Official Statistics

Prison Education and Accredited Programme Statistics 2023 to 2024

Updated 20 November 2024

Applies to England and Wales

1. Main Points

Across public prisons in England, 47,712 prisoners completed an initial maths and/or English assessment	Of these prisoners, 44,508 took at least one maths assessment and 44,777 took at least one English assessment.
Prisoners took a total of 45,054 maths and 45,454 English initial assessments[footnote 1] across all levels	Most initial assessment results were at Entry level 1 – Entry level 3, comprising 73% of maths and 71% of English results across public prisons in England.
Where known, over half (55%) of prisoners who took an initial assessment and then enrolled on a course had a learning difficulty/disability (LDD), across public prisons in England	This varied by ethnicity and was highest for prisoners from white ethnic groups (58%) and lowest for those from the Asian/Asian British ethnic group (40%).
Across public prisons in England, 49,965 prisoners participated in courses and 45,289 prisoners achieved in a course[footnote 2]	Where known, 55% of prisoners who participated, and 55% of prisoners who achieved in a course, had an LDD confirmed through a screener.
Across public prisons in England, 21,781 prisoners participated in functional skills courses[footnote 3] from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Over the same time period 17,176 prisoners achieved in a functional skills course	Half or more functional skills learners participated in English (52%) and maths (50%), compared to a lower proportion participating in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (14%) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (8%).
The number of starts for Accredited Programmes in custody increased	From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, there were 5,382 Accredited Programme starts, a 12% increase when compared with the previous 12-month period.
The number of completions for Accredited Programmes in custody increased	From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, 4,886 accredited programmes were completed by prisoners, representing an increase of 18% compared with the previous 12-month period.
Two new programme categories have been introduced, for Mixed Cohort and Next Generation programmes	In the year ending March 2024, there were 92 starts for Mixed Cohort programmes and 53 completions. There were 44 starts and 14 completions for Next Generation programmes.

This publication covers the following reporting, for the 2023/24 financial year:

1) Initial assessment, participation, and achievement for prisoner education in public prisons in England, based on data from CURIOUS and the HMPPS Performance Hub, reporting.

2) Accredited programmes stats and completions data, collected monthly from each prison establishment and collated centrally on the HMPPS Performance Hub

The technical guide for the Prison Education Statistics and Accredited Programmes Statistics, March 2023 to April 2024 can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f3fcb5080bdf716392e886/Prison_Education_and_Accredited_Programme_Statistics_2023_-_2024_-_Technical_Guide.pdf

For other feedback related to the content of this publication, please let us know at SUEPer_stats@justice.gov.uk

2. Statistician’s Comment

There was a slight increase in the volume of prisoners taking maths and English initial assessments in the year ending March 2024, compared to the previous year. Most initial assessment outcomes were at Entry levels 1-3 for both maths and English. Over half of prisoners who took an initial assessment and went on to enrol on a course had a learning difficulty/disability (LDD). The volume of prisoners participating in both education courses overall, and in functional skills courses, also increased slightly.

The number of prisoners starting and completing accredited programmes increased for a third year running and participation has nearly reached pre-COVID levels.

3. Introduction

This publication covers both prisoner education and accredited programme participation in custody. Prison education is an important part of any prison’s regime. Improving prisoner literacy and numeracy, providing vocational training, and other opportunities for personal development can give prisoners the knowledge and skills they need to get jobs on release and turn away from crime. Prison education is proven to have a positive impact; prisoners who engage with prison education are less likely to reoffend.^{[footnote 4]} Programme accreditation is a separate system for ensuring that behavioural intervention and other similar types of programmes offered to offenders, which aim to reduce reoffending, have a proper theoretical basis and are designed in accordance with the ‘What Works’ literature^{[footnote 5]}. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) commission a range of accredited programmes varying in complexity, and mode of delivery. Programmes have been developed to target the risks and needs for distinct types of offending behaviour.

