Conclusions and recommendations
The purpose of prison education
1. The
purpose of education and training in prisons should be to play
a key role in improving the employability of prisoners and therefore
contribute to reducing recidivism. However, we would wish the
purpose of prison education to be understood in broader terms
than just improving the employability of a prisoner. We would
emphasise the importance of delivering education also because
it is the right thing to do in a civilised society. Education
has a value in itself and it is important to develop the person
as a whole, not just in terms of the qualifications they hold
for employment. The breadth of the education curriculum is important
and employability skills should not be emphasised to such an extent
that the wider benefits of learning are excluded. (Paragraph 22)
2. We urge the Government
to give priority to undertaking the necessary research to demonstrate
the impact of education and training on recidivism. It is unacceptable
that this research has not been undertaken previously. It is essential
to the future of prison education. (Paragraph 34)
3. We are concerned
that existing prison education policy, with its heavy concentration
on basic skills qualifications, is based on little more than a
'hunch'. While basic skills are vital, they are not by themselves
sufficient to ensure employment on release. We urge the Government
to undertake thorough and robust research to identify what type
of education and training provision will have the greatest impact
on meeting the individual learning needs of the prisoner and providing
them with real alternatives to crime on release. (Paragraph 47)
More investment is needed in preventative measures
4. We
urge the Government to focus on improving education provision
for the almost 50% of students who do not achieve 5 A-Cs at GCSE,
and particularly the 5% that leave school without any GCSEs. (Paragraph
52)
5. We wish to highlight
the importance of the Government's Every Child Matters programme
of reform, on which we will be publishing our recommendations
to Government shortly. (Paragraph 53)
The need for a clear purpose and overarching strategy
6. We
concur with the findings of the Home Affairs Committee which said
it was 'disappointed with the elementary nature of many of the
National Action Plan's action points', and that 'the National
Action Plan should be re-issued in an expanded form .. setting
a clear timetable for implementation.' The National Action Plan
fails to providing an overarching strategy for the rehabilitation
of prisoners in which the role of prison education can be clearly
identified. (Paragraph 62)
7. Neither the Government
nor the media have done enough to communicate the importance of
prison education to the general public. This Committee believes
this is unacceptable. A change in public attitude must be driven
by political leadership. The Government must act on its responsibility
to inform the general public of the purpose and importance of
prison education as part of a broader strategy to rehabilitate
prisoners in order to reduce recidivism for the benefit of the
wider community. (Paragraph 77)
Flexible and learner-centred provison
8. If
the system of prison education is intended to be learner-centred,
there needs to be much more flexibility. Learning needs to be
relevant, learner-centred, and key skills should be embedded in
employment-focused training. (Paragraph 81)
9. A learner-centred
system of prison education should deliver a programme of assessment
to identify learning needs, including special education needs.
This assessment should then be clearly linked to a defined entitlement
to provision to meet those needs. This should be delivered through
an Individual Learning Plan, owned by the individual, and embedded
in their overall Sentence Plan. (Paragraph 82)
10. The initial assessment
of a prisoner's education level is totally inadequate at present
and we urge the Government to completely overhaul the existing
system. There is an urgent need to put in place a system of assessment
that can identify the learning needs, including any special educational
needs, of each individual prisoner. (Paragraph 93)
11. From the limited
evidence we have of the complex learning difficulties of many
prisoners we believe that every prison should have a special educational
needs co-ordinator specifically to support the special educational
needs of prisoners. We urge the Government to extend the provision
of special educational needs co-ordinators from Young Offender
Institutions to every adult prison. (Paragraph 99)
12. The introduction
of Learning Support Assistants to the juvenile estate has been
a great success and has enabled a much greater focus on the individual
needs of prisoners. We recommend the provision of learning support
assistants in adult prisons. (Paragraph 102)
13. We recommend that
investment in young offenders is brought up to meet the level
of additional investment that the Youth Justice Board has delivered
to the juvenile estate. With some of the highest reconviction
rates, young offenders represent a vital stage of any strategy
to reduce recidivism, and this discrepancy in investment cannot
continue. In particular, we recommend that the prescribed entitlement
to education, and the introduction of special educational needs
co-ordinators and learning support assistants are extended to
young offenders. (Paragraph 104)
14. Prisoners should
be given an entitlement to have their identified learning needs
met. In principle, the Committee recommends that all prisoners
should have an entitlement to have these learning needs met, but
we recognise that this would be a long-term goal and that learning
needs might have to be met on release for some prisoners. (Paragraph
111)
15. We believe that
the entitlement to free level 2 education for all adults should
be applied equally to the prison population. (Paragraph 112)
16. The Government
must deliver on its commitment to implement a system of Individual
Learning Plans linked to Sentence Plans. The haphazard nature
in which this is undertaken at present cannot continue. This should
be a priority for delivery. (Paragraph 117)
17. The transfer of
records across prisons is a disgrace. The overcrowding of prisons
and movement of prisoners across the prison estate is no excuse.
