Why prison education is important: A key to transforming lives after release
Adult Provision Arts & Enrichment Digital English & Maths Vocational

For over 30 years, Novus have been working with men, women, and children in prisons across England and Wales. Providing access to education and opportunities for employment upon release.
According to research, 47% of prisoners entering the prison system lack any previous qualifications and 42% have previously been expelled or permanently excluded from school. Encouraging prisoners to take part in our education provision is crucial in supporting them to find employment upon release and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in society.
Prison education plays an integral role in a prisoner’s rehabilitative journey. Trying to break the cycle of reoffending is impossible without introducing the importance of education to our learners.
Our brilliant education teams and working with partner organisations, provide the best opportunities for our learners to succeed upon release and enter their communities rehabilitated and ready to give back.
Why prison education is important
Breaking the cycle of reoffending
Prison education and training plays a key role in changing lives and rehabilitating prisoners. Research by the Ministry of Justice highlights that prisoners who had participated in education whilst in prison were less likely to reoffend within 12 months of release.
Without qualifications and skills, individuals enter an endless cycle of committing crime and entering the prison system which can be difficult to break out of. Taking part in education and gaining essential skills and qualifications offers learners the chance to break out of the reoffending cycle and become a positive member of society.
Improved employment prospects
Studies show that ex-offenders who find a job after release are less likely to reoffend. Finding employment upon release plays a key role in reducing reoffending. However, with many prisoners lacking qualifications upon entering prison, it is vital that whilst they’re in prison we give them the opportunities and education needed to thrive in society.
Cost-effective
Not only is prison education and training beneficial for our learners, it’s also incredibly cost-effective for businesses and the community. The cost of reoffending each year is approximately £18 billion.
Focusing on rehabilitation and investing in prison education will reduce the risk of reoffending which in turn will reduce the cost of reoffending benefitting the community in the long run.
Improved mental health and well-being
Prison education can help to improve learners’ self-confidence and provides mental health benefits in isolating conditions whilst improving their overall behaviours whilst in prison.
If prisoners, who previously had a negative relationship with education are able to engage in education as well as gain new skills and qualifications. It will improve their self-confidence and show them what they are capable of, improving their relationship with education and career prospects.
Education provisions like creative enrichment programmes can also support improved wellbeing, awaken an interest in learning and can help learners build new positive identities.
Positive impact on the community
Learners who have access to education and job training are more likely to become responsible and contributing members of society, which can have a positive impact on the community as a whole.
Opportunities within prison education
At Novus, we are constantly looking to improve our prison education provision, providing more opportunities for our learners.
Access to digital resources
Our approach to digital over the past few years has been really innovative, giving both colleagues and learners the opportunity to enhance their digital skills.
Whether we are giving learners the opportunity to expand on classroom teaching through in cell technology, freeing up staff time by using AI in lesson planning, or teaching learners to stay safe and responsible online, we are fostering a culture of digital literacy across our organisation and for learners.
Neurodiverse needs
At Novus, we strive to ensure all learners are able to access education that is tailored to their specific needs. Many of our learners disengaged from education early in their lives due to their neurodivergency, which ultimately led them on the path to prison.
Supporting them into prison education and changing their relationship with education from a negative to a positive can make a real difference to their rehabilitation.
Many neurodivergent learners have difficulty with conventional teaching methods and may require specialised educational support.
At Novus we provide additional support for neurodiverse learners which include supportive learning programmes, accessible learning environments and adapted curriculum materials. All of which contribute to ensure neurodiverse learners have access to the resources they need to be successful.
Our trained and experienced SENCos, tutors, trainers, teachers and support colleagues work with neurodiverse learners to develop support strategies to ensure that they are able to access and progress in education programmes.
Collaboration opportunities
Creative Collaboration
Working collaboratively with partners gives us the ability to provide new and exciting enrichment opportunities for our learners. We work collaboratively with partners especially in our creative enrichment provision to provide a number of initiatives across sites for learners.
We work with partners across a variety of fields such as drama, music, art, museums and writing to provide diverse and creative opportunities for learning.