In 2016, responsibility for the budget which was used to commission most prison education in England moved from the Department of Education to the Ministry of Justice, and in 2019 new education contracts were established. This reformed system moved decision-making on prison education closer to prison governors, who would be free to commission the education needed via two complementary frameworks - the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). PEF provision includes a core curriculum of English, maths, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), whereas DPS provision is more niche and flexible, designed to allow governors to commission bespoke shorter-term provision, including careers guidance and sector-specific training such as roofing, or rail construction based on identified job market needs. Governors may use these complementary systems to make informed decisions on the education provided in their individual prison.

This publication includes data on prisoners’ initial English and maths levels on arrival and numbers participating and achieving in education courses, including functional skills (English, maths, ICT and ESOL) courses. These data are not a full picture of prison education – delivery outside of the primary PEF contracts, including some DPS provision, may not be captured in this report.

The methodology used to produce the education statistics presented in this report has been updated for 2023/24, to improve the quality and consistency of data. This includes excluding privately run and Welsh establishments, as well as establishments from the youth estate. Private prisons sit outside of PEF, the youth estate has different education processes, and prison education is a devolved matter in Wales. These establishment types are therefore out of scope for this report. Due to the removal of these establishment types, volumes of learners included in the report may reduce.

The previously published 2022/23 tables have also been revised using the new methodology and are provided as supplementary tables. Comparisons drawn within this report compare data from 2023/24 to the revised 2022/23 data. Further methodological changes are described in Chapter 1 and 2 of this report, as well as the accompanying Technical Guide.

Statistics on accredited programmes previously published in the HMPPS Annual Digest are now included in this publication. Further demographic breakdowns for accredited programmes data will continue to be released as part of the HMPPS Annual Offender Equalities Report^{[footnote 6]}.

More information on the major caveats of this publication can be found in the technical guidance published alongside this report or in the footnotes of the relevant data tables.

4. 1. Initial assessments for maths and English

Across public prisons in England, 47,712 prisoners completed an initial maths and/or English assessment	Of these prisoners, 44,508 took at least one maths assessment and 44,777 took at least one English assessment.
Prisoners took a total of 45,054 maths and 45,454 English initial assessments[footnote 7] across all levels	Most initial assessment results were at Entry level 1 – Entry level 3, comprising 73% of maths and 71% of English results across public prisons in England. A further 21% of maths initial assessment results, and 23% of English initial assessment results, were at Level 1.
Where known, over half (55%) of prisoners who took an initial assessment and then enrolled on a course had a learning difficulty/disability (LDD), across public prisons in England	This varied by ethnicity and was highest for prisoners from white ethnic groups (58%) and lowest for those from the Asian/Asian British ethnic group (40%).

In the year ending 31 March 2024, 47,712 prisoners completed an initial assessment which was registered on the CURIOUS system^{[footnote 8]}. Initial assessments are taken before prisoners engage in learning and are separate to the courses discussed in chapter 2 of this report. Tables 1.1-1.4 accompanying this publication contain information on these initial assessments.

In the year ending March 2024, 44,508 prisoners took maths initial assessments, a 3% increase compared to 43,211 in the previous year. In the same year, 44,777 prisoners took English initial assessments, a 3% increase compared to 43,589 in the previous year.^{[footnote 9]}

In total, there were 45,054 maths and 45,454 English initial assessments, across all levels, in the year ending 31 March 2024. A prisoner can take more than one assessment in each subject per year, and these assessments can have the same or a different grade. Only one assessment per prisoner, per grade, is counted in this total. Therefore, it is possible that the total number of initial assessments is higher than the number of prisoners reported, due to prisoners taking multiple assessments with different grades per year. It is also possible that there may be more initial assessments than this due to prisoners taking multiple assessments with the same grade per year.

Initial assessments provide an indication of someone’s levels of English and maths (see table below).

Figure 1.1: Assessment or course level alongside examples of what each level is equivalent to.

Initial assessment level / Course level	Example[footnote 10]
Entry levels 1 - 3	Entry level functional skills Entry level English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
Level 1	GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G Level 1 functional skills Level 1 ESOL
Level 2	GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C Level 2 functional skills Level 2 ESOL
Level 3	A Level (Advanced Level) Level 3 ESOL Level 3 NVQ (National Vocational Qualification)
Level 4 - 8	All higher-level courses

Characteristics of prisoners taking initial assessments

The majority of initial assessment outcomes (73% of maths and 71% of English) were at Entry levels 1-3 (Figure 1.2). This was common across most demographic groups with the following exceptions:

• A higher proportion (88%) of assessments for female prisoners and a lower proportion (65%) of assessment for prisoners without an LDD for maths were at Entry levels 1-3.