The fact that prisoners are repeatedly put through initial assessments
and Key Performance Target tests because their records cannot
be transferred is unacceptable. The Committee recommends the urgent
delivery of an electronic system for the transfer of records.
The refinement and implementation of the Offender Assessment System
(OAsys) must be stepped up with no further delays. (Paragraph
122)
18. The Government
should ensure that education provision is flexible enough to adapt
to the different types of prisons and prisoners. Local prisons
that hold prisoners with very short sentences, for example, should
have their purpose clearly defined as being focused on information,
advice, and guidance activity linking to rehabilitation and education
services available in the community on release. (Paragraph 132)
The continuation of provision on release
19. If
the purpose of providing education and training in prisons is
to reduce re-offending by enabling prisoners to gain secure employment,
then the continuation of support and programmes on release is
essential. The Government needs to: produce an overarching resettlement
strategy for prisoners; commit to the continuity of provision
of education and training on release; and deliver on its commitment
to provide the full-package of support necessary through the National
Offender Management Service. (Paragraph 136)
The structures for delivery of prison education
20. We
consider that changes in the formal structure for the delivery
of prison education at the national level have yet to deliver
a positive outcome for prisoners' experience of education and
training because of the absence of an overarching strategy across
the different Government departments and a lack of ownership and
championing of prison education at the national level. (Paragraph
139)
21. We are very disappointed
that the LSC has not included prison education it its statement
of priorities. (Paragraph 142)
22. We urge the Government
to prioritise, and provide the necessary funding for, the process
of bridging the gap between education inside and outside prisons
through the involvement of the Learning and Skills Council. Prison
education must not simply be 'bolted-on' to the LSC. The Government
must take responsibility for making prison education a priority
for the LSC. (Paragraph 145)
Managing delivery through contracts
23. Under
current contracting arrangements in prisons education and vocational
training continue to be organised separately. Furthermore, the
recent reforms to contracts have created such uncertain working
conditions that many experienced and highly qualified teachers
have left prison education because of this. (Paragraph 149)
24. The DfES have
failed in their responsibility to inform those working in prison
education of the guiding principles underlying the reform of contracts
as well as the progress of implementation of the new proposals.
The DfES must clearly outline the rationale behind the three prototype
models for contracting, and the criteria on which they will be
assessed. Finally, they must outline a detailed timetable of implementation
for new contract arrangements and commit to meeting this timetable.
(Paragraph 154)
25. The Committee
believes that the funding methodology for prison education must
be fit for purpose. It should be flexible enough to fund the various
forms of education and learning programmes that are suited to
the type of establishment, to the prisoner population within it,
and to the patterns of movement to and from that prison.. (Paragraph
158)
26. We recommend that
the LSC is given the appropriate resources necessary to apply
its standard funding methodology so that prisons have access to
all of the funding streams available to mainstream Colleges. In
particular, we wish to see the Additional Learning Support funding
approach applied to prison education. (Paragraph 164)
27. We recommend that
the Government undertakes a fundamental review to come to conclusions
on what it wants to achieve through prison education and then
funds education provision at a level sufficient to meet this chosen
outcome. Existing budget constraints, based on historical levels
of provision, should not continue. A clear strategy for prison
education should be costed and appropriately funded. (Paragraph
168)
The role of Heads of Learning and Skills
28. The
appointment of Heads of Learning and Skills is a welcome progression
but, in many cases, they have not been able to fulfil their intended
role. (Paragraph 172)
29. We recommend that
the DfES and the Home Office jointly champion the role of Heads
of Learning and Skills and increase their profile within the senior
management of prisons with clear direction and accountability.
