Extremism and Radicalisation

PREVENT AGENDA

What is the Prevent duty?

The aim of the Prevent Duty is to reduce the threat of terrorism in the UK by working actively to stop individuals from supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists. The expectation placed upon schools and childcare settings is that they will work closely with a multi-agency support network (including contacts such as the Police and the Local Safeguarding Children Board) to raise awareness of issues of extremism, and to support individuals who are vulnerable of being drawn into terrorism.

The current legislation surrounding Prevent duty came into force on 1^st July 2015, and remains a staple feature of every UK school, college, nursery, or other childcare setting’s safeguarding policy. 

At its heart, Prevent is another form of safeguarding; an extension of the policies that should have already been in place prior to the Prevent strategy’s introduction.

The Prevent duty guidance requires that:

• School staff have undertaken training in the Prevent Duty as identified by their leaders and managers including the Head teacher.
• School staff are aware of when it is appropriate to refer Prevent related concerns about children or colleagues to the Prevent officer, our DSL and Head Teacher, Claire Crowther. 
• School exemplify British values of “democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs” into their practice.

Reporting to PREVENT 

Prevent Duty within the Curriculum

St Peter's C of E Primary School ensures that every child will have information, awareness and opportunities to build their knowledge of ‘keeping safe’.

We place great importance in identifying opportunities in the taught curriculum for children to learn safe messages. Our broad curriculum gives pupils opportunities to experience life in all its diversity, to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills that significantly impact on personal development, behaviour and welfare. We give them opportunities across the curriculum to explore values, personal rights, responsibilities and equal opportunities that develop moral concepts that impact positively on safeguarding, promote British values and prevent radicalisation and extremism.

We plan to constantly challenge children to think deeply about safeguarding matters and their own personal physical and mental wellbeing. We value pupils’ questions and give them space for their own thoughts, ideas and concerns.

To enable this to happen, all subjects and areas of school life will promote safeguarding messages. The details of the teaching will vary depending on the age and needs of the class. We are sensitive in our teaching and recognise that some more sensitive subjects need to be taught at an age appropriate level, or at a small group or 1:1 level where a more urgent need arises.

As a school, we have mapped out the safe messages and prevent themes which are delivered across our curriculum.