• A higher proportion (78%) of assessments for female prisoners and prisoners from the “other” ethnic group for English were at Entry levels 1-3.

• A lower proportion (63%) of assessments for prisoners without an LDD and prisoners from the black/ African/ Caribbean/ black British ethnic group (62%) for English were at Entry levels 1-3.

Out of those assessed above Entry level 3, the majority of initial assessment outcomes were Level 1 (21% of maths and 23% of English); 6% of maths and 7% of English initial assessment outcomes were at Level 2 or above.

Figure 1.2: The number of maths and English initial assessments prisoners took, by outcome, for Public Prisons in England, 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 (Source: Table 1.1)

Out of all prisoners who had an initial assessment over the 12 months to 31st March 2024, 54% did not go on to enrol on a course in the same time period and so did not have available LDD data. Where known, 55% of prisoners who took an initial assessment and then enrolled on a course had a LDD and 45% did not.

The definition of prisoners marked as ‘No Learning Difficulty/Disability (LDD)’ has been revised for 2023/24; previously those without health data were marked as ‘No LDD’, whereas they are now categorised as ‘unknown’ LDD status. A new categorisation has also been added for those that did not appear in the enrolment data for the reporting year; these prisoners would previously have been marked as ‘no LDD’.

Proportions varied by ethnic group, with the highest rates of confirmed LDD among the white ethnic group (58%) and mixed or multiple ethnic group (54%).

Lower rates of confirmed LDD were observed in the remaining ethnic groups:

• 44% of black African, Caribbean, or black British ethnic group prisoners
• 43% of “other” ethnic group prisoners
• 42% of prisoners where ethnicity was unknown or not provided
• 40% of Asian or Asian British ethnic group prisoners

5. 2. Education participation and achievement

Across public prisons in England, 49,965 prisoners participated in courses and 45,289 prisoners achieved in a course[footnote 11]. Where known, over half (55%) of these prisoners had a learning difficulty/disability (LDD)	Where known, 55% of prisoners who participated, and 55% of prisoners who achieved in a course, had an LDD confirmed through a screener. Prisoners participating and achieving in courses were very similar to those taking initial assessments regarding spread of age, sex, LDD status, and ethnicity.
Across public prisons in England, 21,781 prisoners participated in functional skills courses[footnote 12] from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Over the same time period 17,176 prisoners achieved in a functional skills course	Half or more functional skills learners participated in English (52%) and maths (50%), compared to a lower proportion participating in ICT (14%) and ESOL (8%).

In the tables that accompany this bulletin, Table 2.1 contains statistics for prisoner participation in courses and Table 2.2 contains statistics for course achievement. These are different to initial assessments.

The total number of prisoners participating across all courses in the year ending March 2024 was 49,965. This was a 7% increase on the 46,679 prisoners participating in courses in the previous year. Course level information is only available for accredited education courses. On average, 77% of accredited courses that prisoners participated in were a course Level 1 or higher (23% were Entry level courses). A prisoner can enrol in more than one course, at more than one level, per year. Only one course per prisoner is counted at each level. Therefore, it is possible that the total number of courses is higher than the number of prisoners, due to prisoners taking multiple courses at different levels per year. It is also possible that there may be more courses than this due to prisoners taking multiple courses at the same level per year.

A total of 45,289 prisoners achieved a grade in the year ending March 2024, an increase of 14% compared with 39,843 in the previous year. On average, 77% of accredited courses that prisoners achieved were at Level 1 or higher (23% were Entry level courses).

Functional skills courses

Table 2.3 accompanying this publication shows participation and achievement in all functional skills courses. Functional skills courses are offered as part of the core curriculum. Functional skills courses include accredited English, maths, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. These provide the fundamental skills that people need for their working and personal lives. Prisoners can study for the qualifications in practical ways and apply core skills to real-life situations. A functional skills level 2 is equivalent to a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The method for identifying courses falling under the ‘functional skills’ category has been updated for 2023/24. Courses are identified based on the funding type, level, accreditation, and subject^{[footnote 13]}.

