Prisoners' Education Trust

"What I saw during my session was inspirational. It was a reminder that books can be a gateway to a different life for all of us"

Really positive reflections from poet and novelist @timrelf.bsky.social on a session he ran in a prison library.

It’s madness to cut jail education as signs of improvement emerge Literacy programmes in prisons were just beginning to bear fruit, so how can reductions imposed by new teaching contracts make sense

Our CEO, Jon Collins, has written for FE Week on why we should be building on the positive signs of progress in prison education, not cutting courses and making staff redundant.

https://ow.ly/QL5G50Y8Klm

Text reads: "This year, The Reading Agency will launch Quick Reads as audiobooks for the first time, as well as giving half a million Quick Reads books to prisons across the UK. All Quick Read titles “go through a rigorous accessibility review process, including testing for readability, concentration, and suitability for adults rebuilding reading confidence”, according to the charity."

According to an article in the Guardian today, the @readingagency.bsky.social is planning to distribute half a million of their 'Quick Reads' books to prisons in the UK this year.

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...

Prison education time slashed by one quarter, MoJ admits Ministers stress rising costs means prison education delivery must be squeezed

While prison education is still nowhere near good enough, it has been slowly improving. The cuts will reverse that.

We back the Justice Committee's call for a clear plan to improve both participation and quality in prison education and to reverse these ill-conceived cuts.

https://ow.ly/K7jx50Y5NOv

Prisoners turn new page with launch of Reading Laureate Author Lee Child announced as first ever Prison Reading Laureate.

Lee Child, the bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series, has been named the first ever Prison Reading Laureate!

He plans to expand the literacy pilot programme he has been running in prisons and bring in more authors to champion the importance of literacy skills.

https://ow.ly/lVQw50Y4LZs

The aristocrat fighting to help prison children escape the stigma of crime Exclusive: Philanthropist and criminologist Lady Edwina Grosvenor, whose godmother was Princess Diana, says prisoners’ children are ‘forgotten’ victims as she launches university scholarships to help ...

Great to read about Lady Grosvenor's new Manchester Metropolitan University scholarship programme for young people who were born to a parent in prison or have served time themselves.

As well as financial help, a dedicated staff member will ensure the recipients get support during their studies.

Handwritten postcard that reads: "My distance learning course has been helping me to grow what I need knowledge wise to be able to gain the future I want. It has also been teaching me why I have had addiction in the past. Even though moving prisons recently has been stressful I feel my studying has helped me to keep a level head and reminded me of why my future will be better than my past."

It's the UNESCO International Day of Education. In just a few words, Vanessa - who started a counselling course with PET last year - shows why education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.

Probably a good time to reshare 'Getting Connected', our recent @prisonersed.bsky.social briefing on digital learning in prisons.

prisonerseducation.org.uk/2025/12/gett...

Handwritten postcard that reads: "This course has helped me a lot in prison, it has helped with my purpose, focus, and helped me develop my confidence in my own ability. I now have the confidence I can move to my next goal of completing AAT Accounting and know I will succeed."

We always love getting postcards from learners letting us know how they're getting on with their course.

Barry is taking his Bookkeeping Certificate with PET - the start of his journey to becoming a freelance accountant.

Literacy Behind Bars: a Silent Crisis We Can’t Ignore - P... More than half of people in UK prisons cannot read beyond primary-school level. Writing exclusively for Chamber UK, Paul Davies says that until we treat literacy as central to sentencing reform, rehab...

"We must properly fund prison education. Some institutions face cuts of up to 60% in their education provision. That’s not just short-sighted, it’s self-defeating."

Very good article on the importance of literacy and prison education by @pauldaviesmp.bsky.social.

politicsuk.com/literacy-beh...

Employment in London after prison The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee has published its report highlighting the challenges prison leavers face in accessing employment, and the impact this has on London’s economy.

The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee has published a report highlighting the challenges people face finding work after prison, and the impact this has on London’s economy.

Read our evidence which features in the report here: https://ow.ly/OmvW50XVYcY

https://ow.ly/qmOH50XVYe0

Good to see this @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social follow-up report on reading in prisons. It's a really important issue where I think pressure from HMIP, Ofsted and others is beginning to make a difference.

hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...

Supporting prison leavers into long-term employment Join us to explore the significant role prison employment and education initiatives have played in the growth of prison leavers sustaining work.

