It’s great to see University and College Union (UCU) publishing two reports exploring the experiences of prison teachers generally and prison teachers from minority ethnic groups specifically.
We don’t know enough about prison teachers. This research helps to fill that gap. Read the reports here ⬇️
No registration fee *and* you get a very stylish bright orange t-shirt.
And we come and cheer you on and wave tiny flags created by @frey-a.bsky.social!
When I worked at the Restorative Justice Council I was fortunate enough to meet Nick Dawson and hear about his experiences of restorative justice. This is well worth reading for anyone interested in why he took part in it and how he benefitted.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...
Congratulations to @leedsbeckett.bsky.social, who have won a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education for their work in partnership with HMP Full Sutton.
www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/news/2026/02...
More positive* news from @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social today on the women's estate, with real progress being made on some of the worst elements of last year's thematic.
(* yes, it's not all great and there's still lots to be done but it's progress and there's not been too much of that recently.)
Text which reads "Inspectors found a well‑run prison where strong, trusting relationships between staff and women were central to its success. Women praised the compassion, patience and consistency shown by staff, and many reported improvements in their well‑being and confidence since arriving at the jail."
Most @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social reports make for depressing reading so worth noting today's positive one on Low Newton.
'Good' for education and nice to see that women are "motivated by teachers’ warm encouragement and positive feedback".
hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...
Graphic that reads: Join our Alumni Advisory Group - We're looking for passionate people with recent lived experience of prison education to help shape the future of PET. Find out more: prisonerseducation.org.uk/volunteer
We’re looking for passionate people with lived experience of prison education to join our Alumni Advisory Group - to help shape our strategy, strengthen our policy work, and keep learners at the centre of everything we do.
Find out how to join here: https://ow.ly/UkbN50YibZa
"What I saw during my session was inspirational. It was a reminder that books can be a gateway to a different life for all of us"
Really positive reflections from poet and novelist @timrelf.bsky.social on a session he ran in a prison library.
Due to a focus on reading by the prison inspectorate and Ofsted, progress is being made on literacy in prisons. But new education contracts have now cut education provision across the board
@jonbcollins.bsky.social @prisonersed.bsky.social
Our CEO, Jon Collins, has written for FE Week on why we should be building on the positive signs of progress in prison education, not cutting courses and making staff redundant.
https://ow.ly/QL5G50Y8Klm
Text reads: "This year, The Reading Agency will launch Quick Reads as audiobooks for the first time, as well as giving half a million Quick Reads books to prisons across the UK. All Quick Read titles “go through a rigorous accessibility review process, including testing for readability, concentration, and suitability for adults rebuilding reading confidence”, according to the charity."
According to an article in the Guardian today, the @readingagency.bsky.social is planning to distribute half a million of their 'Quick Reads' books to prisons in the UK this year.
www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...
This article is a demonstration of the benefits of diverting young people away from from the justice system.
Would anyone be any better off if Sajid Javid and his brother had been charged and funnelled into, rather than away from, the justice system?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Handwritten postcard that reads: "My distance learning course has been helping me to grow what I need knowledge wise to be able to gain the future I want. It has also been teaching me why I have had addiction in the past. Even though moving prisons recently has been stressful I feel my studying has helped me to keep a level head and reminded me of why my future will be better than my past."
It's the UNESCO International Day of Education. In just a few words, Vanessa - who started a counselling course with PET last year - shows why education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility.
Probably a good time to reshare 'Getting Connected', our recent @prisonersed.bsky.social briefing on digital learning in prisons.
prisonerseducation.org.uk/2025/12/gett...
Handwritten postcard that reads: "This course has helped me a lot in prison, it has helped with my purpose, focus, and helped me develop my confidence in my own ability. I now have the confidence I can move to my next goal of completing AAT Accounting and know I will succeed."
We always love getting postcards from learners letting us know how they're getting on with their course.
Barry is taking his Bookkeeping Certificate with PET - the start of his journey to becoming a freelance accountant.
"We must properly fund prison education. Some institutions face cuts of up to 60% in their education provision. That’s not just short-sighted, it’s self-defeating."
Very good article on the importance of literacy and prison education by @pauldaviesmp.bsky.social.
politicsuk.com/literacy-beh...
Good to see the author Lee Child promoting the importance of literacy work in prisons, and the work he’s doing with the MP Paul Davies.
www.thetimes.com/uk/get-brita...
But a lot of literacy and reading work is funded via the Dynamic Purchasing System and its budget has been cut from £14.1m in 2022-23, to £12.7m in 2024-25 to £12m this year (alongside cuts to core funding). With less funding, it'll get harder and harder to sustain and build on progress.
Good to see this @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social follow-up report on reading in prisons. It's a really important issue where I think pressure from HMIP, Ofsted and others is beginning to make a difference.
hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmipris_repo...
I'm sure my kids *never* do that now (I don't track them, so they could basically be anywhere with a phone signal).
And I can also remember one mortifying occasion when my dad, pre-mobiles, used '1471' to call back and check I was where I said I was. Still embarrassed, 35 yrs later.
Don't disagree but having a phone can also give more freedom - eg my kids can easily let me know they're going to a friend's after school and staying for dinner w/o planning in advance. Without that, I think it'd be fair to be worried if your 13 yo wasn't home from school by 8pm!
Do you think that West Ham fans who pushed David Moyes out are regretting it yet?
I’m really looking forward to this new BBC1 TV drama on teaching philosophy in prison, based on Andy West’s brilliant book ‘The Life Inside’.
insidetime.org/comment/wait...
Good to see the @i-m-b.bsky.social highlighting the impact that cuts to prison education budgets are having. Lots of really worrying examples in their letter, including cuts to vocational training and support for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities.
imb.org.uk/news/concern...
This is a positive initiative by @pauldavieswxm.bsky.social and the author Lee Child to promote literacy in prisons.
I also really like this quote from Lee Child, "Ideally, what we wanted to do was make everybody’s day a little bit easier in the prison world".
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Love the advent calendar quiz, as always. It's the most depressing quiz out there. But what happened to day 9?!
This is a really good blog by my colleague @cassieedmiston.bsky.social on our new briefing on access to digital devices and the internet in prison, highlighting the progress made but also the ongoing digital divide between what's available in prison and in the community.
Handwritten quote that reads “PET has laid the foundations for my future aspirations and given me the confidence to dream and succeed. Thank you! 😊”
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge - we've raised a record £46,819 so far!
The appeal is open until midday tomorrow - every donation means more people in prison can gain qualifications and build towards a brighter future: https://bit.ly/PET-BigGive-2
We have reached our @biggive.bsky.social target!! A huge, huge thank you to the 115 people who have donated. We are very grateful for your support.
Like every other charity on Bluesky, we're taking part in the Big Give.
So if you'd like to support PET's work now's the time as any donations between now and midday on Tuesday will be *DOUBLED*.
bit.ly/PET-BigGive-3
