Prisoners Education Trust

13/06/2026

A story of rehabilitation of every kind.

18 homing pigeons rescued by the RSPCA are now being cared for by women at HMP/YOI Foston Hall.

They've joined around 40 pigeons already in the prison’s care.

Women at the prison help to care for the birds and maintain the pigeon loft as part of an animal care course, run by the prison’s education provider.

Here at PET, we've funded 12 people to study our Principles of British Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation course this year.

One learner said, "Thank you for all you do. I would not have afforded these study opportunities without you. They link to my eventual employment goals too, so definitely aiding rehabilitation."

Eighteen pigeons were rescued by the RSPCA after their previous owners could no longer care for them. Now they’re enjoying a new life behind bars – in a prison, where they’re free to fly.

09/06/2026

A quarter of planned prison education hours have been cut in public sector prisons in England. For women in prison, it's nearly a third.

Today the Welsh Affairs Committee has joined the call for the Ministry of Justice to immediately reverse these cuts.

The committee's new report - Jagged Justice: Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation in Wales - also makes the case for improving staff retention and increasing time out of cell to turn around a struggling system.

Population pressures, staffing challenges and overcrowding have undermined staff and prisoner safety and the effectiveness of rehabilitation across the prison estate in England and Wales, the Welsh Affairs Committeewarns in a report published today.

28/05/2026

Many people in prison struggle to read, impacting their ability to navigate daily life - often failed by mainstream education.

Prison can be an opportunity to put this right. Where prisons prioritise teaching people to read, it can be transformational - giving people the chance to engage positively with the regime, participate in training, keep in touch with their family and eventually find work.

If you work in a prison and want to find out how you can champion and support reading, sign up to this event in June. You'll hear from expert voices - including Sarah McKnight, HMPPS Deputy Director of Employment, Skills and Education, and Jayne Finlay, Lecturer in Librarianship at University of Sheffield - as part of the National Year of Reading 2026.

Learn, Share, Connect, Celebrate

26/05/2026

"Prison teachers operate at the intersection of education, rehabilitation and the criminal justice system, yet their voices are rarely central to discussions about reform."

This piece by prison tutor and doctoral student Tracy Littler is well worth a read. She's conducting research that explores the lived experience of prison educators. If we want prison education to succeed, we must first understand, support and value the people delivering it.

We talk about rehabilitation outcomes, but rarely about the prison educators delivering them

09/05/2026

We love this: the debut publication from prison reading campaign Bang Up Books, in collaboration with Koestler Arts.

All the writing comes from prisons across England and Wales and all 10,000 copies are being printed in prison too.

Better still, profits go to the Samaritans to support their work in prisons - get your copy here 👇

Currently sold out! We'll be restocking very soon; please check again later. Once Upon A Time is the debut publication from Bang Up Books, a prison reading campaign. Described by one prison reader as “the book I would hand people to give them the full version of what it was like being inside so I ...

07/05/2026

We've answered 89 calls in two weeks on our Advice Line - our busiest fortnight ever!

A huge thank you to our inspiring team of advisers who have been giving people advice and guidance on studying in prison since the free service launched in 2020.

Bryan, who's gained three health and safety qualifications with PET, sums up the impact:

"I have used PET Advice Line twice recently and found the advisors really helpful and friendly, thank you. I feel PET courses have given me hope and have transformed my prison journey. Thank you!"

06/05/2026

More than 12 million people in the UK have a criminal record.

But new research from Working Chance shows that more than half of HR leaders do not feel confident recruiting and supporting people with convictions - with a third saying that they've faced pushback against inclusive hiring and other EDI initiatives in the past year.

That needs to change: work is one of the best ways of preventing people from returning to the criminal justice system.

That's why charities like Working Chance, Unlock - for people with criminal records and Clean Sheet - working every day to break down these barriers - matter so much.

What do you think it would take to shift this?

Exclusive: Resistance to equity, diversity and inclusion drives affects hiring chances of people with convictions, says charity

27/04/2026

Has the London Marathon inspired your next challenge? Sign up today for the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 11 October and raise vital funds for PET! 🏃‍♂️

Learning with PET helps people in prison restore hope and gain vital skills for release. Register here ⬇️

Run the Royal Parks Half for Prisoners' Education Trust to give people in prison the opportunity to gain vital skills and qualifications.

15/04/2026

There’s still time to sign up to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon with PET in October!

The money you raise will help people in prison to build brighter futures through education.

Sign up today to make a difference: https://ow.ly/RGqA50YINJY

07/04/2026

Important reporting from Inside Time here: women in prison will bear the brunt of cuts in education provision.

While the planned hours of education in public sector prisons in England have been cut by 25%, the 10 women’s prisons included in the Ministry of Justice data show a steeper average decline of 30%.

Tailored, face-to-face teaching is vital for women in prison to build confidence, gain qualifications and prepare for release. A reduction in teaching time of this scale will inevitably mean far fewer women can access education that meets their needs.

We urge the government to rethink these cuts.

Women in prison will bear the brunt of cuts in education provision, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice. Data covering 94 prisons in England and Wales show that the number of teaching…