Setting

22 July 2005

12/09/2005 13:28:48 12/09/2005 13:28:48 HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

The Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) was established under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 to bring the inspection of all aspects of adult learning and work-based learning within the remit of a single inspectorate. The ALI is responsible for inspecting a wide range of government-funded learning, including:

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

• work-based learning for all people aged over 16 • provision in further education colleges for people aged 19 and over • learndirect provision • Adult and Community Learning • training funded by Jobcentre Plus • education and training in prisons, at the invitation of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons.

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Adult Learning Inspectorate

Inspections are carried out in accordance with the Common Inspection Framework by teams of full-time inspectors and part-time associate inspectors who have knowledge of, and experience in, the work which they inspect. All providers are invited to nominate a senior member of their staff to participate in the inspection as a team member.

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Pre-inspection analysis

The resources allocated to a cycle 2 inspection are primarily determined by the findings from the previous inspection. Account is also taken of information about achievement and retention obtained from the funding body, and any significant changes in the size or scope of the provision.

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Pre-inspection analysis

Where a provider has received good grades in cycle 1, the cycle 2 inspection is relatively light. If the provider offers a number of areas of learning, a restricted sample is inspected.

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Pre-inspection analysis

Where a provider has received satisfactory grades in cycle 1, the cycle 2 inspection is less intensive and it is possible that not all areas of learning are included.

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Pre-inspection analysis

Where there are significant unsatisfactory grades from cycle 1, the intensity of the cycle 2 inspection is broadly the same as cycle 1, and all significant areas of learning are inspected.

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Pre-inspection analysis

Providers that have not previously been inspected will receive a full inspection.

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Overall effectiveness

The grades given for areas of learning and leadership and management will be used to arrive at a judgement about the overall effectiveness of the provider.

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Overall effectiveness

An outstanding provider should typically have leadership and management and at least half of the areas of learning judged to be a grade 1. All area of learning grades will be graded 1 or 2.

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Overall effectiveness

A good provider should have leadership and management and at least half of the area of learning grades judged to be a grade 2 or better. A good training provider should not have any grade 4s, and few grade 3s in the areas of learning.

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Overall effectiveness

A satisfactory provider should have adequate or better grades in leadership and management and in at least two thirds of the area of learning grades. An adequate provider might have a range of grades across areas of learning, some of which might be graded 4.

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Overall effectiveness

Provision will normally be deemed to be inadequate where more than one third of the area of learning grades and/or leadership and management are judged to be inadequate.

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Overall effectiveness

The final decision as to whether the provision is inadequate rests with the Chief Inspector of Adult Learning. HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Grading

Inspectors use a four-point scale to summarise their judgements about the quality of provision in occupational/curriculum areas and Jobcentre Plus programmes, as well as to summarise their judgements about the quality of learning sessions. The same scale is used to describe the quality of leadership and management, which includes equality of opportunity and quality assurance. The descriptors for the four grades are:

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Grading

• grade 1 - outstanding • grade 2 - good • grade 3 - satisfactory • grade 4 - inadequate

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Summary

Description of the provider 1 Overall effectiveness 2 Key challenges for HMP Kirklevington Grange 2 Grades 3 About the inspection 3 Key Findings 3 What learners like about HMP Kirklevington Grange 6 What learners think HMP Kirklevington Grange could improve 6 Leadership and management 7 7

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Detailed inspection findings

7 Leadership and management Equality of opportunity 9 Quality improvement 11 Foundation programmes 13 HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

1. HMP Kirklevington Grange (the prison) is a category C/D specialist resettlement prison for men, one of only three in the country. The prison population at the time of the inspection was 223. All offenders stay in the prison for more than six months. Offenders have been selected as being suitable for placement in open conditions to prepare them for resettlement. Most have been serving long sentences and many at the prison are life sentenced offenders. All offenders at HMP Kirklevington Grange have a minimum of six months left to serve. On arrival, offenders work towards the eligibility criteria for work in the community. This usually takes around six weeks. This group comprises around a quarter of the prison population. Approximately half of the prison’s population is out all day every weekday at work or in training. The remainder spend part of their time outside the prison, either in employment, community work, training and education, home leave or

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

resettlement leave. The prison operates an open regime and offenders have free access to many parts of the prison for most of the day. Prison education classes are available in the mornings, afternoons and evenings during weekdays to accommodate those offenders who are inside the establishment and those returning in the evenings from outside employment and community work.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

2. The head of learning and skills is a member of the senior management team and reports to the prison governor. She was appointed in June 2004. She is responsible for the management of education and the library and for the development of learning and skills in all other areas of the prison. The prison does not currently subcontract its education provision to an outside education provider. The budget for education is managed by the head of learning and skills who employs teaching staff on an hourly rate from a national employment agency. Instructional staff are employed by the prison and most instructors have just completed an externally accredited course at stage 1 in teaching adults. The prison has a service level agreement with Stockton Library Service for the provision of the library facility which is staffed for 12 hours a week. Another service level agreement operates with Tees Valley Advice and Guidance for the provision of information, advice

