Creativity in vocational teaching in prisons

Many of our tutors in prison education teach vocational subjects that lead directly to careers on release and bricklaying is often a popular choice with our learners. Within the prison workshops, learners build walls (often with elaborate detailing) and in some cases small houses, but the latest project from HMP Humber is the first time we’ve ever seen a brick boat!

Innovation in prison education

Constraints within prison environments often lead to innovative ways of operating from our tutors, but in this instance, the idea for the project came from one of our learners and our tutor Steve is always happy for learners to expand their skills and build new and unique things, so he supported him to make it work.

Steve and the learner talked through the design and discussed how they could do it to incorporate the design features that the learner wanted whilst covering the course criteria.  It was developed into a group activity and the project allowed for lots of collaborative working and peer mentoring, skills which are required within employment for bricklaying. In total, four Novus learners were involved in this brilliant project, each at different stages of their learning journey.

The curriculum area involved was City and Guilds Level 2 bricklaying and the skills required to make the boat were mapped directly to the course criteria. Everything from building a solid wall, to setting out the stone masonry structure, including decorative reinforced brickwork and building a chimney stack where possible within the design.

An award worthy piece of art

The brick boat evolved on a day-to-day basis, with different ideas coming from the learners regarding how the boat would work with the limited resources available in the workshop. It took about three weeks to build and created a real buzz within the vocational classrooms. Other curriculum areas also got involved, supplying timber, wallpaper, and paint. 

Halfway through the project the Koestler awards were mentioned by the arts tutor Lisa and the piece has been entered into the 2023 awards.

The complex nature of the project has also meant that learners have had to use literacy and numeracy skills when setting out the task. It has also given our learners real pride and satisfaction in their work and a real desire to continue bricklaying on release.

Arts and enrichment across our curriculum

Incorporating arts and enrichment across all of our curriculum areas is key to engaging with our learners. If you would like to know more about our creative enrichment strategy, you can do so here.