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HMP Cookham Wood

Cookham Wood is a men's prison in Rochester, Kent. HMPPS places it in the "Category C Trainer/Resettlement" functional group. Band 3 prison officer pay here starts at £37,131 on a 39-hour contract (2026/27 rates). Its operational capacity of 137 ranks 17th of 18 in South East (1 = largest).

HMPPS prison officer jobsWork out my take-home hereCompare with other prisons

HMP Cookham Wood at a glance

  • Its operational capacity of 137 ranks 17th of 18 in South East (1 = largest).
  • Among the 26 prisons in the HMPPS "Category C Trainer/Resettlement" functional group with a published capacity, it ranks 26th by size.
  • Its latest full HMIP inspection (report published 18 July 2023) graded safety "poor" and purposeful activity "poor"; a later HMIP review report followed on 21 May 2024.
  • GOV.UK gives its nearest station as: Rochester.
Type
HMP
Holds
Men
Run by
HMPPS (public sector)
Nation
England
Region (geographic)
South East
HMPPS prison region
Kent, Surrey & SussexWorkforce statistics, June 2026
Town / county
Rochester, Kent
Postcode
ME1 3LU
HMPPS functional group
Category C Trainer/ResettlementA role label, not each prisoner's security category
Officer pay zone
National (all other locations)
Band 3 market supplement
None listedHMPPS pay page, 3 October 2026
Operational capacity
137As at 24 August 2026
Latest HMIP report published
21 May 2024
Nearest railway station (GOV.UK)
Rochester

Official description (GOV.UK/SPS/NI Justice): “Cookham Wood is a men's prison in Rochester, Kent.” Official page.

Changed from YOI to adult male (Category C) prison in August 2024 (HMPPS Safety in Custody Table 10; HMPPS workforce statistics guide). HMIP still lists older reports as HMYOI Cookham Wood.

From young offender institution to adult prison

In shortCookham Wood closed as a boys’ young offender institution in May 2024 and re-opened in August 2024 as an adult male category C prison.

HMYOI Cookham Wood was a young offender institution in Rochester, Kent, which HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) described in April 2024 as able to hold 120 boys aged 15 to 18.

The site dates from the 1970s, and prisoners live in a residential house block opened in 2014, in single-occupancy cells with showers and toilets.

HMPPS’s functional-group listing, and its workforce statistics, treat it as a category C trainer and resettlement prison, and our dataset records it as an adult male prison from August 2024.

The change of role

  1. April 2023Urgent Notification

    HMIP issued an Urgent Notification about the young offender institution.

  2. 21 March 2024Repurposing announced

    The government announced the establishment would become an adult male prison to boost capacity, with young offenders moved to other sites across the youth secure estate.

  3. 30 May 2024Youth facility closed

    As recorded by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB).

  4. August 2024Re-rolled

    The IMB describes HMP Cookham Wood as an adult male category C prison from this point.

Size, shared leadership and what the site offers

In shortA small prison filling gradually, with a governor and services shared with HMP Rochester.

  • Operational capacity (HMPPS)137131 held on 24 August 2026
  • Full capacity (IMB)180Occupancy averaged around 85 men for most of the period, rising to around 135 by end of March 2026

The IMB report, which covers 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2026, says the full operational capacity is 180 but that for the entire period occupancy was far below that, averaging around 85 men for most of it, rising to around 135 by the end of March 2026.

The report says buildings including Cedar block, Phoenix block and the sports hall had still not reopened some 15 months on, and that a fence-height extension required for an adult male establishment meant no astroturf from late 2025.

  • By the end of the IMB’s reporting period Cookham Wood had a single governor and senior leadership team shared with HMP Rochester, and the two sites were moving towards formal merger.
  • Healthcare and education contracts are shared with Rochester, and there is no dedicated segregation unit (men move to Rochester for that purpose).
  • The IMB asks what a merger will mean for provision at the smaller site.
  • Proposed plans for Cedar block would accommodate men serving life and indeterminate sentences; the IMB says men in the prison were pleased by the prospect, although delays dented morale.

What the inspection record shows

In shortHMIP has not published a full inspection of the adult prison, so the 2024 review of the youth site is history, not a description of today.

HMIP has not published a full inspection of Cookham Wood in its adult role among the reports we found on the HMIP website as at 3 October 2026.

The most recent report is an independent review of progress on 9 to 17 April 2024, published on 21 May 2024, which looked at the young offender institution just before it closed.