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

and guidance. Around 30 offenders at any one time attend education and training courses at local colleges. These learners are mainly funded by the local Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The prison is currently preparing for its new arrangements for the management of education which will start from 1 August 2005. From that date, education at the prison will be subcontracted to Stockton Adult Education Service.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

3. The main focus of the education department is to support the development of education, personal and employability skills and independence, to assist in the resettlement process. The prison provides classes in literacy and numeracy, information and communications technology (ICT), preparation for work, driving theory, Spanish, and guitar and music theory. All offenders have the opportunity to obtain a certificate in manual handling and an emergency resuscitation award as part of their induction to the prison. Many obtain outside work in catering and have the opportunity to obtain a certificate in basic food hygiene at the prison. The physical education (PE) department has offered some other accredited courses in the past but none are currently available. Open College Network (OCN) qualifications and national vocational qualifications (NVQs) at level 1 are

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

1 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVIDER

available through the horticulture department and the welding workshop. Thirty current offenders are foreign nationals, making up around 14 per cent of the prison population. Of these, only two speak English as an additional language. The needs of these two offenders are met in a small group literacy class.

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Grade 3 OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS

4. The overall effectiveness of the provision is satisfactory. The prison’s leadership and management are satisfactory as are its arrangements for quality improvement and equality of opportunity. Its foundation provision is satisfactory.

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Grade 3 OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS

5. The inspection team was broadly confident in the reliability of the self-assessment process. Staff are involved in the self-assessment process and contribute well to it. Prison officers and education and training staff understand the role and importance of self-assessment and take an active part in the process. The prison’s most recent self-assessment report was produced in May 2005. It represents a significant improvement on the previous report. Many of the judgements and grades in the report, matched those given by inspectors. Some of the grades given to individual key questions of the Common Inspection Framework in sections did not match with the overall grade given to the area of learning. The prison makes use of offenders’ views in its self-assessment, but currently makes insufficient use of the views of external partners.

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Grade 3 OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS

6. The provider has demonstrated that it has sufficient capacity to make improvements. The learning and skills provision in the prison has undergone a significant period of development in the past year since the appointment of a head of learning and skills. Some good recent initiatives have started the process of introducing more opportunities for accreditation and of establishing systems to assure the quality of the provision. The prison does not yet have sufficient reliable information about the quality of its provision, but has put in place the systems to collect this information.

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KEY CHALLENGES FOR HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE:

maintain and build on the good development of offenders’ independence and responsibility •

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KEY CHALLENGES FOR HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE:

maintain the good aspects of the provision within the new subcontracting arrangements • make better use of data in development planning • develop expertise in identifying and meeting individual learners’ literacy and numeracy skills support needs to improve their employability and independence •

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GRADES

grade 1 = outstanding, grade 2 = good, grade 3 = satisfactory, grade 4 = inadequate

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Leadership and management 3

Contributory grades: Equality of opportunity 3 Quality improvement 3

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Leadership and management 3

2 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Foundation programmes 3 Foundation programmes

Contributory areas: Number of learners Contributory grade Employability/employment training Other government-funded provision 8 3 Literacy and numeracy Other government-funded provision 28 3

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

7. Inspectors reported on and graded the foundation area of learning. In hospitality, sport, leisure and travel, no accredited training in PE was offered during the week of inspection or immediately before inspection, and insufficient accredited training was offered in catering to reliably grade the provision. These areas were inspected and reported on under leadership and management. In horticulture and in the welding workshop, a very small amount of accredited training had only recently begun. This was not graded either but was inspected and reported on under leadership and management. Inspectors did not visit the prison for inspection activities before the final visit. All the inspection evidence was collected during the final inspection visit.

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

Number of inspectors 4 Number of inspection days 18 Number of learners interviewed 62 Number of staff interviewed 31 Number of subcontractors interviewed 3 Number of locations/sites/learning centres visited 1 Number of partners/external agencies interviewed 9

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Achievements and standards

8. In foundation, learners make good progress towards developing personal and employability skills. They attend well and are punctual and self-disciplined. Learners make satisfactory progress in improving their literacy or numeracy skills. Achievement rates for qualifications in literacy and numeracy are satisfactory. The small number of learners who work towards level 2 certificates in literacy and numeracy achieve very well. A good proportion of learners initially assessed at level 1 achieve national recognition of their ability at this level in literacy and numeracy. However, achievement rates for those assessed at below level 1 were significantly lower in the same year.