(Paragraph 172)
30. In order to prevent
further loss of staff from the profession, and to help improve
recruitment, the Government must ensure that the specialist role
of teaching staff in prisons is properly recognised and rewarded.
The professional isolation of these teachers must be remedied
through the new role of the Learning and Skills Council in delivering
education provision. At present there is no specific funding identified
for this purpose. The Government should properly identify, fund,
and drive this process forward. (Paragraph 178)
The resettlement Key Performance Target
31. It
is clearly extremely important to find a way to measure education,
training or employment outcomes for prisoners soon after release,
and the Prison Service or National Offender Management Service
should make this a priority. (Paragraph 189)
Value-added targets
32. We
recommend that existing qualification-based targets, and their
impact on education provision, are reconsidered. Key Performance
Targets have distorted the provision of education and training
within prisons leading to prisoners taking classes which maybe
completely inappropriate for their needs. What is needed is a
system of delivery whereby prison education is assessed against
its stated purpose. We recommend that value-added targets are
implemented to enable education provision to be focused on the
individual needs of prisoners. (Paragraph 199)
Delivering effective education and training
33. Current
provision of prison education is unacceptable. Whilst the Government
has provided a substantial increase in resources it is failing
to fully meet its manifesto commitment to 'dramatically increase
the quality and quantity of education provision'. In 2004, still
less than a third of prisoners had access to prison education
at any one time. There needs to be a fundamental shift in approach
to prison education and a step change in the level of high quality
provision that is suited to meet the needs of individual prisoners
to provide them with a real alternative to crime on release. (Paragraph
214)
34. The quality of
existing education provision remains a major concern. 60% of provision
inspected by the Adult Learning Inspectorate was inadequate. This
is unacceptable. There must be rapid progress towards meeting
external standards of provision of education and training in prisons.
(Paragraph 224)
Internet access
35. We
believe that lack of access to the internet is a significant barrier
to learning. Access to the internet clearly must be controlled
and properly supervised, but the internet is essential both as
a learning tool and as a key skill for employment. We recommend
that the Government prioritises progress in this area and sets
out a clear timetable for implementation of access across the
prison estate. (Paragraph 229)
The Basic Skills Agenda
36. An
over-emphasis on basic skills driven by Key Performance Targets
has narrowed the curriculum too far. Whilst aiming to meet the
basic skills needs of prisoners the Government must endeavour
to broaden out the prison education curriculum and increase flexibility
of provision to meet the much wider range of educational needs
that exists within the prison system. (Paragraph 237)
37. We recommend that
the Government gives further consideration to how basic skills
might be embedded in more practical learning experiences right
across the prison estate, on a much greater scale than is available
to prisoners at present. (Paragraph 241)
Embedded skills
38. Part
of the difficulty in embedding basic skills in more practical
learning is the separate nature of education, vocational training,
and work in prisons. This cannot be allowed to continue. (Paragraph
242)
Job-related training
39. Vocational
training that does not offer the skills needed in today's job
market should not continue. Vocational training should be geared
towards the needs of the prisoners, not the historic availability
of provision at a given prison. A broader variety of vocational
opportunities as well as work opportunities need to be offered
that prepare prisoners for employment. (Paragraph 245)
Links to employers
40. We
fully support the excellent work of the Young Offender Programme,
led by National Grid Transco, and recommend that the Government
should take steps to enable and encourage many more of these partnership
arrangements with employers. (Paragraph 248)
41. As with the Young
Offender Programme, led by National Grid Transco, the Committee
would like to see more identification of skills shortages within
areas local to the prison, and partnerships developed with businesses
to meet these skill shortages. (Paragraph 249)
42. Working with employers
has to be the future of vocational education provision and this
has to be driven and funded by the Government. The direct relationship
between the private company that is providing the training and
the prison, including the prisoners themselves, is of vital importance
