Prison Education

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 Nov 2020 Closed: 20 Oct 2022 Parliament page
The inquiry is examining how current arrangements support learners in custody and how well prison education delivers the skills needed by employers. The inquiry is considering education for adults, young people and children in custody. It will look at what barriers exist, for instance, to delivering apprenticeships in a custodial … Read more
34 Recommendations
4 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Oral sessions
2 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
27 Sep
2022
Report published
18 May
2022
Report published
18 Jan
2022
Oral evidence
18 Jan
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
14 Dec
2021
Oral evidence
14 Dec
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
2 Nov
2021
Oral evidence
2 Nov
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
21 Sep
2021
Oral evidence
21 Sep
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
8 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
8 Jun
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
18 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education: Ministerial session
Alex Burghart MP · Department for Education Louise Wright · Department for Education Phil Copple · HMPPS Victoria Atkins · Ministry of Justice
14 Dec 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education
Darren Burns · Timpson Sasha Simmonds · O’Neill & Brennan Ted Rosner · Redemption Roasters Tony Hughes · Williams Homes
2 Nov 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education
Ben Leapman David Breakspear Femi Laryea-Adekimi Jonathan Gilbert Kiri Jolliffe
21 Sep 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education - Ofsted panel; Prison Education - Educational providers
Andrea Greer · Weston College Matthew Coffey · Ofsted Paul Joyce · Ofsted Peter Cox · Novus Sally Alexander · Milton Keynes College Sophie Sterling · People Plus
8 Jun 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education
Francesca Cooney, Prisoner Learning Alliance Michala Robertson, Open University Peter Dawson, Prison Reform Trust Stephen Johnson, Prison Governors Association
25 May 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education
David Hughes · Association of Colleges Julian Smith · Bounce Back Lisa Capper MBE · NACRO Shereen Lawrence · St Giles Trust Simon Ashworth · Association of Employment and Learning Providers
20 Apr 2021
View on parliament.uk
Prison Education
Dame Sally Coates DBE Peter Stanford · Coates Review Rod Clark · Coates Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First report - Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoner… HC 56 18 May 2022 38 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
19 results
Clear
1 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The purpose of education and training in prisons should be to get prisoners onto the...
The purpose of education and training in prisons should be to get prisoners onto the ladder of opportunity. It must play a key role in improving the employability of prisoners and therefore in reducing reoffending. However, prison education must be … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and is already strengthening performance measures for governors, including new KPIs for education. They are reviewing job descriptions, training, and assessment requirements for governors to ensure a high standard of education in prisons.
Department for Education
View details
2 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Coates Review highlighted the need for prison education to be at the heart of...
The Coates Review highlighted the need for prison education to be at the heart of the prison system. Six years later, this aspiration has still not been realised. It is imperative that there is a renewed focus on embedding a … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and plans to introduce a range of staff training, including relevant content on the importance of education, skills and work for prisoner rehabilitation within the new prison officer apprenticeship programme.
Department for Education
View details
3 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The job description and key performance measures used when assessing Governors must be amended to...
The job description and key performance measures used when assessing Governors must be amended to require Governors to ensure that providing adequate prison education and a culture of learning is part of their core responsibilities, and something on which they … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation and is in the process of recruiting for the new senior role of Head of Education, Skills and Work who will have responsibility for overseeing prison and provider delivery of education, skills, and work.
Department for Education
View details
6 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
A high proportion of prisoners have learning needs.
A high proportion of prisoners have learning needs. It is concerning that prisons have only had to screen for additional learning needs since 2019. This means that the majority of the prison population may never have gone through a screening … Read more
Government Response
The government will expand the use of CURIOUS to capture data on learning difficulties and disabilities, including in private prisons, and will capture assessment of prisoners identified as ESOL learners or bilingual.
Department for Education
View details
7 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The current screening process is not adequate to identify prisoners with additional learning needs.
The current screening process is not adequate to identify prisoners with additional learning needs. The Ministry of Justice must introduce a consistent assessment process for every prisoner when they enter the prison system. We believe there is a strong case … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation; systems to screen for learning needs are in place, but they are reviewing and exploring improvements via a review of LDD assessment and screening tools.
Department for Education
View details
8 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
There needs to be a whole prison approach to prisoners with learning difficulties.
There needs to be a whole prison approach to prisoners with learning difficulties. This is currently hampered by the lack of information sharing between the community and the prison estate regarding prisoners’ educational attainment in the community, and any learning … Read more
Government Response
The government states that new or amended legislation is not necessary and that data sharing is already permitted; they will invest in the digital and data platform needed to develop personal learning plans and existing data sharing powers are available.
Department for Education
View details
11 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
We recommend that all prisoners have a personalised Individual Learning Plan linked to their sentence...
We recommend that all prisoners have a personalised Individual Learning Plan linked to their sentence plan, created at the start of their time in prison. This should include the SEND assessment undertaken at their entry into the prison system. The … Read more
Government Response
The government is developing Personal Learning Plans in line with the recommendations. The new digital system being designed will record initial assessments and record a learning plan to be followed throughout the sentence and will also introduce resettlement passports.
Department for Education
View details
12 Conclusion Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Prisoners are often transferred with short notice across the prison estate.
