Education
Women could follow mixed programmes combining part time education and work. Improving their skills in English and mathematics was our priority, but the approach had only recently been introduced. Staff had not explained this to the women and a minority were disgruntled at not having classes in these subjects.
In addition to English and mathematics, education offered courses in English for speakers of other languages, information and communications technology, and personal and social development. Women had good opportunities to follow distance learning courses and two were taking degrees through the Open University.
The prison had increased the number of vocational training places since a previous inspection, following a good analysis of local employment and skills needs. Vocational training included salon hairdressing and beauty therapy, textiles, and a range of activities and a social enterprise workshop. Plans were progressing to provide vocational training in hospitality and catering. Work activities were available in cleaning, kitchen and laundry positions, gardening and painting. Cleaners and kitchen workers could take accredited qualifications, but others in vocational training or work had limited opportunities to do so, particularly in occupations not traditionally followed by women.
Although there is a plan to provide level 2 qualifications and vocational training for women on longer sentences, the vast majority of qualifications that women could achieve through education, vocational training and work were at level one or below. This was not challenging enough for a few women.
We recommend that the range of vocational training should be widened, providing further opportunities for women to gain qualifications through vocational training and prison work, particularly in occupations not traditionally followed by women.
The quality of teaching, learning and assessment required improvement. There were significant differences in women’s educational attainment. Although many lessons were well planned and engaging, the standard of teaching was too variable. Most tutors used a wide variety of teaching methods to create enjoyable sessions. They used good questioning techniques to check women’s understanding. However, two few tutors used follow-up questions to extend women subject knowledge. All classrooms had interactive learning technology, which enhanced the range of teaching methods and though this resource is available to tutors, only a few made full use of it. Tutors did not always correct spelling or punctuation errors in women’s written work.
Tutors and instructors provided women with good personal support and encouragement. A designated tutor and a peer mentor provided women at risk with good in-cell support to continue their education. Women following distance learning programmes also received good support. In most sessions, tutors used the large number of women designated as classroom helpers well. The classroom helpers provided individual support which was particularly helpful given that many classes contained women with wide ranging ability levels. Women at different educational levels were therefore helped to progress at their own pace.
Tutors and instructors gave women helpful verbal feedback but written and feedback was not of the same quantity or quality. Written feedback often failed to outline how women could develop further. Tutors and instructors did not always set sufficiently detailed targets in women’s individual learning plans. As a result, women were not always sufficiently clear about their strengths, the progress they had made, or what they needed to do to improve.
Vocational training took place in good quality facilities. The hairdressing and beauty salon and textiles and social enterprise workshops closely mirrored commercial premises. Work activities were managed well. Women employed as gardeners, cleaners and in the painting party worked on a range of tasks around the prison. These activities allowed most women to develop good vocational skills. Tutors on vocational training planned a good range of activities which prepared women for life outside the prison and celebrated diversity. We recommend that tutors and instructors should provide women with more detailed written feedback so they know how they can develop. Individual learning plans should have clearer targets so women understand their strengths, what they must do to improve and what progress they are making.
House of Glass 