HMP Hatfield

Name of lead inspector: Allan Shaw, Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection dates: 31 October to 2 November 2022

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Address:

Thorne Road Hatfield Doncaster DN7 6EL Monitoring visit: HMP Hatfield, 31 October to 2 November 2022

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Context and focus of visit

The purpose of the visit is to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in rectifying the weaknesses identified at the most recent visit by Ofsted. This could be an inspection or a progress monitoring visit. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of the arrangements outlined in the ‘Handbook for inspecting education, skills and work activities in prisons and young offender institutions’ especially the section entitled ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of this visit is on the themes set out below. Ofsted undertook this monitoring visit in its own right, without accompanying His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP).

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have taken action to prioritise paid work during prisoners’ release on temporary license (ROTL) to support the development of their employability skills. The governor chairs a quarterly local employment advisory board, which includes representatives from the Department of Work and Pensions, this strengthens the development of employer links. As a result, the proportion of prisoners who benefit from paid employment on ROTL has increased significantly since the previous inspection. This enables prisoners to develop a wide range of skills, with almost two thirds of prisoners being in paid employment six weeks after their release.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have expanded the English and mathematics curriculum offer to meet an increased need following the COVID-19 lockdown. Leaders and managers acted quickly to increase the number of functional skills classes when analysis of prisoners’ starting points in English and mathematics showed that significant numbers had low levels of skills in these subjects. As a result, more of the prisoners who need it can now access the appropriate English and mathematics classes.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have taken action to adjust the curriculum to meet the skills needs of local and regional employers. They have begun to meet the need for construction and warehouse skills training. Training for the mandatory Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card restarted in July 2022, following a long pause during the COVID-19 lockdown. Training in warehouse skills has recently been introduced to meet significant numbers of employment opportunities within the logistics sector. Courses are provided in other curriculum areas where skills are in high demand, such as in forklift truck operative, heavy goods vehicle driving and rail track maintenance. However, financial restraints have meant that only a handful of prisoners have been able to access these opportunities. Monitoring visit: HMP Hatfield, 31 October to 2 November 2022

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Reasonable progress

The recently appointed education manager has swiftly implemented a comprehensive quality assurance programme. Managers provide effective professional development to staff within the education department which improves their skills in planning lessons, and in using appropriate teaching and assessment strategies.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers use assessment well to provide appropriate challenge to learners by identifying areas of the curriculum that prisoners need to develop and improve. For example, in warehousing, teachers advise learners how to improve the presentation of their written work. During discussions, teachers challenge learners to provide work-specific examples so that they actively demonstrate and share their understanding of safe working practices.

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Reasonable progress

Learners in functional skills English classes benefit from knowledgeable teachers who challenge them to develop their knowledge of textual features in writing. Teachers help learners to structure their writing well. Learners describe how the teaching they receive helps them to know more and remember more. For example, learners know how to use the imperative command verb for writing instructions.

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Reasonable progress

In functional skills mathematics lessons, teachers use imaginative and effective approaches to help learners gain new knowledge. For example, teachers relate mathematics to practical life, such as learning, to calculate accurately the measurement of tyre pressure. Learners improve their skills and knowledge over time and most gain their qualifications.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers of CSCS card training use effective questioning and checking strategies, to challenge learners to know and remember more. As a result, learners can confidently identify and describe hazards associated with factors such as fragile roofs.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have not ensured that prison instructors receive sufficient professional updating to improve their training skills. This is the case in recycling, on- site services and horticulture. Although prison staff have existing vocational skills and experience, they have not had the opportunity to update their teaching skills in the same way as those delivering the education provision.

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

Monitoring visit: HMP Hatfield, 31 October to 2 November 2022 Leaders and managers regularly evaluate the impact of education, skills and work. Staff accurately record each prisoners’ career aspirations, starting points and employment history alongside their education, skills and work (ESW) activities, including ROTL. Senior managers regularly compare this data with prisoners’ resettlement information, in order to review the curriculum and make changes. For example, as a result of their analysis, managers focused the content of the curriculum more on wider employability skills rather than on specific vocational qualifications.

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

Leaders and managers use pre-release interviews effectively to evaluate and amend the curriculum. Every prisoner meets with the well-qualified information, advice and guidance team prior to release to assess their ESW experience and to plan their next steps. Prisoners discuss what aspects of their learning have been of most value and what additional courses would have helped them as they prepare for their resettlement. As a consequence, prisoners now benefit from being taught topics such as budgeting, debt management and managing family relationships.

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

Leaders and managers have taken action to restructure the curriculum so that teachers focus on employability and work for a longer period of time. Strong partnership arrangements exist between the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and prison managers. This enables the DWP staff to give extensive support to prisoners to develop employability skills, including job search, at the start of their sentence rather than towards the end. As a result, prisoners are better prepared for ROTL placement and are able to access employer-led skills development sooner.

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

Leaders and managers rightly recognise the need to increase the rigour of their evaluation of the progress that prisoners make in developing their wider employability skills during ROTL or in industries. While managers ensure that staff record the development of vocational skills, there is less emphasis on the recoding of employability skills. Leaders have begun to introduce an employability passport so that prisoners’ skills can be described to potential employers. However, it is too soon to evaluate the impact. Monitoring visit: HMP Hatfield, 31 October to 2 November 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

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work curriculum on prisoners’ resettlement?

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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