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Achievements and standards

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The quality of provision

9. Inspectors observed six learning sessions on foundation programmes. All were graded as satisfactory or better. Tutors use a good range of interesting learning activities and learners participate well. Learning sessions on the preparation for work course are particularly well planned and involve lively and purposeful debate. Most learners achieve the agreed goals for each session to a good standard.

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The quality of provision

10. Learners on the literacy and numeracy programmes work on relevant tasks to help them develop the skills they need to achieve the national qualifications. They receive some good individual coaching and are successfully encouraged to support one another in finding the best way to complete a task. Some learners’ literacy and numeracy skills needs are not met, especially those of learners assessed at below level 1. Literacy and numeracy learning goals and achievements are not adequately recorded. L d hi d

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Leadership and management

11. The prison has a clear strategic direction for learning and skills that has been effectively communicated to all its staff and external partners. The strategic plan for learning and skills clearly links with and contributes to the overall strategic plan for the prison. Strategic, development and operational plans are well integrated. The prison has particularly effective links with external partners. Offenders benefit from the good links with many community projects, employers, and local colleges and universities.

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Leadership and management

12. The development of offenders’ responsibility and independence for resettlement is good. Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and gradually to develop the ability to work and live independently in preparation for release. They are given good opportunities to develop these skills. Offenders and staff work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and build effective relationships.

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Leadership and management

13. The prison has recently introduced some good initiatives to implement quality improvement. Many of these new developments have had a measurable effect. Tutors are particularly effective in improving some aspects of the learning programmes. They are self-critical and review each session thoroughly. However, the arrangements for quality assurance are insufficiently well established.

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Leadership and management

14. Learners benefit from a satisfactory range of accessible resources in PE and in other areas of the prison where training takes place. In the education centre, learners have access to good learning resources and facilities. The learning and skills department has invested significantly in learning resources and has created a professional learning centre with much good-quality equipment, including electronic whiteboards and data projectors.

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Leadership and management

15. Current opportunities for accredited vocational training are insufficient within the prison and in offenders’ places of employment in the community. However, many effective plans have been developed to increase these opportunities.

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Leadership and management

4 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Leadership and management

16. Insufficient use is made of education and training data to support planning and management decisions. Records are meticulous and a wide range of information is available from the management information system but this is not routinely used in making management decisions.

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Leadership and management

17. Part-time agency staff employed in education receive insufficient training and development. Agency staff are not subject to the prison’s appraisal process and no evaluation of their performance takes place beyond occasional observations of teaching and learning. No formal mechanism exists for setting objectives, reviewing progress and performance, and agreeing development needs. L d hi d

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Strengths

clear strategic direction for the development of learning and skills 00 • particularly effective links with external partners 00 • good recent initiatives to implement quality improvement 00 • good development of responsibility and independence for resettlement 00 •

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Weaknesses

insufficient accredited vocational training 00 • insufficient use of data 00 • inadequate training and development for agency staff 00 • insufficiently well-established quality assurance 00 •

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Foundation programmes

Strengths good development of personal and employability skills 00 • significant improvement to learning resources 00 • self-critical approach to improving learning sessions 00 • Weaknesses insufficient attention to meeting some learners’ literacy and numeracy needs 00 • insufficient information to learners on some aspects of the programmes 00 • insufficient identification and recording of specific learning goals and achievements 00 •

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Foundation programmes

5 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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WHAT LEARNERS LIKE ABOUT HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE:

the mutual respect - ’you get out of the prison what you put into it’ • ’being given hope that life is not over once you’ve been in prison’ • the enthusiastic, supportive and helpful staff • the good community links and the good information, advice and guidance on training and employment •

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WHAT LEARNERS LIKE ABOUT HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE:

the opportunities to give something back to the community through worthwhile projects and events •

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WHAT LEARNERS LIKE ABOUT HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE:

the good teaching that is not like being in school • the constructive and relevant criticism from tutors • the good food •

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IMPROVE:

some of the learning activities - ’I’ve done this before’ • access to the internet • individual assessment of learners’ ability at the start of the course • the time it takes to arrange individual support • being forced to attend literacy and numeracy classes • the library opening hours • the range and age of the videos and DVDs in the library • the prison pay ’a two-tier system exists between those who have an outside job and those who don’t’ •

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IMPROVE:

6 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Strengths

clear strategic direction for the development of learning and skills • particularly effective links with external partners • good recent initiatives to implement quality improvement • good development of responsibility and independence for resettlement •

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Weaknesses

insufficient accredited vocational training • insufficient use of data • inadequate training and development for agency staff • insufficiently well-established quality assurance •

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Weaknesses

18. The prison has a clear strategic direction for learning and skills that has been effectively communicated to all its staff and external partners. In the past year education and training, under the leadership of the head of learning and skills, has made a significant contribution towards achieving the prison’s key strategic objective of resettlement. The strategic plan for learning and skills clearly links with and contributes to the overall strategic plan for the prison. Strategic aims are effectively linked to the development plan which sets clear objectives and has realistic targets. The strategic plan identifies the need to expand the accredited vocational training. Clearly defined targets are set for the achievement of this objective. Much preliminary work has been completed towards this during the past year. For example, accredited training has been introduced into the welding workshop and the

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Weaknesses

former in-house ’STEPS’ development course in social and employment skills is now run as an accredited preparation for work programme. Strategic, development and operational plans are well integrated and effectively linked with the self-assessment process. The development plan is regularly and formally monitored.

