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Managers and staff of literacy and numeracy programmes in prisons had not been

eligible to attend the events organised for colleges and other providers during 

2001-02. The AoC was, however, aware that many prisoners had difficulties with

literacy and numeracy and that challenging targets for achievements had been set by

the PLSU of the DfES. A separate strand of the BSQI training and development

programme was designed and delivered to staff in prisons through six events in June

and July 2002, at venues in London and the North, Midlands and South of England.

These events were the first of their kind for the prison education service. As with

earlier events for colleges and others, the presence of senior staff was seen to be

important. The target group for the events was therefore heads of inmate activities 

or heads of regimes, education managers, and literacy, numeracy and ESOL

co-ordinators. The events were designed to enable prisons to bring about significant

improvements in their capacity to develop and manage high-quality basic skills

provision by:

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Raising awareness of what constitutes high quality in all aspects of literacy and

numeracy provision, including structures, processes and curriculum framework

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Helping prisons identify areas of basic skills which need improvement and

strategies for bringing about the improvements they wish to make

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Helping prison education services identify ways of making the most effective 

use of the BSQI materials

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Enabling each organisational team to begin, consolidate or further develop the

process of review and action planning

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Providing opportunities for developing an effective team approach to raising 

the quality of basic skills provision within each prison

Two hundred and sixty delegates, from 101 establishments took part in the

programme, which was adapted from the successful BSQI training and development

events. Forty-four of the prisons sent teams of three or more participants. A number of

staff from the PLSU attended parts of the programme and participated in groups.

The events were based on a model known to be successful, with which the tutors

were familiar and confident. The programme started with an introduction to the aims

of the event and a resume of the BSQI. Delegates were told that the work with prisons

was a major aspect of the BSQI and it was set clearly within the context of the

programme. Participants then received information on the national context for

improving literacy and numeracy, and on the role, remit and work of the PLSU.

Participants then worked in their home groups, focusing on their own organisations.

They reviewed and planned for improvement in basic skills provision. In the final

major session of the programme, the teams of participants presented their plans to

other teams in a small group.

Prison education events

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The events were attended by a total of 57 managers. Feedback was positive with 50%

of participants rating the events as ‘very informative’ and 91% as informative or 

very informative. 

Comments from participants included;

I enjoyed the event. I can take away an action plan and targets

for improvement.

Lots of useful information. The aims of the event were met.

Thank you for an informative and relevant event.

Very enjoyable and also thought-provoking.

The tutors were excellent and there were good guidelines on

good practice.

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Other BSQI strands of activity

The BSQI training and development programme was one of three strands comprising

the BSQI. An outline of the other two strands is provided below, with a focus on how

they were integrated successfully with the programme.

Strand 1 – the BSQI materials

During 2000-2001, the BSQI organised the production of a set of staff and organisational

development materials. The materials were drawn from 28 providers with current good

practice and were selected to represent the range of providers funded by the FEFC. 

The prime purpose of the materials was to help providers think about the processes

involved in raising the quality and capacity of their basic skills provision. 

The materials were not meant to represent complete documents; rather, they were

extracts and samples. A significant feature of the early residential events was to

introduce providers to the published materials and to explain how they could be used.

Though participants in later events also found them useful, it was acknowledged that

they did not take account of the new literacy and numeracy curricula. 

In 2001 the materials were revised to make them appropriate for use by work-based

learning providers and some additional material was added. These revised materials

were published in December 2001 and distributed to those work-based learning

providers of literacy, numeracy and language (ESOL) funded by the national LSC, and

to others on request.

Strand 2 – facilitators 

Strand two of the BSQI involved the training of facilitators to support providers in

the use of the materials. Since the summer of 2000, more than 150 facilitators have

worked on the BSQI. They had previously completed a briefing, training and

assessment event designed to familiarise them with the materials and to prepare

them to support providers in using the materials to improve their  literacy, numeracy

and language (ESOL) provision. 

It was expected that the facilitators would encounter providers at varying stages 

in the development of a high-quality approach to basic literacy, numeracy and

language (ESOL). The facilitators’ role included helping providers to review

provision, and giving advice on effective improvement planning.

Funding was made available to providers to purchase the services of a facilitator and to

release staff to work on achieving the aims of the BSQI. Facilitators were assigned to

more than 550 providers of literacy, numeracy and ESOL. They reported that they

found it more effective to work with providers who had attended a BSQI residential

event than with those that had not. In 2002-2003, the funding within the Learning and

Skills Standards Fund was changed so that it was no longer ring-fenced for the use of

specific activities such as the use of the BSQI facilitators although it was still potentially

available through the Local Standards Fund. Facilitators have reported that their use by

providers reduced significantly during 2002.

It was clear that the group assembled, that included senior staff responsible to the

Home Office, education staff responsible to the DfES and education deliverers

responsible for the education contract, had never had the opportunity to plan and

work together on literacy, numeracy and language (ESOL) before.

During the event, participants had opportunities to consider their provision in the

areas covered by the BSQI materials. They worked with the materials and developed

their familiarity with them. Time was allocated for each team to reflect on the

implications for their organisation of the issues that are raised. An experienced tutor

led each home group.

The Director of curriculum and quality and the small team of consultants who

planned and delivered the events were enthusiastic about the work and committed to

its success. They welcomed and enjoyed the challenge of working with a new group

of participants. The team of tutors at each event comprised four knowledgeable and

experienced consultants, supported by the director of curriculum and quality at the

AoC, who acted as chair. The administrator, who had organised all of the events, 

was present at each of them.

The events were particularly successful, with participants rating them highly. 

Only three of the 260 participants found the events to be uninformative.

A major contribution to the success of the events was the careful and detailed

consultation and information gathering which took place in the planning phase. 

As a result of this planning, very few changes were made to the programme as the

events took place. Tutors were well briefed. The manager and staff of the PLSU were

supportive and helpful in gaining the support of potential participants, taking part 

in the invitation process and contributing to the events.

Participants’ views on the events

Participants particularly valued the home groups, where they could work with 

other members of their team and also share ideas and information with other teams.

They welcomed the positive focus on action planning which started from where 

they were and resulted in an action plan which they could take back to their

establishments. They also appreciated what they perceived to be the well-informed

support of the tutors.

Those participants who benefited most from attending an event had a senior manager

as part of their team, had read the invitation letter and came to the event with a

genuine desire to improve their provision.

Participants rated the venues and the administrative arrangements for the events very

highly.

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