Prisoners are often transferred with short notice across the prison estate. The loss or delay in the transfer of their educational records can have serious repercussions on their ability to continue their studies, and can in some cases cause prisoners … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts both recommendations and states that they are developing Personal Learning Plans and will also introduce resettlement passports, which will be set up prior to release and will bring together the key information and services that an individual needs to resettle into society.
Department for Education
View details
13 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Ministry of Justice must introduce a digital education passport, which contains a record of...
The Ministry of Justice must introduce a digital education passport, which contains a record of a prisoner’s learning, and any identified educational needs, that follows prisoners through their sentence and across the prison estate, and which can be shown to … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They state that governors are now responsible for setting the curriculum, and, through the introduction of the Dynamic Purchasing System, they can purchase bespoke local provision and have local plans in place with providers. They are also introducing Heads of Education, Skills and Work to support Governors to deliver improvements in education with their providers.
Department for Education
View details
20 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
We recommend that prisons have clear and meaningful KPIs related to education, training and employment...
We recommend that prisons have clear and meaningful KPIs related to education, training and employment which are monitored by Ofsted. The Ministry of Justice must also reform the inspection regime so that Ofsted is able to give a grade for … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and states that the introduction of KPIs for governors will ensure they are incentivised to ensure more prisoners make progress and achieve qualifications, and that new contract service levels aim to incentivise providers and prisons to collaborate on learner allocation to courses.
Department for Education
View details
22 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The lack of controlled and secure access to proper online education is a significant barrier...
The lack of controlled and secure access to proper online education is a significant barrier to learning. It is stifling opportunity for improvement through education and leaving prisoners unprepared for the real world, lacking the digital skills they need for … Read more
Government Response
The government teaches basic digital skills in all prisons, has introduced laptops in accelerator prisons, and is working to provide prisoners with a managed in-cell laptop service in 15 prisons by the end of September 2022, subject to continued resourcing.
Department for Education
View details
25 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Ministry of Justice must, by the end of this year, set out a clear...
The Ministry of Justice must, by the end of this year, set out a clear budget for prisons for the next 10 years, which sets out a long-term strategy for prison education, and a minimum expected spend on prison education. … Read more
Government Response
The government is developing annual curriculum guidance to support governors in identifying the best curriculum for their prison population, and will focus on guiding prison course choices to get the most out of education provision.
Department for Education
View details
26 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The current provision of prison education is too narrow, and is not allowing prisoners to...
The current provision of prison education is too narrow, and is not allowing prisoners to achieve their full potential. Prisoners must be able to access a varied and diverse curriculum. Whilst aiming to meet the basic needs of prisoners with … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation and states that most courses on offer are already unit or module-based to allow ease of transfer.
Department for Education
View details
29 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Our Report makes it clear that education should be at the heart of the prison...
Our Report makes it clear that education should be at the heart of the prison regime. The Government must look at innovative ways to make this a reality. We recommend that the Government establish a pilot scheme establishing specialised prisons … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They are changing the legislation to enable apprenticeships for prisoners and will establish an Employability Innovation Fund for sector-specific skills training and work experience. They are also engaging with providers to broaden the curriculum and vocational qualifications.
Department for Education
View details
30 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Employment has been shown to reduce reoffending.
Employment has been shown to reduce reoffending. Getting prisoners into employment therefore makes economic sense for society, easing the current burden on prisons, and allowing former prisoners to re-enter society. The low number of prisoners finding long-term employment following their … Read more
Government Response
By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have an employment hub in place, providing prisoners with information about job opportunities and support with applications.
Department for Education
View details
31 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The prison estate has a role in supporting prisoners in finding employment.
The prison estate has a role in supporting prisoners in finding employment. We welcome the employment hubs that are currently operational, such as that in HMP Thorn Cross, but believe that the scheme must be extended. The Government must, by … Read more
Government Response
By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have a Prison Employment Lead and Employment Advisory Board in place to link prisons and employers.
Department for Education
View details
33 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The New Futures Network was established by the Ministry of Justice to build partnerships with...
The New Futures Network was established by the Ministry of Justice to build partnerships with employers and prisons. However, there is no published data as to what success it is having. The Ministry of Justice must publish annual data showing … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and will work to maximise workplace ROTL in the open and female estate, requiring development of a strategy for reshaping the regime, primarily in open prisons.
Department for Education
View details
34 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Release on Temporary Licence allows relationships to develop between prisoners and employers and allows prisoners...
Release on Temporary Licence allows relationships to develop between prisoners and employers and allows prisoners to require vital employment skills. The Government must ensure that greater use is made of Release on Temporary Licence for work placements, thus enabling prisoners … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They will change the legislation to enable apprenticeships for prisoners to start in the autumn.
Department for Education
View details
36 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
In any future review of the Apprenticeship Levy, the Government must change the rules to...
In any future review of the Apprenticeship Levy, the Government must change the rules to allow businesses to direct it towards prisoner rehabilitation schemes. (Paragraph 151) Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb … Read more
Government Response
MoJ is setting up Employment Boards and an Employability Innovation Fund that will explore incentives for businesses to recruit prisoners, including tailoring training or setting up workshops within prisons, and will keep this area under review.
Department for Education
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 38 of 34 classified
Accepted 19
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 4
Rejected 8
Total 34 recs + 4 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
19 May 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, requesting prison education data for those in the adult estate, dated 18 May 2021
Parliament page
29 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, requesting youth custody and educational data, dated 29 April 2021
Parliament page