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Weaknesses

19. The prison has particularly effective links with external partners that clearly benefit the learners. These partnerships include successful links with bodies such as Darlington and Middlesbrough further education colleges, University of Teesside and Stockton Adult Education Service. The prison creates additional learning opportunities for offenders by supporting their studies at local colleges. Around 30 offenders follow a range of courses at these and other colleges. Courses are varied in subject and level and include plumbing, hairdressing, counselling, sports studies, soft furnishing, screenwriting and welding. One offender has recently completed a postgraduate certificate in education. Prison education staff have regular telephone, e-mail and face-to-face contact with further education tutors at local colleges and within the distance learning university course. The prison also has very

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Weaknesses

effective links with the Tees Valley Advice and Guidance Service. This service provides useful and relevant advice and guidance which offenders appreciate. Twelve prison staff have recently completed a further education teacher training certificate at stage 1. Good links have been made between the prison and a national training company from which a bid for a pilot scheme for work-based learning has been developed and submitted to the

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Weaknesses

7 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Weaknesses

local LSC. Other effective strategic links have been made between the prison and the regional OCN to introduce more accreditation.

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Weaknesses

20. The prison is successfully involved with 29 active community projects and works with organisations such as the Inside Out Trust and Stretch. During the week of inspection, 55 offenders were engaged in community work outside the prison. Other well-integrated community projects operate inside the prison. These projects provide offenders with valuable opportunities to improve their personal, social and employability skills The prison has developed good links between accredited vocational training and community projects. For example, offenders in the welding workshop have produced specially designed metal fencing for a community playground. They have also produced a dalek for a project with local young people which successfully raised awareness about drugs and disability. The prison stages events such as concerts and fundraisers to increase awareness in the community and to develop local employment opportunities for offenders. Several learners

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Weaknesses

have gained employment after being involved in community projects. Good links have also been made with outside training and accreditation bodies. The prison has submitted a proposal to the local LSC to carry out a pilot project with an outside provider which offers a generic work-related level 2 NVQ to enable offenders in external paid employment to engage in accredited learning. An awards evening arranged to celebrate learners’ success was well attended by partnership members who are well informed about events that take place within the prison.

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Weaknesses

21. Communication within the prison is satisfactory. There is an appropriate range of meetings, most of which are effectively minuted. Actions are clearly identified and effectively monitored at subsequent meetings to assess progress. Much informal discussion between staff also takes place outside meetings, in most cases daily. Staff are well motivated and feel comfortable about sharing information about offenders’ needs. Communication between staff involved with education, training and other aspects of the prison regime is very effective. All staff are clear about the role that education and training plays in the resettlement of offenders.

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Weaknesses

22. The prison has recently developed a satisfactory strategy to assist offenders who require support for literacy and numeracy skills and who speak English as an additional language. However, the strategy has only been recently developed, and currently some learners are not receiving adequate individual support with their literacy and numeracy. Resources are satisfactory overall. Teaching staff employed by the prison have, or are working towards, a teaching qualification. Teaching accommodation is spacious and well equipped. Workshops are of a good standard and well equipped. The prison has recently gained funding to add and update computer equipment for learners’ use.

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Weaknesses

23. Opportunities for accredited vocational training within the prison and in offenders’ places of employment in the community are insufficient. In horticulture, six learners are working towards their basic horticultural tests and three are following an NVQ in horticulture at level 1. In the metal workshop, opened in October 2004, six learners are following a 12-week OCN programme at level 1 in evidencing workplace skills. Plans are in place to introduce a level 1 qualification in welding. Many offenders eventually obtain outside employment in the catering industry. The prison provides an opportunity for them to obtain a certificate in basic food hygiene. Fifty-two offenders have obtained this qualification since its introduction in January 2005. A few learners attending information technology classes are working towards achieving a basic computer literacy course at level

