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices feel welcomed and receive the support they need to succeed. They find their coaches approachable and available to help when needed. Coaches develop excellent professional relationships with apprentices. Apprentices are aware of the support available, including from external agencies, to keep them mentally healthy. They feel safe at work and in learning. Apprentices develop new knowledge and skills that they confidently apply in the workplace. Freight forwarding apprentices understand well the documents they need and the insurance and customs regulations that apply to their roles. Apprentices know how to transport dangerous goods and develop a good understanding of dangerous goods classifications.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices value the positive environment that staff create. Coaches take the time to get to know apprentices and their job roles. They use this information effectively to plan the training that apprentices receive. For example, coaches make helpful adjustments to support apprentices to participate in their studies, such as planning training around apprentices' work and childcare commitments. Apprentices find that the one-to-one sessions are closely tailored to their needs and those of the companies in which they work.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices are highly motivated. They respond professionally and respectfully to questions and are keen to take part in activities. Coaches create a professional and supportive online learning environment. Apprentices find the learning and work environments to be safe spaces. They do not experience bullying or harassment.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices attend their one-to-one sessions and arrive on time. If apprentices are unable to attend a planned training session, they inform their coach and sessions are quickly re- arranged.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to improve the support that they give apprentices ahead of the final assessment to increase the proportion of apprentices who achieve distinction grades. Leaders should improve the study skills support for apprentices on higher-level courses and who have been out of learning for a considerable period of time. Leaders should continue to develop their governance oversight to support them to improve the quality of training across all curriculum areas. Leaders should continue to implement their inclusion strategy to help them systematically monitor the support that apprentices receive and adapt this as appropriate. Leaders should further embed their new approach to careers education and guidance.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with leaders, coaches, apprentices and employers during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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About this inspection

IOEX Ltd is a specialist independent learning provider, offering international freight and customs apprenticeships nationwide. It is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade. The head office is in Peterborough.

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Lead inspector:

Rochelle Saneria, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Emma Woods, His Majesty's Inspector Georgina Ager, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it. At the time of inspection, there were 20 apprentices in learning, of whom most were studying the level 3 international freight forwarding apprenticeship, with fewer than five apprentices studying the level 3 team leading and level 5 operations management apprenticeships. Most apprentices were adults, with fewer than five apprentices aged 16 to18 years. There were 6 apprentices working towards English and/or mathematics qualifications. Training is delivered predominantly online by coaches through one-to-one teaching.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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