Wednesday 09 July 2025 - BSIA Comms
HMP Oakwood in Wolverhampton, HMP Rye Hill near Rugby and YOI Parc in Bridgend, South Wales were praised for their excellent range of activities, purposeful activity offering and time out of cell.
Charlie Taylor, HM chief inspector of prisons in England and Wales said in his annual report published on 8 July 2025 that HMP Oakwood, a category C men's prison operated by G4S “continued to be the best prison of its type in the country”.
G4S-managed HMP Rye Hill was also commended as “an impressive jail with an excellent range of activities and a staff team which, despite having many inexperienced officers, was highly effective.’”
Rye Hill, described by HMIP as one of the best and safest prisons in the country, following an unannounced inspection in late 2024, showed that “with the commitment of leaders and staff, real progress could be made with promoting reading and improving literacy.”
Some prisons, including Five Wells, Rye Hill and Oakwood “encouraged prisoners to contribute to their communities through well-developed peer work.”
On purposeful activity, Oakwood was the only closed prison to receive the highest possible rating in this area. Charlie Taylor stated in the report: “We saw time out of cell that was far better than in comparable prisons, and men who were incentivised by a wide range of work, education and peer-led opportunities."
At Rye Hill, prisoners were “actively encouraged to engage in work to reduce their risk and some were able to take part in activities off the unit” and the prison “made good use of peer work, including providing support to prisoners during review boards.”
At Oakwood and Rye Hill, prisoners were given “increased responsibility, meaningful rewards and a genuine stake in the prison community.”
In relation to the children’s estate, Charlie Taylor said that Parc YOI, also operated by G4S, “continued to perform well, where a capable and experienced staff team kept children safe and well motivated, while providing more than double the time out of cell that was offered in the public sector establishments.”