Why Literacy Matters in Prison: International Literacy Day 2026

Literacy is something many of us take for granted. Reading a letter, filling in a form, following written instructions, applying for a job or reading to a child are everyday activities that depend on being able to read and communicate confidently.

For people in prison who have experienced disrupted education or low levels of literacy, these everyday tasks can become significant barriers to education, employment and life after release.

Today is International Literacy Day and we wanted to highlight the importance of literacy in prison education and the role it plays in supporting rehabilitation, building confidence and creating better futures.

Why is literacy important in prison?

Literacy is much more than the ability to read and write. It provides a foundation for learning, communication, independence and participation in everyday life.

For someone preparing for release from prison, being able to understand written information, complete an application form, communicate effectively with an employer or support their children with schoolwork can make a meaningful difference.

Literacy also provides a foundation for further education. Developing reading, writing and communication skills can help learners access vocational training, qualifications and employment opportunities that might previously have felt out of reach.

This is particularly important given the educational disadvantage experienced by many people entering custody. Around 47% of people entering prison have no formal qualifications, while 57% of adult prisoners taking initial assessments have literacy levels below those expected of an 11-year-old.

For Novus, addressing these barriers is an essential part of providing effective prison education.

Literacy and rehabilitation

Education can play an important role in helping people make positive changes in their lives, and literacy sits at the heart of this.

When someone struggles to read, they can face barriers across almost every aspect of their life. In prison, this can affect their ability to engage fully with education, access information and develop other skills. Following release, it can create additional challenges when looking for work, managing finances, accessing services or maintaining relationships.

That is why reading and literacy cannot be treated as an optional extra.

At Novus, literacy development is embedded across our education provision. Alongside English and maths courses, we use creative learning, reading activities, enrichment and partnerships to make literacy accessible, relevant and engaging.

Our approach recognises that learners have different starting points, interests and experiences. Building literacy is not simply about achieving a qualification. It is about giving people the skills and confidence to participate more fully in education, work and society.

Supporting literacy through English, reading and digital skills

Novus delivers English, maths and digital skills provision across almost 50 prisons in England and Wales, helping learners develop essential skills and progress towards further learning and employment.

Our English provision can support learners to improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, while providing opportunities to work towards recognised qualifications.

But literacy does not only happen in an English classroom.

Reading can be incorporated into different areas of learning and can be encouraged through libraries, creative projects, vocational education and enrichment activities. This creates more opportunities for learners to practise their skills in ways that feel purposeful and relevant.

Our approach to reading reflects this wider view of literacy. As our English, maths and digital skills provision demonstrates, essential skills provide the foundations learners need to progress through education and towards employment.

Making reading relevant and enjoyable

Improving literacy is not simply about teaching technical reading skills. Helping people discover that reading can be enjoyable, interesting and relevant to their lives can be equally important.

This is particularly relevant during 2026, the National Year of Reading.

The campaign, led by the Department for Education in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, aims to reconnect people of all ages with reading and encourage more people to discover the benefits and enjoyment it can bring.

At Novus, we have been embracing the opportunity to bring the National Year of Reading into prison education.

For example, acclaimed poet and performer Mike Garry worked with learners across eight North East establishments as part of a creative reading and writing programme. Through poetry, storytelling, performance and creative writing, learners explored language and literature while developing confidence, communication and self-expression.

The programme showed how creative approaches can help remove some of the barriers learners may associate with traditional education and encourage reading for pleasure.

Reading through creativity

Our work with Shakespeare North Playhouse provides another example of how creative approaches can support literacy.

The Monologues, Verses, Sonnets programme engaged 184 learners across 13 prisons through interactive workshops combining reading, performance, creative writing and Shakespeare.

Learners created their own monologues, sonnets, poems and speeches, with some of their work subsequently performed by professional actors.

The project was designed to make reading and literature more accessible while developing comprehension, communication and confidence.

This kind of creative learning demonstrates that literacy development does not have to be confined to traditional classroom activities. When learners can connect reading and writing with their own interests, creativity and experiences, it can become a much more engaging part of their education.

Embedding reading into prison life

At HMP Risley, Novus colleagues have also explored innovative ways to encourage learners to read more regularly.

The team introduced a Drop Everything and Read initiative, creating dedicated opportunities for learners to stop what they were doing and spend time reading.

The approach formed part of a wider effort to embed reading into the prison environment and provide opportunities for learners to read for pleasure, alongside developing their essential literacy skills.

It is one example of how creating a stronger reading culture can complement formal literacy education.

Literacy is about what comes next

The ultimate purpose of prison education is not simply to help someone pass a qualification.

It is about what that learning makes possible.

Improved literacy can help a learner access further education, develop vocational skills, prepare for employment and communicate more confidently. It can also support greater independence and help people engage more fully with their families and communities.

For someone who has previously struggled with education, making progress in reading and writing can also provide an important sense of achievement.

That is why literacy is such an important part of rehabilitation.

At Novus, we work with learners to build the foundations for change, recognising that every learner has different experiences, abilities and aspirations. Through specialist teaching, creative learning and partnerships, we provide opportunities for people in custody to develop the skills and confidence they need for a more positive future.

Continuing the conversation beyond International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day provides an opportunity to recognise the importance of literacy around the world, but supporting literacy is something that needs to continue throughout the year.

The National Year of Reading 2026 provides an important opportunity to keep that focus on reading, while our work across prisons demonstrates what can happen when literacy is made relevant, accessible and engaging.

From English classrooms and prison libraries to creative writing workshops and partnerships with cultural organisations, there are many ways to help learners develop their skills and discover the benefits of reading.

Because literacy is not just about words on a page.

It is about having the skills and confidence to understand the world, take part in it and build a different future.

Find out more

Discover more about Novus English, maths and digital skills provision and explore our latest news and case studies to see more examples of education and rehabilitation in action.