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Weaknesses

8 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Weaknesses

1. The prison has been successful at gaining NVQ accreditation at level 1 with the OCN for the prison’s preparation for work programme. Additional accredited vocational courses are in an advanced stage of planning with additional accredited courses being planned in horticulture and welding. In sport and PE, the prison routinely offers community and weightlifting sports leaders awards, a football refereeing award, a football coaching award at level 1 and a distance learning health and fitness course. However, at the time of inspection and immediately before this, there was no accredited training in sport and PE available at the prison. Since June 2004, two learners have completed community sports leaders awards, nine have gained the weightlifting leaders award, one has completed the football coaching award at level 1 and five referees’ awards have been achieved. All offenders attend the prison induction and obtain a manual handling certificate, a basic

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Weaknesses

weightlifting award and an emergency first aid award. Since June 2004, 163 manual handling certificates, 241 basic weightlifting certificates and 187 emergency first aid certificates have been obtained. Personal health and wellbeing is encouraged through personal fitness testing. The results of these tests are regularly and effectively monitored. Offenders are able to identify achievement such as weight loss and reduced pulse rates against the targets set for them. Staff and offenders jointly organise charitable fundraising events. These events improve offenders’ self-confidence and improve relations with the community.

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Weaknesses

24. Insufficient use is made of education and training data to support planning and management decisions. A wide range of information is available from the management information system but this is not routinely used in making management decisions. The central system is new. Currently, some of the information on learners can only produced month by month. Achievement is routinely measured against the prison’s key performance targets for literacy and numeracy. Meaningful information on the longer-term achievement and progression of individuals or of groups of learners is not yet routinely available.

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Weaknesses

25. Part-time agency staff employed in education receive insufficient training and development. Agency staff are not subject to the prison’s appraisal process and no evaluation of their performance takes place. They are usually unable to attend education meetings and have little opportunity to share good practice or interact with prison staff involved with the delivery of training within the prison. No formal mechanism exists for setting objectives, reviewing progress and performance and agreeing development needs. This has been recognised by the head of learning and skills. Under the new subcontracting arrangements which start two weeks after the inspection the nature of the employment contract of these staff will change. Agency staff have attended a short equality of opportunity and diversity training course.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

26. The development of offenders’ responsibility and independence for resettlement is good. Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and gradually to develop the ability to work and live independently in preparation for release and resettlement into the community. They have good opportunities to develop these skills when obtaining a job in the prison on arrival, through working on a wide range of community projects and through obtaining employment outside the prison. Staff treat offenders with respect. They work towards building trusting relationships. Offenders value these respectful relationships and work hard to develop a sense of responsibility and independence. Staff provide good informal support for offenders when they need it. Offenders appreciate the wide range of staff who are accessible, approachable and always

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

27. Offenders have satisfactory access to education programmes. Around 110 part-time places are available on prison education and training programmes and many of these are arranged during the evenings to suit the needs of offenders working outside the prison. The prison’s pay structure does not disadvantage those who enrol on an education programme. While effective informal support is provided for those who need it, offenders with some additional needs, such as those with dyslexia, receive insufficient specialist testing, assessment and support.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

28. Educational opportunities inside and outside the prison are satisfactorily promoted. Information about education classes, the library and the job club is clearly displayed around the prison along with the names and photographs of relevant staff. Offenders receive an induction to education on their arrival at the prison which effectively informs them of the opportunities available to them. A general introduction is followed up with a personal interview and an initial assessment. Offenders are given a written copy of the recently produced learners’ charter, the equal opportunities statement and the complaints procedures. However, the information is not currently available in a format to suit offenders with additional learning or language needs and the effectiveness of the charter is not currently monitored. For some offenders, the effectiveness of this information is not sufficiently reinforced or checked.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

29. Access to the library is satisfactory. The library opens for two hours every weekday evening and on one afternoon. Opening times are arranged to suit most offenders who are working in the local community. A satisfactory range of resources is available which includes some easy readers and a small range of materials in other languages. The library offers a comfortable and welcoming environment and is fairly well used by offenders. However, the issue rate for books is relatively low. Offenders have satisfactory access to a multi-faith room and chaplaincy services overall, but the prison does not currently provide a fully accessible Imam for Muslim offenders.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

30. Offenders have satisfactory access to information advice and guidance. A contract with the Connexions information, advice and guidance service supported by a service level agreement provides the prison with two qualified advice and guidance workers for 12 hours a week. Offenders are satisfactorily informed about this service during induction. They can refer themselves for an interview or they can be directed by, for example, their tutors or the job club. The advice and guidance service is well used by offenders and all offenders have good access to it. After completion of the compulsory preparation for work programme, all offenders are given an advice and guidance appointment. The current contract operates for a further two weeks. After that time, a new subcontractor takes over the delivery of both the education and the information, advice and guidance contracts. Appropriate arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth transition to the new

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

31. Access to prison buildings is satisfactory. The prison does not currently house any offenders with restricted mobility but ramps provide access to the education centre and the gym. Portable hearing loops have been purchased and there are new adjustable-height workstations in the computer room. Funding has been acquired for the purchase of two new interactive whiteboards to supplement the ones in current use. The new models will enable greater flexibility to produce teaching and learning materials to suit each learner’s

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

needs. All education materials are now produced in a font size and style to suit most learners.