That 2024 review followed up four concerns and three Ofsted themes from a 2023 inspection that had found the site in crisis. HMIP judged progress good on two concerns and insufficient on two, and Ofsted found reasonable progress on one theme and insufficient on two.

The April 2024 review

Progress noted

  • The governor had recruited new managers and built a more cohesive senior team
  • Living conditions and cleanliness had improved
  • Staff well-being days and weekly reflective practice had been introduced

Still a problem

  • Time out of cell was still very limited
  • The population had fallen to 33 as children were moved out

The independent monitors’ account of the adult prison

In shortThe September 2026 IMB report describes a calm, clean prison with erratic healthcare and too little purposeful activity.

The IMB annual report published in September 2026 is the most substantial independent account of the adult prison. It says life has been relatively calm.

On staff, the IMB is specific. It also says the majority of officers have a good rapport with prisoners and build trust from the outset, but a minority do not engage and some are reluctant to carry out key work. Staffing levels had occasionally caused longer lock-up, though not regularly.

What the IMB reports

Positives

  • Prisoners reported feeling safe; time out of cell averaged 5.5 hours a day
  • Violence was very low, drug use was negligible, and the site was clean and tidy
  • Reception was well managed, family days were a highlight
  • Food was reported as generally good, with men able to cook for themselves on the unit

Challenges

  • Healthcare, which it called erratic
  • Education, and purposeful activity, with some men waiting over two weeks for work or education after arriving
  • Many officers said there was insufficient training for them to move from the YOI to a men’s prison
  • Some staff were lost to other prisons or to UK Border Force, a competing employer in the Kent area
  • The time taken to appoint a permanent governor affected morale

Working here

In shortNational pay zone with no market supplement; 98 FTE officers against a target of 194, which is a headline figure, not a vacancy count.

  • Officers in post98 FTEBand 3 to 5 officers at 30 June 2026
  • Target194A shortfall of 96; we have not found an official explanation for the target, so treat the gap as a headline figure rather than a count of vacancies

Cookham Wood is on the national pay zone and is not on the HMPPS Band 3 market supplement list (checked 3 October 2026), so the published Band 3 pay in our pay guide applies without a local supplement. Roles are advertised nationally, and there is no Cookham Wood page on the HMPPS jobs site.

Because the IMB reports shared services and shared leadership with Rochester, it is worth reading the regional jobs guide and checking whether a vacancy is advertised for Rochester, Cookham Wood or both. Start at become a prison officer to apply.

Officer pay at HMP Cookham Wood

National (all other locations) zone; Band 3 rates from 1 April 2026, including the 20% unsocial hours allowance.

Band 3, 39 hours, entry£37,131No market supplement listed
Band 3, 37 hours, entry£34,928Trainee contract
Band 3, 41 hours, top pay point£41,417Highest Band 3 option here
Band 3 prison officer pay at HMP Cookham Wood, 2026/27 (£ a year, base rates before supplement)
Contract hoursEntry (pay point 1)Maximum (pay point 3)
37 hours (trainee contract) incl. 20% unsocial hours£34,928£36,778
39 hours (2 additional committed hours)£37,131£39,097
41 hours (4 additional committed hours)£39,334£41,417

PSPRB 25th Report, Appendix E. No supplement listed on the HMPPS jobs site, 3 October 2026.

Other grades at HMP Cookham Wood (2026/27, £ a year)
GradeContractFromUp to
Band 2 Operational Support Grade37 hours incl. 25% unsocial hours£31,761£31,761
Band 4 Supervising / Specialist Officer37 hours incl. 20% unsocial hours£41,328£41,328
Band 5 Custodial Manager39 hours incl. 2 pensionable committed hours£47,327£49,600

Supplements apply to Band 3 only. PSPRB 25th Report, Appendix E.

Supplements are paid at other South East prisons: Aylesbury (£3,000), Bullingdon (£3,500), Coldingley (£2,000), Elmley (£3,500), Grendon (£1,500), Huntercombe (£1,500).

Turn these into take-home with the pay calculator, or see what the journey costs with the commute cost calculator. Band 3 pay explained.

Open the calculator pre-filled for Cookham Wood

Capacity, performance and staffing

At 24 August 2026: operational capacity 137, population 131 (96%), certified normal accommodation in use 166. HMPPS monthly population bulletin.

HMPPS performance rating, 2025/26

RatingGood performance
Overall score62.6%
Functional groupCategory C Trainer/Resettlement

Scale 4 (outstanding) to 1 (serious concern). HMPPS prison performance ratings 2025/26.

