Novus to commence delivery of Prisoner Education Service contract across the West Midlands

Leading prison education provider will continue delivering education and training to support individuals in finding employment after release

Novus will deliver education in public prisons across the West Midlands under the Prisoner Education Service (PES).

Following a procurement process run by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Novus (part of LTE Group) will on 1st September commence delivery of Core Education in the West Midlands.

The contract covers eight prisons across the region. Novus has delivered education at these sites since the introduction of the Prison Education Framework – the predecessor of PES – in 2019, and is proud to continue to build on the strong relationships with establishments and stakeholders in the region in delivering high-quality education for learners in the West Midlands.

A long track record of effective collaboration

Today’s announcement follows the launch of the PES programme across other parts of England in October 2025. Novus is already delivering Core Education provision in four other regions – Cumbria and Lancashire; Tees and Wear; Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire; and Yorkshire. With Novus already holding further contracts to deliver education in prisons across the private and public estate in England and Wales, today’s announcement means that Novus will continue to be the biggest prison education provider, operating at 50 locations.

Peter Cox, Managing Director of Novus, said:

“Novus has a long track record of effective collaboration with prison regimes and employers across the West Midlands, and we are delighted to continue delivering education in this region.

“For more than three decades Novus has been providing high-quality education and training in the prison estate, working with learners who are the furthest from the labour market. We are proud of our track record in supporting individuals into employment after release, as well as the innovative practice led by our committed teams of education professionals.

“We look forward to working closely with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to help more people in the West Midlands turn their lives around under PES.”

Earlier this month it was announced that Novus Transforming Lives  – a subsidiary of Novus – had won a contract to deliver employment support to offenders and ex-offenders in Sheffield, as part of the Government’s new Connect to Work employment programme.

This national scheme, launched under the Government’s Get Britain Working Strategy, is designed to help people with complex barriers to employment get into and remain in work. Support will be delivered in prisons, workplaces and community outreach facilities, as well as by phone and online.