There were 21,781 prisoners participating in at least one functional course, and 17,176 prisoners who achieved a grade in one or more functional skills courses. There was a 5% increase in the number of prison learners participating in a functional skills course in the 12 months to 31st March 2024, compared to 20,648 prison learners in the 12 months leading to 31st March 2023. Over the same period, there was a 21% increase in prisoner learners achieving a full or partial grade in functional skills, compared with 14,245 prison learners in the previous year.

Half or more functional skills learners participated in English (52%) and maths (50%), compared to a lower proportion participating in ICT (14%) and ESOL (8%). The highest volume of learners participating in English and maths functional skills was at Entry level (5,724 and 5,609 prisoners, respectively).

The same trend was seen in functional skills achievement, with 52% of functional skills learners achieving in English, and 48% achieving in maths, compared to a lower proportion achieving in ICT (14%) and ESOL (8%). The highest volume of learners achieving in English and maths functional skills was at Entry level (4,650 and 4,848 prisoners, respectively).

6. Accredited programmes for offenders in custody

The number of starts for accredited programmes in custody increased	From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, there were 5,382 Accredited Programme starts, an 12% increase when compared with the previous 12-month period.
The number of completions[footnote 14] for accredited programmes in custody increased	From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, 4,886 accredited programmes were completed by prisoners, representing an increase of 18% compared with the previous 12-month period.
Two new programme categories have been introduced, for Mixed Cohort and Next Generation programmes	In the year ending March 2024, there were 92 starts for Mixed Cohort programmes[footnote 15] and 53 completions. There were 44 starts and 14 completions for Next Generation programmes[footnote 16].

Accreditation is a system for ensuring that intervention programmes offered to offenders, which aim to reduce reoffending, have a proper theoretical basis and are designed in accordance with the ‘What Works’ literature^{[footnote 17]}.

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) commission a range of accredited programmes^{[footnote 18]} that vary in length, complexity, and mode of delivery. Programmes have been developed to target the offender risks and needs for different types of offending. To achieve accreditation, programmes must be assessed to make sure they are targeting the right people, focusing on the right things, and being delivered in a way that is most likely to reduce reoffending. All HMPPS-commissioned accredited programmes are subject to quality assurance processes to ensure programme integrity is maintained and developed^{[footnote 19]}.

Accredited programme^{[footnote 20]} delivery volumes have been increasing since 2020/21 after a long-term downward trend since 2009/10 (Figures 3.1 and 3.2, Tables 3.1 to 3.3)

Programme delivery was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic^{[footnote 21]}, significantly contributing to the low levels of both starts and completions reported in 2020/21. Levels of starts and completions have continued to increase since this point. The number of starts and completions in 2023/24 increased by 12% and 18% respectively, compared with 2022/23, with delivery of programmes continuing to recover towards pre-pandemic levels.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, volumes of starts and completions fell steadily between 2009/10 and 2020/21. This was mainly due to changes in accredited programme delivery in custody, driven by changes in programme ownership and reinvestment favouring longer, higher intensity programmes (including some one-to-one programmes) rather than shorter, moderate intensity programmes. The number of commissioned completions has therefore decreased despite maintaining investment.

Responsibility for running substance misuse accredited programmes shifted from HMPPS to the National Health Service (NHS). As of 1 April 2011, local NHS partnerships assumed these responsibilities. The large decreases seen reflect the fact that more offenders are completing programmes run by the NHS, rather than HMPPS.

New programmes have been introduced between 2016/17 and 2023/24:

• Kaizen was introduced in 2017. Kaizen is a single model approach delivered to separate offending cohorts of either sexual offending (SO), interpersonal violence (IPV) or general violence (GV). Kaizen (SO) and Horizon have replaced all the delivery of Core and Extended Sex Offender Treatment Programmes in custody, with Kaizen also replacing the Self Change Programme (SCP) and Healthy Relationships Programme.

• Becoming New Me plus (BNM+) was also introduced as an alternative to the mainstream intervention Kaizen, replacing the former BNM (Becoming New Me) for sexual offending, and offering a learning difficulties and challenges approach for high intensity violence and interpersonal violence.

