• About us

Prisoners Education Trust was established in 1989, the brainchild of the two founders, David Burton and Vernon Cocking. They had become disillusioned with the narrow range of classes on offer to prisoners, and with colleagues considered how a broader education could be provided. This led to the charity being founded. Initially working in just Wandsworth prison, then gradually spreading, we now offer access to a grants programme to prisoners through-out England and Wales. The grants programme enables prisoners to study through distance learning. In 2009 and 2010, the Trust funded over 2,300 grants for courses in over 400 different subjects and levels not otherwise available to prisoners.

Distance Learning fits the bill for many reasons, including:

• reaching those prisoners who, for reasons of security, can’t attend classes.
• enabling us to offer prisoners a wide range of courses – currently over 100 vocational and academic courses.
• offering continuity of study in spite of frequent transfers from prison to prison.
• enabling prisoners to use their sentences constructively, especially during the long hours of lock down.

In addition, the Trust now provides other services. We offer advice about distance learning courses and provide briefings about how the courses relate to employment paths and possibilities. We support prisoner learners, and follow their progress. In some prisons and regions, we train prisoners to act as peer learning mentors. And through our Learning Matters project, we work to influence policy, provide an expert voice, and enable prisoner learner voices to be heard.