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Equality of opportunity Contributory grade 3

32. Participation in education and employment is effectively monitored according to offenders’ ethnic background. However, achievement is not yet monitored by different groups of offenders. The information is regularly shared with senior management in their quarterly meetings but is not routinely passed on to other departments, such as the library. Most staff have received equality and diversity training, but the training is short and basic. Some staff are insufficiently aware of some current aspects of equality of opportunity.

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

33. The recently appointed head of learning and skills has initiated many good developments in the past year to implement quality improvement across a range of education and training activities in the prison. A new quality assurance manual has been developed and was introduced this year. The quality assurance policy is comprehensive and covers all key parts of the learners’ experiences. Staff clearly understand the importance of key processes to quality improvement such as observation of learning and learners’ feedback. Staff are self-critical and very thorough in their approach to reviewing teaching and learning sessions. This reflection and evaluation has become a systematic process. The quality of teaching and learning has improved.

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

34. A recently formed quality improvement group meets quarterly to discuss and review the way in which improvements are working. Actions are identified and are revisited to ensure progress is being made. The prison governor frequently attends the meetings. An offenders’ representative also attends, and is provided with the relevant information to allow him to take an active part. The offenders’ representative was consulted to establish an effective method of obtaining learners’ views on the quality of their learning experiences. The head of learning and skills is a member of the senior management team and is directly line managed by the prison governor. She attends regular senior management team meetings and keeps the team well informed of the work of the quality improvement group and the developments in education and training. Staff throughout education and training meet every three months to share techniques, resources and good

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

35. The self-assessment process is consultative and all staff contribute. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of the self-assessment process and its importance and purpose in supporting continuous improvement. Learners’ views are collected, analysed and evaluated. This information also contributes to the self-assessment. Judgements in the report are made against each Common Inspection Framework key question. These judgements form the basis of the grades given in the report. A quality calendar clearly identifies the information required for the self-assessment process. The current self-assessment report was produced in May 2005. It is the second report produced by the prison and the most detailed one to date. The prison uses it to guide improvement. Many of the strengths and weaknesses identified in the report are descriptive rather than judgemental. However, they broadly reflect the findings of inspectors. The development

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

plan produced as a result of the current self-assessment report is clear and is effectively linked to quality improvement. It focuses on ways of maintaining identified strengths and improving areas which have been highlighted as weaknesses.

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

36. Quality assurance arrangements are insufficiently well established. Many of the

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

recently developed procedures are not yet systematically applied across all the provision. No formal auditing has been done to ensure that there is a consistent approach to applying the processes across all areas. The information from observation of teaching and learning has not yet been thoroughly analysed.

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

37. Quality improvement processes are too new for their usefulness to be evaluated. The head of learning and skills observes teaching frequently. Tutors are graded and are given constructive feedback. Areas for action and further development are identified. Checks are made to ensure that identified developments take place and progress is made. However, observation is routinely done by non-specialists and judgements are not externally moderated. The system has not been in operation long enough for its effect on improving the overall standard of teaching to be measured.

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Quality improvement Contributory grade 3

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Foundation programmes Grade 3

0.00 Number of learners Contributory areas: Contributory grade Employability/employment training Other government-funded provision 8 7 3 Literacy and numeracy Other government-funded provision 28 7 3

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Foundation programmes Grade 3

38. Literacy and numeracy is the largest area of the learning and skills provision at the prison. Between April 2004 and March 2005, approximately 59 per cent of learners were assessed as having a learning need in literacy and/or numeracy. Twelve learners currently attend the three courses in literacy that take place one day a week, including one evening session. A similar programme of numeracy classes takes place on a different day and currently has 16 learners. A few learners are on both literacy and numeracy courses. Learners assessed at or below level 1 are required to achieve, or at least make some progress towards achieving, a literacy and/or numeracy qualification at level 1, before they can be involved in learning or work activities outside the prison. The prison employs one part-time literacy and numeracy tutor for just over 21 hours a week to teach these courses and develop this area of work in the prison’s other educational departments. Eight learners

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Foundation programmes Grade 3

take part in each preparation for work course which all offenders at the prison are required to complete as part of their resettlement programme. Each course runs for five consecutive days, including sessions exploring learners’ skills, interests and employment options, and covering topics such as the importance of first impressions, laws of disclosure and jobsearch. The prison has re-introduced a one-day outdoor activity by extending the current course to six days. About 25 courses run each year. Sessions are led by more than one of the four tutors who teach this course. All tutors are prison officers. The preparation for work course has run for some time as an unaccredited programme known as STEPS. The course that ran during the week of the inspection was the first course that led to a national certificate at level 1. Six learners are on the seven-week course in driving theory. This course runs twice a week and does not lead to a national qualification.

