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HM Inspectorate of Prisons gov.uk

Slow progress on reading education in prisons

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Shortages of prison staff and a lack of training means not enough prisoners are able to improve their reading – according to a new report by Ofsted and HMIP.

In March 2022, Ofsted and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) published a joint review of reading education in prisons, which highlighted the barriers preventing prisoners from receiving the support they need and made several recommendations that were accepted by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and prison governors.

Today, a follow-up report to last year’s review finds that, while some progress has been made in meeting those recommendations, improvements in key areas such as screening, assessment, resourcing and strategy development have been too slow.

  • HMPPS and governors have not secured sufficient specialist training for staff
  • prison leaders have not provided ample opportunities for prisoners to access the library
  • prison leaders do not encourage regular attendance at reading classes
  • leaders do not provide enough classes for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
  • prison leaders have not used assessments that can identify the specific reading knowledge and skills that prisoners are missing or need to improve
  • prison leaders have not established and communicated clear pathways to help prisoners improve their reading skills
  • prison leaders do not match the ambition of their reading strategies with the required level of detail in their action plans

    • The report acknowledges that the prison system is still facing challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including staffing problems, which have contributed to the delays in making necessary improvements in prison reading education.

    Ofsted and HMIP have issued additional recommendations for prison leaders and management, including fast-tracking the implementation and use of the new HMPPS reading tool and providing urgent support for ESOL learners.

    His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

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    HM Inspectorate of Prisons — imported from official source
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    September 20, 2026 19:53
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