HMP Acklington Reinspection - Inside Time

Reinspection report: HMP Acklington Reinspection, 20 February 2008 8 of 14Employability and vocational training9. The good achievement in employability qualifications identified at the previous inspectionhas been maintained. A high proportion of the provision shows good or better successrates. In many courses, success rates are 90-100%.10. Offenders develop useful employability and work skills through their involvement in agood range of activities, courses and programmes. The accountancy and businessenterprise course is particularly beneficial to learners planning to move into selfemploymenton release. Learners gain high skill levels in bricklaying and engineering.The engineering workshop provides an outstanding example of real work activityproducing products for the prison and the external market. The woodwork shop has lost itsoriginal funding but continues to manufacture quality products, such as benches for thelocal council parks. The work ethic and housekeeping across work activities are good.11. Attendance is now monitored and any absenteeism is investigated. However, in someclasses attendance is low and there are a number of vacancies in industries particularly thetailoring workshop.Literacy, numeracy and language support12. Achievement has improved since the previous inspection. Almost all learners whocomplete their programmes achieve their qualification or learning goals. Since August2007 to the date of the reinspection, 83% of learners overall achieved their qualification orlearning goals, 84% in accredited provision and 78% in non-accredited provision.Retention is good. The focus on achievement of qualifications has increased. Learnershave regular weekly access to testing on demand. Most learners make good progress.They show good levels of engagement and concentration in class and make pertinentcontributions during class activities.13. During the inspection, some poor patterns of attendance were noted in sampled classregisters. Classes were late starting on both afternoons of the inspection.Personal and social development14. Overall achievement and retention on personal and social skills courses is satisfactory.Many learners have not yet completed their courses and it is too soon to judgeachievement. However, since August 2007, 37% have achieved and 50% are still inlearning on the creative crafts course. All learners achieved the heartstart first aid unit andpersonal money management course. Success rates on the level 2 open college network(OCN) cookery unit are low. Only four out of the nine learners that started achieved theunit.Teaching, training and learningEmployability and vocational training15. The prison has effectively introduced the use of individual learning plans across alllearning and skills activities. Learners in industries have clear and detailed trainingrecords that document their progress and skill development. An overall learning plan,