Prisoners' Education Trust
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prisonersed.bsky.social
Prisoners' Education Trust
@prisonersed.bsky.social
Prisoners' Education Trust (PET) offers distance learning courses and advice and guidance to people in prison. We use our policy and advocacy work to improve prison education.

Support us here: prisonerseducation.org.uk/donate
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
It's always great to see positive coverage of work that prisons are doing, like this farm in East Sutton Park.

One person said, for example, that "Farming, to me, is really special. I found it to be a brilliant escape from everything I've ever known".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Maidstone prison teaches inmates to run farm on site - BBC News
The farm holds cattle, sheep and pigs – some of which are named after prison officers.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
It is outrageous that all YOIs in England are delivering less than children's legally mandated 15 hours education a week.

When we hold young people in detention, we must give them the building blocks for a better future. The Government must put education first, for all young people in custody.
For the nearly 300 children in England's YOIs, access to education is restricted, with some spending more than 22 hours a day locked in their cells. This cannot be tolerated by the government any longer: it must put education first.

https://ow.ly/q54w50XwMJ1
England's three YOIs fail 15-hour education requirement
None of England’s young offender institutions provided children in their care with the education they were entitled to during the last three years reveals probe
ow.ly
November 24, 2025 at 11:53 AM
For the nearly 300 children in England's YOIs, access to education is restricted, with some spending more than 22 hours a day locked in their cells. This cannot be tolerated by the government any longer: it must put education first.

https://ow.ly/q54w50XwMJ1
England's three YOIs fail 15-hour education requirement
None of England’s young offender institutions provided children in their care with the education they were entitled to during the last three years reveals probe
ow.ly
November 24, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
It’s always good to see more employers committed to employing prison leavers.

But it’s also vital to get prison education working properly, so people in prison can get the skills and qualifications that employers need.

www.gov.uk/government/n...
Crime-cutting jobs plan sees hundreds of firms join hiring drive
Britain’s biggest businesses have joined the Government’s hiring drive to get prison leavers into work in effort to cut crime as part of the Plan for Change.
www.gov.uk
November 16, 2025 at 11:46 AM
We are joining the Zahid Mubarek Trust’s Movement for Race Equality in Prisons.

We support their call for renewed ambition, action and accountability on race equality across the prison system.

Find out more about the movement and how to join here ⬇️
Join The Movement
Join The Movement “The way individuals are treated in prison affects their chances of rehabilitation in tangible and intangible ways. Tangibly, access to opportunities like training courses, prison jobs and behaviour management programmes affects offenders’ ability to cope without reoffending when they leave prison. Intangibly, the extent to which prisoners believe they are treated fairly…
ow.ly
November 17, 2025 at 8:30 AM
The Justice Committee's new report highlights the dire state our prisons are in. The government needs to set out an ambitious plan to provide consistent access to high-quality education and training. The first step should be reversing cuts to budgets that will only make a bad situation worse.
‘Dire’ prison conditions putting rehabilitation and reoffending reduction ‘at risk’, Justice Committee warns - Committees - UK Parliament
Prison overcrowding, staffing shortages and deteriorating infrastructure is having a ‘profound impact on the ability of prisons to deliver rehabilitation’, a new report published today (No...
committees.parliament.uk
November 14, 2025 at 10:01 AM
A big thank you to PET's trustees this #TrusteesWeek. It was brilliant to spend time together at our away day recently - seeing their passion, commitment and generosity first hand.

Some have even gone the extra mile literally: Seun ran the Royal Parks Half last month and has raised nearly £600!
Our trustees - Prisoners' Education Trust
PET’s board of trustees has a wide range of experience in prison education, social policy, finance and charity management.
prisonerseducation.org.uk
November 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
Good to see this recommendation on increasing access to education and training in today’s Justice Select Committee report on drugs in prison.

committees.parliament.uk/committee/10...
October 31, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
Nice to read about something positive in the prison system - the work of @libertychoiruk.bsky.social!
“Hans is distressed, angry. But then he sings. He smiles. A first moment of calm.”

Read more as Paul Webster shares what he learned singing with prisoners every week.
https://bit.ly/3JDjnPg
What I learned singing with prisoners every week
Behind bars, violence and despair are overwhelming. But when Liberty Choir meets, something extraordinary happens
bit.ly
November 2, 2025 at 11:44 AM
This is great from Tom Wheatley, President of the Prison Governors’ Association, on what we miss out on by cutting prison education budgets:

“With enough staff, in those prisons where the regime works, the atmosphere changes. Disorder and debt shrink. Violence falls. Staff job satisfaction climbs."
Teachers made redundant as prison education slashed by 20 per cent
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) has been told that education provision across all prisons in England and Wales has been cut by around 20 to 25 per cent. The reduction in service affects existing …
ow.ly
October 30, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
I'm looking forward to giving evidence to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee on prison education in Wales this afternoon, with @stgilestrust.bsky.social and Estyn . Lots to cover, including funding, breadth of provision and digital learning.

www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/2557747...
MPs to examine education and employment opportunities for Welsh prisoners
MPs are set to examine education and employment opportunities for Welsh prisoners at a meeting in the Palace of Westminster.
www.southwalesargus.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Great to read about this partnership between East Surrey College and HMP High Down, funded by the Mayor of London.