Working with the Bowes Museum to provide more opportunities for learners
Recently, the Bowes Museum worked with Novus learners and colleagues at HMP Deerbolt on their new project 'Unheard Voices'. The collaborative project brought together writing practitioners and learners to creatively engage with the artwork in the museum’s current exhibition, 'Kith and Kinship: Cornish and Lowry'.
Through a combination of discussions, activities, creative writing, and visual literacy exercises, the project aimed to deepen learner's understanding and connection to the exhibition whilst enhancing their creative writing skills.
The project empowered learners to produce unique interpretations of the exhibition, offering fresh perspectives for peers, families, tutors and general visitors. The project was flexible and adaptive allowing learners to share their experiences and inputs as well as actively engaging in the project. The result of this collaborative process was a creative Zine, which serves as an alternative interpretative voice for the exhibition.
Partner employers
For almost 30 years we have been working in partnership with a diverse range of local and national employers to help learners into employment upon release.
Employer partnerships enable us to create employer-led vocational training programmes and develop viable routes into employment that will improve learners’ opportunities on release.
Through our employer partnerships, we are able to offer learners access to real job opportunities across industry sectors and help them on their rehabilitative journey.
Working with partner employers to support learners into employment at HMP Low Newton
At Novus, supporting learners into employment is integral to their rehabilitation journey. If learners are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to find employment upon release, they are less likely to reoffend.
HMP Low Newton recently had a visit from Mott MacDonald to support with the employment provision at the prison. A team of project managers from Mott MacDonald delivered a session to 6 female learners, focusing on helping them identify and develop their soft skills in preparation for future employment. The visit was facilitated collaboratively by Sarah, our Novus Works Resettlement Coordinator and IAG Provider, Acron.
How Novus delivers on prison education
In both our adult and youth provision, we offer a wide range of vocational and academic courses for our learners to participate in.
Functional skills: English, maths and digital
In a Novus education facility, learners can expect to partake in English and maths, as well as digital skills classes. These subject areas provide a basis for our learners to expand their functional skills and start their education journey.
English, maths and digital are crucial, basic requirements to find long-term employment or further education opportunities upon release however, many adults in custody have low abilities in these areas which can make it difficult to find employment opportunities without turning to crime.
By improving their confidence and ability in English, maths, and essential digital skills, we help learners close their skills gaps so they can find and retain work that will keep them from re-offending post release.
Vocational provision
At Novus, our vocational provision includes high-quality vocational training programmes, short courses, training workshops and experience-building opportunities delivered by experienced and skilled tutors and trainers who are experts in their field.
Our vocational subjects are vast and largely depend on the facilities available in each establishment. In many of our locations for example, we offer bricklaying, joinery, and hairdressing; all skills that can lead directly to employment.
Creative enrichment
The final part of our curriculum is our creative enrichment provision. Our education teams work with a variety of organisations and onsite resources to provide creative enrichment activities for our learners.
Through approaches like drama classes, book clubs, painting, and music, we provide a softer introduction to education for many learners who can’t be engaged through mainstream education. We also incorporate practical skills such as English in our creative enrichment provision, so that learners are still able to gain the practical skills needed to thrive upon release, but in a creative and positive learning environment.
Engaging prisoners in education
Novus colleagues also strive to engage as many prisoners into education as possible through prison-wide projects and initiatives so that prisoners can see what education offers and the potential impact it can have on their lives.
Encouraging more prisoners into education at HMP Oakwood
In 2024, HMP Oakwood held its first-ever roadshow event, providing both colleagues and prisoners the opportunity to explore the full range of services and programs available in education.
One of the key aims of the event was to encourage colleagues and prisoners alike to become more involved in the various learning and development opportunities available.
The roadshow saw enthusiastic participation from Novus colleagues, setting up individual stalls to showcase their departments and areas of expertise. Some of the highlights included interactive demonstrations from the music department, fun and educational maths games and vocational training displays which were all designed to provide insight into the different programs available at HMP Oakwood.
The event was a huge success, bringing together colleagues from various disciplines and prisoners eager to engage in the activities on offer. With prisoners actively engaging in the roadshow, it is expected that there will be a positive impact on course allocations, with more prisoners choosing to take part in educational and vocational programs.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of prison education for our learners visit our news section.