HMP Oakwood, which is operated by G4S, is ‘a benchmark for what a category C training prison should be and can be’, according to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) in a report published today.

HMIP said that Oakwood is ‘atypical, bucking trends in challenging times for the prison system’ and that it ‘has a sense of purpose, its leaders are visible and capable, and staff are committed and content.’ They added that ‘support to help prisoners maintain family ties was some of the best we have seen in a men’s prison.’

The prison achieved the highest score possible ‘good’ across three of HMIP’s four key metrics: safety, respect and purposeful activity. Preparation for release was assessed as being ‘reasonably good’. Inspectors detailed 16 examples of notable positive practice during their visit which other prisons may be able to learn from or replicate, the report said.

Sean Oliver, Director of HMP Oakwood, said:

“We are really pleased that HMIP has recognised the good work being done by staff, partners, agencies  and prisoners at Oakwood, all of which is underpinned by our community ethos and focus on respect and decency. We have worked hard over many years to continually improve Oakwood in delivering meaningful purposeful activity and rehabilitation.

“Our priority will always be to provide a safe environment for prisoners and staff so that we can deliver interventions that help prisoners change their lives.”

Safety

HMIP viewed that prisoners at HMP Oakwood ‘lived in a supportive environment where most felt safe and were able to obtain help from staff or other prisoners.’ It noted that violence remained low compared to similar prisons and had decreased over the last year, and there was very little serious violence against staff.

Oakwood’s approach to promoting good behaviour is described as ‘exceptionally effective’, with particular praise given to its peer-led initiatives. ‘Peer workers told us that carrying out such meaningful and rewarding roles made them feel valued and encouraged them to behave well’, the report reads. 

Respect

Inspectors viewed staff-prisoner relationships as good and said this was underpinned by a community ethos. They picked up on a respectful and inclusive culture and saw that staff ‘were visible on the wings and engaged with prisoners well.’

The report singles out the prison’s media hub, which not only employs prisoners to produce high-quality video briefings and podcasts, but is also an ‘excellent facility for keeping prisoners informed’ via the dedicated Oakwood TV channel.

Inspectors were impressed that a range of celebratory and educational events such as Black History Month, Diabetes Awareness and Pride were ‘organised, hosted and attended by both staff and prisoners.’

Purposeful activity 

The report notes that 95% of prisoners were engaged in purposeful activity and that ‘almost all prisoners could spend at least eight hours out of their cells each day, including at weekends.’

On education, skills and work provision specifically, which is assessed by Ofsted, Oakwood was rated good across all four categories measured, Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, personal development and Leadership and Management. 

Ofsted said prisoners ‘participated in work, training and learning activities positively. They benefited from calm, structured and purposeful learning and work environments in which they were motivated to succeed.’

Leaders and managers were viewed to have ‘implemented an ambitious curriculum’ based on the requirements of prisoners, as well as regional and national employment needs. The inspection report highlights a range of courses on offer, from pre-entry level to master’s degrees, and that prisoners could work in a range of industry workshops including recycling, welding and construction. Construction courses covered a range of key skills including plastering, tiling, carpentry, joinery and plumbing.

Preparation for release 

Inspectors described Oakwood’s commitment to helping prisoners maintain family ties as ‘outstanding’ and said this played a crucial role in their rehabilitation and resettlement.

As well as commending the family events available, inspectors noted the creative use of video visits - evening sessions enabled prisoners to read bedtime stories to their children, for example - which allowed them to have ‘a stronger presence in their families’ lives’.

Oakwood’s positive culture encourages self-improvement among the prisoners who ‘told us that they felt motivated to make changes that would help them stay out of trouble on release’, the report reads. 

Areas for improvement

While overwhelmingly positive, inspectors noted areas for improvement including reducing the availability of drugs and improving prisoner access to psychological therapies.

In response, Oakwood has committed to new measures to reduce the ingress of drugs and provide additional support for those with substance misuse issues. It is also working with health partners and NHS commissioners on a needs analysis for mental health provision. 

Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons, said: 

"While Oakwood was by no means perfect, it was safe and a place of real purpose with men speaking hopefully of their future. At a time when many jails are struggling with rising violence and self-harm, very poor attendance at education, work and training, and squalid living conditions, these achievements are particularly notable and leaders of Oakwood should be congratulated.”

Additional information on G4S prisons:

• In recent HMIP reports, the inspectorate found that out of 20 ‘healthy prisons’ tests of G4S-managed establishments, 16 were given the top ratings of ‘good’ or ‘reasonably good’.

• HMP Oakwood was praised in HMIP’s recently published thematic review on ‘Improving behaviour in prisons’ for its leadership, community ethos, positive and purposeful regime, good prisoner and staff relationships, culture and approach to behaviour. HMP Oakwood and HMP Rye Hill in Rugby, also operated by G4S, were the only two privately-run prisons to be singled out as demonstrating numerous good practices.

The report highlighted:

• Oakwood’s director has been in post since 2021 and has developed the progressive culture started by his predecessor. 

• Oakwood’s leadership team understands what motivates prisoners and what rewards to offer to reinforce the community ethos of the prison. 

• Rye Hill and Oakwood have taken their peer-led initiatives to ‘another level’ and ‘were considered to be a major factor in their jails being safe and productive’ by both directors.

• Oakwood has a specialist lifer unit for prisoners serving long sentences, while Rye Hill had designed a new programme for such prisoners.