Officer staffing against target

At 30 June 2026: 98 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers against a target of 194 (-96, hours-adjusted). A gap against target is not a count of advertised vacancies. HMPPS workforce statistics, June 2026.

Category C Trainer/Resettlement is HMPPS's functional-group label for the prison's role, not any prisoner's security category. See prison categories explained or all Category C Trainer/Resettlement prisons.

Latest inspection

HMIP's most recent report on Cookham Wood was published 21 May 2024 (independent review of progress / review visit); that is the publication date, not the visit date.

safetypoor
respectnot sufficiently good
purposeful activitypoor
preparation for releasenot sufficiently good

Grades from the latest full inspection report, published 18 July 2023; the later report above is a follow-up review that does not re-grade the tests. This report uses the children's healthy-establishment test names: 'care' is shown in the respect column and 'resettlement' in the preparation for release column.

Of the 122 prisons with full HMIP grades, 13 share its "poor" safety grade and 38 its "poor" purposeful-activity grade. Only 41 of those 122 prisons were graded "poor" on at least one test, and this is one of them.

Read the HMIP report

Working at HMP Cookham Wood and how to apply

There is no Cookham Wood-specific page on the HMPPS jobs site; adverts are listed by location. Read the live advert for closing dates and assessment-centre details.

Postcode: ME1 3LU. View on a map. Nearest railway station, per GOV.UK: Rochester.

Other prisons in South East and similar prisons

These establishments are in the same county or region (20 listed in South East). See all of them in one table.

Similar by HMPPS functional group (Category C Trainer/Resettlement)

Compare Cookham Wood side by side in the prison finder

Related guides

HMP Cookham Wood: frequently asked questions

How much does a prison officer earn at HMP Cookham Wood?

From £37,131 a year on 39 hours at the entry pay point, rising to £39,097 (National zone, 2026/27).

Does HMP Cookham Wood pay a market supplement?

No: it is not on the HMPPS list (checked 3 October 2026). In South East the listed prisons are Aylesbury (£3,000), Bullingdon (£3,500), Coldingley (£2,000), Elmley (£3,500) and Grendon (£1,500).

What category is HMP Cookham Wood?

HMPPS lists it in the "Category C Trainer/Resettlement" functional group, a label for the prison's role rather than the category of each prisoner.

How many prisoners can HMP Cookham Wood hold?

Operational capacity 137, population 131 at 24 August 2026 (HMPPS bulletin).

When was HMP Cookham Wood last inspected?

HMIP's latest report, published 21 May 2024, is a progress review. Grades at the latest full inspection (18 July 2023): safety poor, respect not sufficiently good, purposeful activity poor, preparation for release not sufficiently good.

How do I apply to work at HMP Cookham Wood?

There is no Cookham Wood page on the HMPPS jobs site, so use the general HMPPS prison officer page, where adverts are listed by location.

What is the nearest train station to HMP Cookham Wood?

GOV.UK gives: Rochester.

Is HMP Cookham Wood still a young offender institution?

No. The government announced on 21 March 2024 that Cookham Wood would become an adult male prison, the youth facility closed on 30 May 2024 according to the IMB, and the prison re-opened as an adult male category C prison from August 2024. HMIP still lists its older reports under the name HMYOI Cookham Wood.

Has HMIP inspected Cookham Wood as an adult prison?

Not among the reports we found on the HMIP website at 3 October 2026. The latest HMIP report, published 21 May 2024, reviewed the young offender institution shortly before it closed. The Independent Monitoring Board’s September 2026 annual report is the main independent account of the adult prison.

Does Cookham Wood share staff or management with another prison?

According to the IMB, by the end of March 2026 Cookham Wood had a single governor and senior leadership team shared with HMP Rochester, and the two sites were moving towards formal merger. Healthcare and education contracts are shared, and there is no segregation unit at Cookham Wood.

Sources and method

Data as at 3 October 2026; see our methodology. Independent of HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice and the POA; not legal or financial advice. Out of date? Tell us.

Not verified for this prison: No HMIP full inspection of Cookham Wood as an adult prison was found, so there are no current healthy prison test outcomes to report.; The reason for the 194 FTE officer target (against 98 FTE in post at 30 June 2026) was not found in an official source.; The HMPPS operational capacity (137) and the IMB’s stated full capacity (180) differ; both are reported as published.; No official prison-specific recruitment page, pay range or staff benefits list was found..