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Foundation programmes Grade 3

Strengths good development of personal and employability skills 00 • significant improvement to learning resources 00 • self-critical approach to improving learning sessions 00 • Weaknesses insufficient attention to meeting some learners’ literacy and numeracy needs 00 • insufficient information to learners on some aspects of the programmes 00 • insufficient identification and recording of specific learning goals and achievements 00 •

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Achievement and standards

39. Learners make good progress towards developing personal and employability skills. 0

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Achievement and standards

13 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Achievement and standards

They use the learning activities on the preparation for work course well to develop good communications skills, such as the ability to listen carefully to other people during discussions and problem-solving tasks. Learners appreciate the skills they gain in preparing for job interviews, especially in developing the confidence and knowledge they need to disclose an offence. Learners attend well and are punctual and self-disciplined. Similarly, learners on the literacy and numeracy courses arrive on time and work hard on learning activities and exercises. Learners significantly improve their confidence in carrying out literacy or numeracy tasks in front of other people. Most learners make satisfactory progress in improving their literacy or numeracy skills. Many learners on the driving theory programme quickly gain a good knowledge of the highway code. They say they benefit from the pictorial exercises to help them update their knowledge of current road and

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Achievement and standards

hazard signs. They also appreciate the good computing skills they develop when using the computerised practice assessments.

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Achievement and standards

40. Achievement rates for qualifications in literacy and numeracy are satisfactory. The small number of learners who work towards level 2 certificates in literacy and numeracy achieve very well. In 2004-05, level 2 pass rates were 100 per cent, with 13 learners passing the national numeracy tests and 23 being successful in literacy. All these learners were assessed at above level 1 when they arrived at the prison. A good proportion of learners initially assessed at level 1 achieve national recognition of their ability at this level in literacy and numeracy. In 2004-05, pass rates were between 81 and 84 per cent. However, achievement rates for learners assessed at below level 1 were significantly lower in the same year at 50 per cent in numeracy and 60 per cent in literacy.

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The quality of provision

41. Learners on foundation programmes benefit from good learning resources and facilities. The learning and skills department has invested significantly in creating the current facilities that provide a professional learning centre with much good-quality equipment. Rooms are light and spacious, display boards contain useful tips for learning and information on courses and events, and tutors use modern equipment such as electronic whiteboards and data projectors efficiently. The range of published literacy, numeracy and language learning materials available has increased considerably recently and is now satisfactory. However, learners on literacy and numeracy programmes do not currently use computers during sessions to enhance their learning. Similarly, the literacy and numeracy tutor cannot have access to the vast range of learning materials that are readily available through the internet while on prison premises. The tutor has to use the

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The quality of provision

personal computing resources at home to provide learners with a greater range of learning materials and activities. Inspectors observed six learning sessions on foundation programmes. All were satisfactory or better. Tutors use a good range of interesting learning activities and learners participate well. Most learners achieve the agreed goals for each session to a good standard.

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The quality of provision

42. The preparation for work programme is well designed. The revised structure provides an appropriate range of interesting and relevant learning activities that effectively help learners provide the evidence they need to achieve the new qualification. Learners participate well and are motivated to update themselves on the employability and social skills employers are looking for. Learning sessions are well planned and involve lively and purposeful debate. Most learners achieve the agreed goals for each session. The tutors collaborate well during training activities. They are frank and honest about some of the changes learners might face in the near future and give constructive and relevant advice on

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The quality of provision

14 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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The quality of provision

how to prepare for some of these challenges. However, they do not assess learners’ understanding enough during some of the learning activities. Learners on the literacy and numeracy programmes work on interesting and relevant tasks to help them develop the skills they need to achieve the national qualifications. They receive some good individual coaching and are successfully encouraged to support one another in finding the best way to complete a task.

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The quality of provision

43. The content and context of the preparation of foundation programmes meet the needs of most learners well. The carefully selected range of topics on the preparation for work programme fits into the resettlement agenda well. Learners gain useful knowledge that they can use as soon as they are involved in community projects or apply for external work or training programmes. Learners on previous courses talk with enthusiasm about the one-day outdoor activity at the end of the course, involving a hike on the moors, where they experience the world outside the prison while walking long distances, reading maps and taking part in challenging team exercises. Similarly, many learners on the numeracy courses develop a good understanding of how the numerical concepts they practise in the classroom relate to everyday life when involved in practical numeracy projects. These include measuring the area of the sports facilities and designing a garden in the prison.

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The quality of provision

However, some learning activities in literacy are not linked sufficiently to the skills learners may require at work and in everyday settings. Although learners use newspapers and job advertisements, most of the activities help them develop the skills required specifically to achieve the qualifications.

