4C: How is success in guidance and support recognised?
The following extracts from HMIP inspection reports illustrate effective practice in guidance and support.
In all areas, support for learners is very good. In ICT and foundation, prisoners trained as learning support assistants provided good support in classes. Very good peer support is provided, both informally in classes and by a formal peer tutor support system on the accommodation blocks.
Learners in foundation are well supported by their teachers. Learners receive good individual support during taught lessons and with open learning on the prison wings.
Foundation learners receive good support. Many are initially assessed at Entry or Pre-entry Level in literacy and numeracy. There are weekly sessions for learners with specific needs. Learners receive good advice and their interest in education is stimulated effectively.
There is good group and individual learner support in basic education. There is effective learner support in the education classes in the main training centre. […] There is good individual support for those learners with basic skills needs on the painting and decorating course. There is also good support for learners outside the formal basic skills programmes, provided on the wings by two tutors. This comprises literacy and numeracy skills support and help with tackling barriers to education.
Learning support assistants provide learners with exceptionally good support. Learners respond to them well and appreciate their help. Many of the learning support assistants have completed education and training courses and are able to help learners gather evidence for their qualifications. Learners with significant barriers to education value the opportunity to learn at their own pace and in their own environment.
An outreach service has been established to provide literacy and numeracy support for learners on vocational training programmes and for individual learners who lack the confidence to attend group lessons.
Staff give good support to learners both in educational and personal matters. The student support services co-ordinator and team provide an effective mentoring service. They support those learners experiencing negative attitudes to learning, or experiencing difficulties with their programme of learning. Staff are sensitive, and rapidly deal with issues that may hinder learning, such as disruptive behaviour in class.
Literacy and numeracy support in construction is given very effectively in the workshops.
Tutors provide good additional learning support. As well as discussing learners’ additional learning needs with them individually, they also provide appropriate learning support during training sessions in all foundation and vocational training programmes. There are two tutors in many of the training sessions, to ensure that each learner benefits from the support. This additional support helps learners generally with their work, and tutors link it effectively to any external examinations learners are taking.
ESOL and basic skills support is available to all learners who need it. Eighty per cent of the prison population need basic spelling and punctuation support and 60 per cent need numeracy and reading support. Twenty per cent of prisoners require dyslexia support, compared with 12 per cent nationally.
Literacy and numeracy tuition is also provided in the training workshops to help learners who need support with literacy and numeracy. Special arrangements have been made for five young offenders who cannot attend education or the workshops to receive half an hour of individual literacy tuition each day.
There is also well-structured support for literacy and numeracy outside of the education department. This includes the use of prisoners who are trained to teach others to read.
There is very good support for ESOL learners. Learners develop good language skills. Tutors have developed a particularly good set of self-study modules to develop learners’ language skills.
View the inspection report for HMP & YOI Holloway reinspection
Support for learners in some literacy and numeracy classes is especially strong, with two teachers working together effectively in a large, well-equipped classroom. Learners speak highly of their teachers and clearly value the support they receive.
Many learners are given additional support for literacy and numeracy, much of which is in the practical workshops to allow English and mathematics to be shown in a practical setting. Support is not limited to those who need to improve their skills for the qualification. Many learners who enter the prison with a low level of basic skills go on to achieve general certificates of secondary education (GCSEs) or Level 3 qualifications in English and mathematics alongside their craft qualification.
All learners who have literacy and numeracy needs are offered two sessions of additional help each week. The education department runs an outreach service for learners who cannot, or are reluctant to, attend timetabled sessions.
There are six peer mentors working to support the delivery of foundation programmes. […] Peer tutors provide learners with good support. Learners respond to them well and appreciate the support they get from them and the education staff. Many learners receive particularly good learning support from their peer tutors.
Suitable trained peer tutors are used very effectively throughout the foundation programmes. Peer tutors work to gain an appropriate qualification in adult learner support. They then achieve the key skill in communication at Level 2. Once qualified, they work in classes with tutors to provide appropriate support for learners. Some peer tutors provide additional help to learners outside standard education hours.
Learners with disabilities are individually assessed to identify relevant support needs. Some specialist equipment is provided, such as specialist computer aids, for those who are visually, or hearing impaired.
Literacy, numeracy and language skills support is effective in construction, catering and PE. Many of the learners who receive additional support make significant progress with their literacy and numeracy skills.
The support for learners on education programmes is good. Learners appreciate the good working relationship with tutors. Learners and tutors also value the good support given by classroom assistants.
There is well-managed support from education staff who regularly visit wings to promote education and provide a contact for those who may have missed initial assessment at induction. There is an effective monitoring process in place to identify those missing induction.
'How is success in guidance and support recognised?' in other guides:
- Adult and Community Learning
- E-learning
- Embedded Learning
- Family Learning
- Further Education Colleges
- Jobcentre Plus Programmes
- Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities
- The Juvenile Secure Estate for Young People Aged 15-17
- Voluntary and Community Sector
- Work-based Learning
- Young Offender Institutions for Young People Aged 18-21