Join our Chief Executive Jon Collins and speakers from Nesta, HMPPS and Redemption Roasters for the next instalment of the "How to make good things happen" event series, focused on supporting prison leavers into long-term employment. 12 February at 6pm - tickets are free.

https://ow.ly/vsBw50XU0ov

Cuts to prison education being hidden, says watchdog Minister urged to explain budget cuts of up to 65% in some prisons

This government has said it wants to reduce reoffending. It’s not too late to show they are serious about that commitment by reversing these cuts and investing in prison education, so that more people have the skills and qualifications they will need on release.

https://ow.ly/6h6y50XTUML

Concerns raised over cuts to real-term prison education budgets - Independent Monitoring Boards Photo by Andy Aitchison Elisabeth Davies, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) National Chair, has today written to the Prisons Minister,

Good to see the @i-m-b.bsky.social highlighting the impact that cuts to prison education budgets are having. Lots of really worrying examples in their letter, including cuts to vocational training and support for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities.

imb.org.uk/news/concern...

Prison education: it’s time to bridge the digital divide - Russell Webster Cassie Edmiston, Head of Fundraising and External Affairs at Prisoners' Education Trust, sets out how the government can boost digital learning in prisons.

"At times when writing our new briefing, I felt like I'd returned to the past. Handwritten assignments, slow communication by post between learners and tutors, limited access to devices and the internet. Learners in prison kept in the digital dark ages."

This is a really good blog by my colleague @cassieedmiston.bsky.social on our new briefing on access to digital devices and the internet in prison, highlighting the progress made but also the ongoing digital divide between what's available in prison and in the community.

Getting connected: eight ways to boost digital learning in prisons - Prisoners' Education Trust A new briefing published by Prisoners' Education Trust (PET) calls for a long-term strategy for digital learning in prison.

Our new briefing calls for a long-term strategy for digital learning in prison, as inconsistent provision threatens learning opportunities and employment prospects.

It is vital that people in prison do not fall further behind as the pace of change increases.

Handwritten quote that reads “PET has laid the foundations for my future aspirations and given me the confidence to dream and succeed. Thank you! 😊”

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge - we've raised a record £46,819 so far!

The appeal is open until midday tomorrow - every donation means more people in prison can gain qualifications and build towards a brighter future: https://bit.ly/PET-BigGive-2

Handwritten quote that reads “I think it is fantastic having the opportunity to further my education whilst prison can be a bad experience this provides hope and sense of purpose for the near future when released knowing I have the chance to earn a good living and be a good role model to my kids. I take my education seriously and I very much appreciate this more than I can express. I think what yous do is so valuable and is vital to rehabilitation. Thank you.”

We have just launched our 2026–27 prospectus, including 12 new courses for people in prison to study. A donation to our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge means people like Andrew can find hope through learning.

Donations will be DOUBLED, while matched funding lasts: https://bit.ly/PET-BigGive-2

Handwritten quote that reads: "I cannot thank PET enough for giving me a great opportunity. I’m super grateful and await to see what the future will present to me in the teaching field in prisons. You are changing lives and I am definitely one of them."

Education can be the key to unlocking a brighter future for someone in prison. Your support means more learners like Robin can lay the foundations for a new career.

Support our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge to have your donation doubled today: https://bit.ly/PET-BigGive-2

Photo of the panel at the PET supporter event.

Thanks to everyone who joined our supporter event last night!

Inspiring stories from alumnus Andy, trustee Seun, our Head of Service Delivery Clare, and Esther Chesterman - CEO at National Extension College - perfectly summed up the impact education can have for people in prison.

Laying foundations, building futures – Big Give PET provides distance learning courses and advice and guidance to people in prison. These courses help learners lay the foundations …

Our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge is now live! This Christmas, we hope to raise just over £45,000 to fund 66 distance learning courses for people in prison.

From today, any donation made to PET via the Big Give website will be DOUBLED.

https://bit.ly/PET-BigGive-2

Prospectus front cover and contents page

Introducing our 2026–2027 Course Prospectus – PET's most forward-looking and accessible edition yet!

The prospectus includes cutting-edge courses on AI and environmental sustainability, as well as new digital learning opportunities.

Read it here: prisonerseducation.org.uk/2025/12/new-...

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.

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...

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.

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

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

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.

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...

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…

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 ⬇️

‘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...

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.