• New Me Strengths (NMS) was introduced as a single programme alternative to Thinking Skills Programme (TSP), Resolve, and Building Better Relationships (BBR), and replacing former Becoming New Me programme for sexual offending for those with learning difficulties and challenges.

• Mixed Cohort and Next Generation programmes are the latest programmes to be introduced. Mixed cohort BNM+ or NMS programmes are delivered to cohorts with a mix of violence, interpersonal violence or general offending needs, whilst Next Generation programmes have been rolled out across a small number of establishments in 2025.

This transition to newer programmes accounted for some of the decrease in sex offender treatment programmes since 2016/17.

Starts in HMPPS-commissioned accredited programmes delivered in custody rose by 12% (5,382 starts) in the year ending March 2024, when compared with the previous 12-months (4,820 starts) (Figure 3.1, Table 3.1).

Offending Behaviour Programmes (OBPs) made up the largest proportion of starts (77%), driven by a high volume of General Offending programme starts (63% of all starts). Volumes of starts in the OBP category were lower for violence programmes (7%), domestic violence programmes (5%) mixed cohort programmes^{[footnote 22]} (2%), and extremism programmes (less than 1% of the total volume of starts).

The programme type with the second highest volume of starts was Sexual Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTPs), comprising 21% of starts. Finally, Substance Misuse Programme (SMP) starts made up 2% of the total volume of starts, whilst Next Generation starts made up less than 1% of the total.

Figure 3.1: Number of starts^{[footnote 23]} for accredited programmes in custody, 12-months ending March 2010 to 12-months ending March 2024 (Source: Table 3.1)

During the latest year, volumes of accredited programme completions have continued to rise (Figure 3.2, Tables 3.2 and 3.3).

There were 4,886 completions in the year ending March 2024, up from 4,135 in the year ending March 2023, thus representing an increase of 18%.

Offending Behaviour Programmes (OBPs) made up the largest proportion of completions (76%), driven by a high volume of General Offending programme completions (63% of all completions). Volumes of completions in the OBP category were lower for violence programmes (6%), domestic violence programmes (5%) mixed cohort programmes^{[footnote 24]} (1%) and extremism programme completions (less than 1% of the total volume of completions).

The programme type with the second highest volume of completions was Sexual Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTPs), comprising 22% of completions. Finally, Substance Misuse Programme (SMP) completions made up 2% and Next Generation programmes made up 1% of the total volume of completions.

Figure 3.2: Number of completions^{[footnote 25]} for accredited programmes in custody, 12-months ending March 2010 to 12-months ending March 2024 (Source: Table 3.2)

7. Further information

General information about the official statistics system of the UK is available from: https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/about-the-authority/uk-statistical-system/

Accompanying files

The following products are published as part of this release:

• A statistical bulletin, containing commentary on key trends over time.

• A technical guide, providing further information on how the data are collected and processed.

• Two sets of tables covering key topic areas from all chapters of this bulletin.

• Supplementary tables showing revised 2022/23 Table 1.1-2.3 data.

Contact

Press enquiries should be directed as per the Ministry of Justice Press Enquiries webpage:

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/media-enquiries

Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to:

Laura Pearce, Responsible Statistician

Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ

E-mail: SUEPer_Stats@justice.gov.uk

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-education-and-accredited-programme-statistics

© Crown copyright

Produced by the Ministry of Justice

Alternative formats are available on request from SUEPer_stats@justice.gov.uk

1. This is the total number of distinct assessments across levels - prisoners may undertake each assessment more than once over a year. Prisoners are counted once for each distinct level of outcome they are assessed at and once in the totals. ↩

2. This total includes both accredited and non-accredited courses. ↩

3. Functional skills courses are defined as accredited courses, funded by the Prison Education Framework (PEF) that cover English, maths, ICT and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). ↩

4. Prisoner Outcomes data from 2017 – for more information see https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81c99840f0b6230269927f/pnc-ilr.pdf ↩

5. ‘What Works’ literature is a broad body of literature, an example of which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/offending-behaviour-programmes-and-interventions ↩