The project helps people nearing the end of their sentence prepare for the future by equipping them with green technology skills in an innovative Immersive Suite in the prison.
ESC and HMP High Down collaborate on innovative prisoner rehabilitation project - East Surrey College
East Surrey College and HMP High Down have been driving an initiative, called ‘Greys to Green’, that will transform learning opportunities and rehabilitation for prisoners. The collaborative project, which has been funded by the Mayor of London, aligns with the government’s Reducing Reoffending Plan.    The two-year long collaboration has finally reached its goal in installing an Immersive Suite in the prison in Sutton. It will be used to prepare those nearing the end of their sentence for reintegration into society, by equipping them with employable skills within the green technology...
ow.ly
October 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Today's @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social report on work and training is worrying yet unsurprising. The government needs to fix prison regimes and the first step should be reversing cuts to education budgets that will only make a bad situation worse.

hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...
‘Just passing time’: A review of work and training provision in adult prisons – HM Inspectorate of Prisons
hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk
October 13, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Congratulations and thank you to all the amazing runners who ran the Royal Parks Half for PET - we are so grateful for your support!

Every donation, big or small, helps people prepare for release, improve their mental health and find hope for a brighter future: https://ow.ly/iQUX50X9g5j
October 13, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Good luck to everyone running the Royal Parks Half today! We have six wonderful runners fundraising for PET.

Here’s why Liv is choosing to run for us today. You can support her efforts here: https://ow.ly/2gaw50X9egO
October 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM
So far this year, we have funded 1,210 distance learning courses for learners in prison.

Jonan is running the Royal Parks Half on Sunday so that more people in prison can access transformative education: https://ow.ly/Cbxu50X9clG
October 10, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Thank you so much to all our amazing runners who will be running the Royal Parks Half this Sunday to fundraise for PET. We can't wait to cheer from the sidelines!

You can help Ashton reach her target here: www.justgiving.com/page/ashton-...
October 8, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
I've had a look at the prison education statistics for last year and there's some good news in there, albeit very modest and from a low starting point.

Hard to see how that will be sustained, though, with upcoming budget cuts about to hit provision that was already chronically underfunded.
September 29, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
Small gains in prison education at risk from budget cuts
@jonbcollins.bsky.social of @prisonersed.bsky.social reviews the latest performance figures in the shadow of looming budget cuts.
www.russellwebster.com/small-gains-...
Small gains in prison education at risk from budget cuts
Jon Collins of the Prisoners' Education Trust reviews the latest performance figures in the shadow of looming budget cuts.
www.russellwebster.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
Good to see @feweek.bsky.social covering the recent @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social report on child custody.

Young people are spending far too much time in their cell and not enough time in classrooms or doing other positive activities.
September 25, 2025 at 8:50 PM
While young people in the community are starting a new school year or preparing for college or university, young people in custody are sitting in their cell doing and learning nothing.

There should be no more excuses. It’s time for a complete reset of youth custody that puts education first.
Outcomes remain worryingly poor for children in custody
An annual review of survey responses from children in custody has revealed that many continue to feel unsafe, are failing to get to education and feel uncared for by staff.
www.linkedin.com
September 23, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
A huge, huge thank you to Richard Farrant, who's currently celebrating his 80th birthday by cycling from John O'Groats to Lands End and is raising money for @prisonersed.bsky.social.

If you can contribute at all, I'm sure that'd help him on his way.

www.justgiving.com/page/richard...
Richard's fundraiser for Prisoners' Education Trust
Help Richard Farrant raise money to support Prisoners' Education Trust
www.justgiving.com
September 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by Prisoners' Education Trust
'Prison education funding cuts are a serious misstep'
@jonbcollins.bsky.social of @prisonersed.bsky.social on how new research shows most prisoners were failed by the education system. Prison education budget-cutting risks failing them twice
feweek.co.uk
September 20, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The Frank Awards - a joint programme between @longfordtrust.bsky.social and PET - help people in prison to start a degree with @openuniversity.bsky.social.

At his graduation ceremony, held in prison and attended by his family, a Frank Award holder spoke about what getting a degree meant for him 👇
"Anything is possible, if you try hard enough" - The Longford Trust
One Frank Award scholar reflected on how education has changed him, as he graduated with an MSc at a ceremony held in prison.
www.longfordtrust.org
September 23, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Another eye-catching new initiative: teaching people in prison to build bikes from bamboo.

Bamboo Bicycle Club runs a six-week bike-building course at HMP Lowdham Grange. The curriculum starts with theory lessons on workshop safety and bamboo, then spans product design, mechanics and business.
How Bamboo Bicycle Club is helping to break the prison cycle
Meet the engineer inspiring inmates to forge a new future
www.ft.com
September 20, 2025 at 8:00 AM