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The quality of provision

44. Some learners’ literacy and numeracy needs are not met, especially those of learners assessed at below level 1. Some learning activities on the preparation for work course assume a significantly higher ability in literacy. Learning activities sometimes involve reading jargon, difficult vocabulary and complex presentation slides. Tutors do not assess learners’ understanding well enough during learning activities. Assessment activities frequently involve learners producing written evidence of their learning quickly and at short notice. Tutors are supportive, but they tend to provide the answers and do not help learners develop the skills they need to write an answer or understand a text independently. Some explanations in numeracy courses are unclear, too fast and confusing. Some learners make little progress in developing a specific skill during some learning sessions and some learners are not given sufficient opportunity to develop their own methods of carrying out a

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The quality of provision

numerical activity. The self-assessment report identifies that support for dyslexic learners is inadequate. Few staff have enough awareness of dyslexia. Although the prison arranges for some learners to have external assessments, this is not readily available and learners have to wait too long to receive more specialist individual support.

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The quality of provision

45. Literacy and numeracy learning goals and achievements are not adequately recorded. The self-assessment report identifies that although the development plans have improved recently, some aspects are still weak. Education staff complete the agreed documents systematically, but many learning plans just contain lists of courses that learners have agreed to attend and qualifications they plan to work towards. The subject action plans are also weak. Learners do not have an adequate assessment to identify their individual learning goals and priorities. The action plans only list the aspects of literacy or numeracy learners need to work on to achieve the qualification, such as spelling, punctuation, fractions and percentages. Similarly, records of learners’ achievements are scant and too general. Progress reviews are not used effectively to identify realistic and relevant learning targets.

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The quality of provision

15 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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The quality of provision

46. Learners receive insufficient information on some aspects of their programmes. The induction to learning and skills provides potential learners with some useful information about the courses available. However, staff do not adequately assess learners’ understanding of this information or the effectiveness of this promotion. Although offenders know they have to do the preparation for work course as part of their resettlement programme, they are often unaware of what it entails until the first day and sometimes get a biased view from current or previous learners. The promotion of programmes leading to a qualification in literacy or numeracy at level 2 is not sufficiently successful. Numbers on these programmes are low. The prison is not meeting its key performance targets for this aspect of foundation programmes. Similarly, the explanation of why some learners have to achieve a qualification in literacy and numeracy at level 1 is not

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The quality of provision

clear enough. Some learners resent this procedure and see it as a rule. Some learners are not motivated to attend classes and achieve qualifications. Learners do not receive enough information on the wider benefits of improved literacy and numeracy in prison, at home and at work. Many learners have a poor understanding of the value of the qualifications they are taking. They are not fully aware of the messages they might be giving to prospective employers when they say they have a certificate at level 1. The preparation for work certification is only available at level 1, which is significantly below many of the offenders’ prior levels of achievement.

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Leadership and management

47. Tutors are particularly effective in improving some aspects of the learning programmes. They all systematically review each learning session thoroughly. Their approach is reflective and self-critical. They readily try out different methods, learning materials and activities to increase the effectiveness of each session. Examples of improvements include practical numeracy projects, the development of more participative learning activities and revised learning materials. Similarly, staff frequently consult with learners about their programmes. They respect their views and sensitively negotiate some changes to the provision in response to their comments. The prison has recently altered the times of classes, introduced evening literacy and numeracy courses, and set up a new literacy course with fewer learners. The self-assessment report provides a comprehensive and self-critical evaluation of foundation programmes. The judgements in the report match most of the

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Leadership and management

strengths and some aspects of the weaknesses identified on inspection.

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Leadership and management

48. Some aspects of foundation programmes are well managed. The administration of foundation programmes is efficient and effective. For example, offenders are invited to join a course promptly once a place has been identified, and learners receive timely verbal and written information about arrangements to take external tests. Records are meticulous, but data is not adequately analysed to evaluate courses. The prison’s literacy, numeracy and language skills strategy is well written, with a strong emphasis on improving offenders’ employability. It is based on a good understanding of national, local and internal priorities and issues. The implementation of the comprehensive action plan with realistic targets has been made a high priority. However, it is too early to measure the effect of this development. Some staff development is inadequate. Although the prison officers developing and teaching the preparation for work course have successfully completed an

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Leadership and management

external qualification in teaching adults, the prison does not provide sufficient specialist curriculum advice, support or training for part-time tutors. Learners on foundation programmes receive good individual support to meet their diverse needs. Tutors are particularly successful in helping learners take back the responsibility for their own lives and

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Leadership and management

16 © 2005 ADULT LEARNING INSPECTORATE HMP KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE

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Leadership and management

wellbeing. However, learners and tutors do not receive sufficient training in equality of opportunity, such as identifying harassment, bullying and discrimination.

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