6. The HMPPS Annual Offender Equalities Report is published as part of this collection: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmpps-annual-offender-equalities-report ↩

7. This is the total number of distinct assessments across levels - prisoners may undertake each assessment more than once over a year. Prisoners are counted once for each distinct level of outcome they are assessed at and once in the totals. ↩

8. CURIOUS is the system used to record data about prison education, for more information please refer to the technical guide ↩

9. Figures for 2022/23 have been revised using the improved analytical methodology adopted for the 2023/24 edition of the report. The revised figures have been included within this report. To see 2022/23 figures produced using the previous methodology, please see the original 2022/23 tables available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6515a1e87c2c4a001395e1ee/Education_Publication_tables_2022_23.ods ↩

10. Further information on course levels can be found: https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels ↩

11. This total includes both accredited and non-accredited courses ↩

12. Functional skills courses are defined as accredited courses, funded by the Prison Education Framework (PEF) that cover English, maths, ICT and ESOL ↩

13. Figures for 2022/23 have been revised using the improved analytical methodology adopted for the 2023/24 edition of the report. The revised figures have been included within this report. To see 2022/23 figures produced using the previous methodology, please see the original 2022/23 tables available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6515a1e87c2c4a001395e1ee/Education_Publication_tables_2022_23.ods ↩

14. Total volumes over the financial year for starts and completions will not necessarily match. This is because a prisoner who completed in the current financial year might have started the programme in previous years. ↩

15. Mixed Cohort programmes include Mixed Cohort New Me Strengths and Mixed Cohort Becoming New Me Plus. They are delivered to a cohort of prisoners with a mix of offence related needs, rather than to one specific offence cohort. ↩

16. ‘Building Choices’ has been accredited for use as part of the Design and Testing phases of the Next Generation of Accredited Programmes change programme. Currently, the new programme is undergoing a Design Test at three prisons and has been accredited for those prison sites only. Building Choices is offered in two “pathways” - Moderate and High Intensity – with eligibility determined by an assessment for risk and need. For more information, see the accompanying Technical Guide. ↩

17. ‘What Works’ literature is a broad body of literature, one example of which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/offending-behaviour-programmes-and-interventions ↩

18. A complete list of accredited programmes for offenders in custody can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64085767e90e0740d3cd6fa3/HMPPS_Accredited_Programmes.docx ↩

19. Details around the accreditation process can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/offending-behaviour-programmes-and-interventions##accreditation ↩

20. In this publication, programmes are grouped into one of eight categories: Domestic Violence, Extremism, General Offending, Mixed Cohort, Next Generation, Sexual Offending, Substance Misuse or Violence. For monitoring purposes, the higher-level programme type ‘Offender Behaviour Programmes’ (OBPs) in custody includes completions from the domestic violence, mixed cohort, violence and general offending categories but excludes next generation, sexual offender treatment and substance misuse programmes, which are reported separately. ↩

21. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted accredited programme delivery. Delivery was mostly paused in March 2020 and, where delivery was able to resume under safe systems of work and infection control, it was limited to one-to-one or small group provision. ↩

22. Figures for Mixed Cohort New Me Strengths were revised for 2022/23, as they were placed into the General Offending programme type category. In the current 2023/24 financial year, a new programme type called “Mixed Cohort Programmes” has been introduced, and 16 starts from the New Me Strengths programme as categorised under “General Offending” in 2022/23, have been moved into the new programme type category this year. ↩

23. Start volumes presented in this graph exclude Next Generation programmes, as they have not been rolled out across all prison estates and are being piloted at this stage. Mixed Cohort programmes have been counted under the Offender Behaviour Programme category. ↩

24. Figures for Mixed Cohort New Me Strengths were revised for 2022/23. They were originally placed into the General Offending programme type category for 2022/23. In the current 2023/24 financial year, a new programme type called “Mixed Cohort Programmes” has been introduced, and 11 completions from the New Me Strengths programme as categorised under “General Offending” in 2022/23, have been moved into the new programme type category this year. ↩

25. Completion volumes presented in this graph exclude Next Generation programmes, as they have not been rolled out across all prison estates. Mixed Cohort programmes have been counted under the Offender Behaviour Programme category. ↩