To watch a current HoESW talk about their day-to-day role and experience of moving out of mainstream education sector into education in prisons, please follow the links below:

Want to teach inside a prison? Head of Education, Skills and Work - YouTube

Applications can be considered for full time or part time working patterns, to be discussed at interview/offer. We cannot guarantee all flexible working patterns options can be accommodated.

Background to the Role

The reoffending rate has remained broadly static at around 29% since 2010. Reoffending is costing society approximately £18bn per year and almost half of all prisoners reoffend within 12 months of release.  

The Prisons Strategy White Paper was published in December 2021. As part of the paper, MOJ and HMPPS committed to:  

"A new Prisoner Education Service, to make sure offenders can improve their basic literacy and numeracy, as well as acquire further vocational qualifications, like construction and computing, making them more employable when they leave prison." 

The Accelerator project will play a key role in meeting this commitment. The project seeks to work with  prisons to reduce reoffending and improve outcomes for prisoners and prison leavers. 

As part of this we are introducing a new role: Head of Education, Skills and Work within prisons. 

This is an exciting opportunity to work within a prison and be responsible for the whole of education, skills and work.

Overview of the Job  

This is a functional management job within an establishment.   

Responsible for delivering high-quality education, skills and work provision, in line with prisoner need and aligned with regional, national and Ofsted standards and frameworks, to support prisoners into employment upon release.       

This is either an operational or non-operational job with line management responsibilities. If operational, please see technical requirements.   

Summary of the role

The job holder will be responsible for setting and leading the strategic direction for all of education, skills and work within the prison. This will involve developing a coherent approach to all areas of “Education, Skills and Work”, ensuring that sequencing of activities is purposeful and directed towards maximising prisoners’ opportunities to access employment, education and training on release.   

The job holder must ensure that all Education, Skills and Work activities are structured around the 5 pillars of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, supporting other function heads within the prison to maximise this approach in areas of prisoner residence and social interaction.    

They will work with education providers, prison industries and local private enterprise to make the most appropriate use of workshops and all other prisoner places of work, providing prisoners with the learning and skills required to compete for and achieve employment within the local labour market.    

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the job holder will contribute and implement their Function’s objectives as defined in the establishment’s Business Plan. 

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

Responsible for setting and leading the strategic direction for all of education, skills and work within the establishment.   Responsible for creating effective approaches to learning and teaching in line with HMPPS’ education vision and values, as well as regional and national directives and developing a coherent, evidence-based, strategy for all education, skills and work so that the learning, skills and qualifications gained in prison work to maximise opportunities for employment on release.Responsible for delivery of the following related functions/pathways in a prison in line with national frameworks and guidance, and in a way which meets user needs. This will include, but not be limited to, Education, Neurodiversity, Employment on release, Work in Prison/Industries, Farming & Gardens.   Work in strategic partnership with the Head of Reducing Reoffending and other Head of Functions across each of their respective responsibilities to maximise education, skills and work opportunities, to reduce reoffending and support with effective prisoner resettlement.   Work with the Governing Governor to maximise Release on Temporary License (ROTL): and develop strategy to support higher volumes of prison leavers into employment on release.  Responsible for managing the quality of education, skills and work (ESW) provision using Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework criteria, including providing guidance and expertise to the prison’s senior leadership team to ensure the requirements of Ofsted’s inspection framework are prioritised.   Responsible for leading on inspections, including preparation, and driving forward the delivery of actions arising from them. This includes Standard Audit, Her Majesty Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), OFSTED/Estyn, Action Plans and Managing Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) surveys.  Responsible for ensuring that a culture of employment is maintained within the prison, and responsible for prisoner outcomes in relation to employment post release.   Responsibility for guiding the Prison Employment Lead (PEL) to embed this culture, utilising the Employment Hub (EH) and maximising the prison’s relationships with New Futures Network, Probation service, Community Rehabilitation Service providers and other education/employment stakeholders and networks who support prison leavers.  Responsible for ensuring the delivery of Prison Industries, Retail, Catering & PE Services (IRCPE), New Futures Network and local private enterprise work within prison workshops.   Responsible for the line management and development of staff within the function, including creating a culture of high expectations and taking appropriate action when performance is unsatisfactory.   

Dependant on operational accreditation, will undertake some or all other operational management tasks including, but not exclusively:   

Acting as the Governor's representative by chairing adjudications and taking charge of day-to-day establishment operations as Duty Governor.  Promoting the Prison Service policy in all activities and behaviours e.g., promote diversity, decency, safety, diversity and inclusion and reducing re-offending agendas.     

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive.  

The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.   

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.   

Behaviours

Leadership  Working Together  Changing and Improving  Making Effective Decisions  

Experience

Experience of operating at a middle or senior level in a Primary, Secondary, or Post-16/Adult education setting; including community and voluntary sectors. Detailed knowledge of OFSTED/Estyn’s EIF (Education Inspection Framework) and further education and skills criteria.  Experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders including senior leaders, external organisations, staff and students. Significant experience of developing and delivering effective and engaging curricula for a wide range of learners. Experience of using data to set clear education outcomes and monitor progress towards these. Experience of implementing change within an educational context.  Knowledge and understanding of how Ofsted/Estyn’s Education Inspection Framework apply to a prison setting. Knowledge and understanding of OFSTED/Estyn’s further education and skills criteria for prisoners with Additional Learning Needs and how these apply in the prison context. Experience of implementing strategies to support learners secure meaningful ‘next steps’ (e.g. further training, employment). 

Please note: role holders may be required to complete further training once they take up post. 

Technical Requirements

PGCE, Cert Ed or Level 5 in Education and Training.

If Operational  

Must be successfully accredited by passing the Head of Function Assessment Centre (HFAC), or prior to 2016 be accredited as an Operational Manager (or in post as a G5 prior to 1999).  

Where HFAC accreditation was gained from 2018, the Incident Management Silver Command (IMSC) assessment must also be passed to be eligible for operational Head of Function roles.  

Successful completion of the workbook.  When transferring to a Young Persons establishment the job holder will be required to successfully undertake an assessment to demonstrate suitability to work with Young People.  

Ability

Demonstrable evidence of innovation and impact in an educational context.  Strong written and excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.