and needs to be maintained. (Paragraph 251)
Real work—real
pay
43. This
Committee recommends that the Government considers placing a much
larger proportion of short-term prisoners in open prisons so that
they can continue their links in the community with a full week
of work or education or both. (Paragraph 261)
44. The Committee
urges the Government to give 'real work, real pay' proposals full
consideration as a possible solution to reducing recidivism. (Paragraph
264)
45. We would like
to see the Government encouraging a great deal more entrepreneurial
activity within prisons both in terms of business enterprises
to provide real work for prisoners and in terms of forging much
closer links with local Further Education Colleges, Universities,
and employers. (Paragraph 267)
Motivation to learn
46. Motivation
of the learner in prison is extremely important. Much more needs
to be done to provide a wide range of high quality education programmes
that should be available for prisons to meet the needs and different
learning styles of prisoners to engage them in learning. (Paragraph
271)
Equal pay
47. We
recommend that pay must be equalised across all activities undertaken
in prison with immediate effect. There must be equal pay for education
as for all other activities. Workshops that offer tedious, unskilled
work should be phased out as they contribute nothing to the employability
of a prisoner on release. (Paragraph 280)
Mentoring
48. We
have been impressed by the success of various mentoring programmes
run by charitable organisations and urge the Government to look
at significantly increasing the role of mentoring in prison education,
including supporting existing successful programmes on a national
basis. (Paragraph 283)
Work of charities in prison education
49. We
welcome the significant contribution to prison education that
is made by the voluntary sector. However, we strongly believe
that the Government cannot devolve its responsibility to provide
education and training to the voluntary sector. We recommend that
the Government undertakes a thorough review of the different charities
working in the prison sector and those that are successful are
given national recognition, funding, support, and enter the quality
assurance regime. (Paragraph 285)
Mobility/churn
50. The
movement of prisoners at existing levels has to stop if the prison
service is going to provide the stability required to deliver
prison education and wider rehabilitation programmes. Without
significant changes in this area, reform of prison education will
not be effective. (Paragraph 292)
Short sentences
51. It
is clear that reforms to prison education cannot take place in
isolation from wider reforms including addressing the existing
sentencing policy in relation to short-term prisoners. The Government
needs to ask the fundamental question of why the Courts are sending
these people to prison for such a short period and what is being
achieved by doing so. (Paragraph 300)
Physical space
52. We
believe there should be a capital element to prison education
funding, and that a significant investment needs to be made to
improve facilities across the prison estate. (Paragraph 303)
Prison staff
53. We
must keep in mind the fact that a prison is a prison and not a
secure learning centre. Nevertheless, an investment in staff education
and development would pay dividends to a prison service with chronic
staffing problems, particularly in terms of developing a more
positive attitude towards the role that education has to play
in prisons. (Paragraph 310)
54. The initial training
period of 8 weeks for prison officers is totally inadequate. The
Government must encourage the development of prison officers if
prison staff are to be expected to encourage the development of
prisoners. The initial training period must be significantly increased
to a level that reflects an appropriate investment to enable prison
officers to play a key role in the education and training of prisoners.
Furthermore, prison officers should have an equivalent entitlement
to training and development once they are in post. (Paragraph
329)
Barriers to education
55. The
barriers to prison education that exist within the regime itself,
including overcrowding, churn, staffing shortages, and staff attitudes
to education, cannot be overcome by the DfES alone. These are
complex and long-established barriers that need tackling from
within the prison service itself if the provision of prison education
and training is to be significantly improved. The Government should
be aiming to develop a culture within prisons in which education
and skills are a priority. The Home Office must take the lead
in the large scale reform that is necessary to remove these barriers,
and we encourage them to be bold in the reform of prisons and
probation that is reportedly taking place at present. (Paragraph
332)
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