HMP Kirklevington Grange

HMP Kirklevington Grange Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jai Sharda, Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection dates: 21 to 23 November 2022

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Address:

Yarm Cleveland TS15 9PA Monitoring visit: HMP Kirklevington Grange, 21 to 23 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

Prison managers carried out a detailed curriculum needs analysis, shortly before the monitoring visit. This analysis rightly concluded that the range of opportunities for prisoners, to develop vocational and trade skills, generally meets their needs well. Though the range of vocational workshop training is limited to welding, horticulture and recycling, prison managers note the significant reduction in the prisoner population. The number of prisoners declined by around a third; from 282 at the time of the inspection to just 182 currently. Managers consequently decided to shelve plans to widen the curriculum by establishing new vocational training workshops. Prison leaders work effectively in partnership with external agencies that provide rehabilitation services, including education, training, and employment. A significant outcome of this collaborative work has been the relatively high number of prisoners

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Reasonable progress

who have been able to access and achieve vocational qualifications delivered in the establishment or in the community; these include a six-week construction course, an eight-week rail qualification and a six-week course for prisoners interested in wind turbine technology. Managers have developed productive links with the local council, the Prisoner Education Trust and local further education providers. These links have resulted in prisoners being offered online and face-to-face courses in business administration, nutrition and health, landscaping, and vehicle fitting. Prison managers have also extended the range of training offered by its gymnasium instructors to include acupressure and sports coaching, which prisoners value. Prison and college managers ensure that prisoners engaged in education, skills, and work maintain a suitably detailed record of their progress and achievement in Monitoring visit: HMP Kirklevington Grange, 21 to 23 November 2022

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Reasonable progress

developing new knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Learning targets are individualised, challenging, and relevant to prisoners’ future career prospects. Staff provide helpful and thoughtful feedback on prisoners’ progress, offering praise and encouragement and signposting them to additional sources of help and support.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have taken effective and timely actions to implement rigorous quality improvement processes. The learning provider’s education manager, appointed shortly after the last inspection, works well with the prison’s reducing reoffending team to improve the quality of education. Managers have taken effective action to manage the poor performance of a small number of functional skills tutors and ensured that tutors now receive good-quality professional development opportunities to improve and maintain their classroom practice. The learning provider’s leaders recently appointed a hub manager to support quality improvement. This has resulted in a programme of regular ‘learning walks’ to identify key strengths and weaknesses focusing on particular aspects of the quality of education. Education managers have also implemented a series of focused curriculum reviews to identify how well prisoners are learning and progressing and

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Reasonable progress

how effectively classroom teaching meets their needs and expectations. Actions carried out in response to these reviews contribute to continuous improvements in teaching and learning. Managers use the results of quality improvement activities to implement relevant high-quality professional development. Tutors have received training on subject- specific teaching strategies on phonics, scaffolding, developmental marking, feedback and planning, and sequencing learning. As a result, the quality of education that prisoners receive has improved. Education managers make suitable use of data, such as from learner surveys, to identify trends and areas for improvement. One outcome of this was managers’ decision to offer a popular digital skills course to address the needs of prisoners who have been in custody for many years. The course helps these prisoners to be able to use email, the internet, word processing and basic spreadsheets. Another

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Reasonable progress

improvement resulting from learner survey data was in response to complaints about the very long duration of classes in English and mathematics, which many found demotivating. Managers adapted the delivery model for these subjects, which are now structured to effectively meet prisoners’ concerns. Monitoring visit: HMP Kirklevington Grange, 21 to 23 November 2022

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented a robust and effective procedure for assessing promptly prisoners’ starting points on arrival. All new prisoners now complete English and mathematics assessments where required within two weeks of arrival, as well as a rapid screening assessment to identify any additional learning needs. They also attend an information, advice and guidance interview which staff use to produce a personal learning plan. The prison’s allocation teams also use this information to ensure that prisoners are allocated to an activity that is likely to benefit them.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers make good use of information about prisoners’ starting points to plan learning. They complete the recently introduced prisoner progress document to record key learning targets and encourage them to reflect on their newly acquired knowledge and skills and how these might benefit them on release. Teachers also make good use of prisoner mentors to support prisoners who need extra help to progress in English and mathematics.

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Reasonable progress

Although all new arrivals complete a rapid screening assessment to identify any additional learning needs, too many prisoners already in custody have not yet been screened. As a result, their needs have not yet been identified or support planned. Managers are aware of this backlog and are taking appropriate actions to reduce the number of prisoners in this category.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders expect all prisoners at or below level 1 in English or mathematics to progress by at least one level while in the establishment. They rightly prioritise the allocation to English and mathematics classes of prisoners assessed as working at entry level in these subjects. The length of time that prisoners have to wait to be allocated to a class at level 1 or 2 in English and mathematics is significantly less than at the previous inspection, though managers acknowledge that a few prisoners still wait too long.

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Reasonable progress

At the time of the last inspection, a small minority of work placements for prisoners released on temporary license were unsuccessful. This was because prison staff did not always provide employers with enough information about prisoners’ starting points, including their learning needs and any potential behavioural issues. Prison staff now discuss promptly any problems that may arise during a placement with the Monitoring visit: HMP Kirklevington Grange, 21 to 23 November 2022 employer and the prisoner to resolve any potential problems. As a result, the number of prisoners in unsuccessful work placements has declined and is now only a few.

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Reasonable progress

Prison leaders and managers acknowledge that the quality of placements offered by a few employers at the time of the last inspection required improvement. They have since taken decisive action to terminate all placements with these employers. The recently appointed prison employment lead has helped to establish successful partnerships with national employers. Consequently, there are examples of prisoners who have secured employment with their placement provider on their release.

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Reasonable progress

Prison managers acknowledge that the success of paid work placements for prisoners released on temporary license can be enhanced further by providing more thorough and structured support and guidance before prisoners are allocated to an external work placement. The prison employment lead, in consultation with prison leaders and with employers, has developed a detailed ‘job readiness assessment’ for prisoners. However, this initiative has not yet been implemented and consequently, it is too soon to determine its impact. Monitoring visit: HMP Kirklevington Grange, 21 to 23 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

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training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education 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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