Working at HMP Spring Hill and Grendon

For many of the staff employed to work at HMP Spring Hill, they also have an opportunity or are required to teach at HMP Grendon (less than two minute walk between sites).

HMP Grendon is a unique Therapeutic Category B national prison housing approximately 220 long term, prolific (re)offending adult males. 

The Education Department works closely with our prison colleagues to deliver relevant long courses that help prepare learners for employment and positive community living upon release.  Courses include: English and Maths Functional Skills (Entry 1 to Level 2), IT, Business, Barista, Horticulture, Cleaning, Personal Social Development skills and Family/Parenting. Education runs 4 afternoons (Mon – Thurs) from 13:45- 16:45. During the mornings the men are involved in therapy work with a wide team of clinical and officer staff on the wings.

HMP Spring Hill is an Open Category D (resettlement) prison, housing approximately 320 male prisoners who are at the end of their custodial sentence and working towards resettlement. Residents at Spring Hill are considered low risk and are well underway with rehabilitation and resettlement. Courses at Spring Hill are as above, with additional vocational courses such as Carpentry, Plumbing, Professional Cookery, Customer Service and Bookkeeping and CSCS. Education runs from 8:30 – 11:30 Monday to Friday and 13:00 – 16:00 Monday to Thursday.

Our team is predominantly a full time team which means that staff have the opportunity to build good relationships at work, support each other and share best practice. We offer a comprehensive site induction and regular training events for all staff to ensure that we address areas for development and familiarise the team with new initiatives. Our departmental vision is to “provide an excellent and inspirational learning experience which enables learners to achieve their full academic, social and work related aspirations”. We believe in the importance of not only up-skilling men in subject related skills, but also in the softer personal skills to provide them with the best chances of success for the journey ahead of them.

As a department, we endeavour to inspire learners to achieve.  Learner voice consistently reports that tutors have high expectations of themselves and their learners and that feedback from learners is acted upon to make improvements. Learners and tutors echo that they enjoy coming to education and that they feel safe whilst in Education at Grendon and Spring Hill.