You can be sentenced to an ETE requirement as part of your community order or as part of a prison licence. You will usually receive this requirement if you have not obtained GCSEs and you are unemployed.

With better reading, writing and numeracy skills you have a better chance of finding a job or gaining a college place. The court can order you to carry out either ten, 25 or 60 days of the activity. These may not be full days. Most sessions last about two hours. The number of days ordered will depend on the seriousness of your offence, your current qualifications, skills level, previous offending behaviour and employment situation.

If you are sentenced to ten days of this requirement you will:

» Be assessed on your reading, writing and numeracy skills

» Be asked about your employment situation

» Receive one information, advice and guidance session

» Attend reading, writing and numeracy tuition with a view to gaining an award

If you are sentenced to 25 days of this requirement you will:

» Be assessed on your reading, writing and numeracy skills

» Be asked about your employment situation

» Receive one information, advice and guidance session plus follow up sessions

» Attend reading, writing and numeracy tuition with a view to gaining an award

» Receive employment advice from specialist staff

If you are sentenced to 60 days of this requirement you will:

» Be assessed on your reading, writing and numeracy skills

» Be asked about your employment situation

» Receive one information, advice and guidance session plus follow up sessions

» Attend reading, writing and numeracy tuition with a view to gaining an award

» Receive employment advice

» Receive intensive assistance with job seeking

Even if you do not have a specific activity requirement as part of your Order your Offender Manager may refer you to a tutor so that you can increase your skills. Tuition is done using laptop computers.