Recommendation 20

HM Government Deferred

94. Education is central to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending, and we are taking steps to strengthen provision across the estate. Future funding will depend on allocations decisions, and we will provide an update to the Committee next year once the financial position has been agreed. 95. We are working with Governors to maximise attendance and classroom utilisation. We will increase our understanding of barriers to engagement, including the participation of remand prisoners. 96. We are increasing the intensity of purposeful activity through initiatives such as the Working Week prototypes, currently running in five Category C prisons. This initiative aims to increase the time prisoners spend engaged in purposeful, work-based activity while strengthening links with community businesses to improve employment prospects on release. 97. Significant measures have been introduced to improve the quality of education. Heads of Education, Skills and Work now provide leadership and accountability across prisons, and 117 Neurodiversity Support Managers are in post to improve support for prisoners with additional learning needs, with recruitment on going in other prisons to fill the remaining positions. Dedicated contract managers also conduct on-site assurance visits to ensure providers are meeting targets, and progress against Ofsted recommendations is closely monitored. We are working closely with Ofsted to ensure that the new Ofsted framework due to be published in June 2026 recognises the context of education, skills and work in prisons and HMPPS are funding some additional pilots of the new framework to ensure its fit for purpose. 98. We are also developing digital tools to support the quality of delivery. The Learning and Work Progress Service tracks progress against prisoner learning plans to ensure better sequencing of education, skills, and work. This is complemented by new contracts for a nationally mandated Careers Information, Advice and Guidance service.