First report - Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb the ladder of opportunity

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The government accepts this recommendation and states that most courses on offer are already unit or module-based to allow ease of transfer.

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.

By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have an employment hub in place, providing prisoners with information about job opportunities and support with applications.

By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have a Prison Employment Lead and Employment Advisory Board in place to link prisons and employers.

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.

The government accepts this recommendation. They will change the legislation to enable apprenticeships for prisoners to start in the autumn.

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.