The Prevent Duty 

The governors and staff of Langar Church of England Primary School  are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is as important as safeguarding against any other vulnerability.

All staff are expected to uphold and promote the fundamental principles of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. We believe that children should be given the opportunity to explore diversity and understand Britain as a multi-cultural society; everyone should be treated with respect whatever their race, gender, sexuality, religious belief, special need, or disability.

As part of our commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy.

Staff and Governors have completed the Prevent e-learning course. Channel is a programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being radicalised. 

Where we are concerned about about the safety and welfare of our pupils in this connection we will follow the procedures laid down and refer to the Channel programme.

For further details please see:

Child Protection policy

RSE Curriculum

Special Educational Needs Policy

ICT Policy

Prevent Duty Information

Prevent Duty Information

What is the Prevent Duty?

The Prevent Duty was imposed on schools and other agencies under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. Its aim is to stop more people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism in all its forms.

Our duty under Prevent means that we seek to protect children and young people from being drawn into terrorism.

Being drawn into terrorism includes not just violent extremism but also non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and can popularise views which terrorists exploit.

Radicalisation is the name given to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism leading to terrorism. During this process it is possible to intervene to prevent vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorist-related activity.

The Prevent Duty is now incorporated into our existing policies and staff are training annually.

How do we seek to prevent radicalisation and extremism?

We are proactive in our approach and have ensured the Designated Safeguarding Lead has accessed face to face training to help identify risk and support other colleagues where there are specific concerns. We will work with key partners to ensure that we are aware of any tensions within our local community and nationally and internationally, so that we can create safe spaces for our children to discuss their experiences and concerns.

Where we are concerned about individual children there is a referral pathway which all staff will be familiar with. Initial advice and support can be obtained from the Tackling Emerging Threats to Children Team and more serious concerns should be referred to the Police Prevent Team or the MASH where there is a concern that a child is at immediate risk.

In exercising our specific duty under Prevent we seek to protect children and young people from being drawn into, and against, the messages of all violent extremism. This includes and is not restricted to Daesh, Al Qaeda, Far Right, Neo Nazi, White Supremacist ideology, Irish Nationalist and Loyalist paramilitary groups and extremist Animal Rights movements.

The use of social media and the internet as tools to radicalise young people cannot be underestimated. We recognise that those that seek to recruit young people to follow extremist ideology often target those who are already vulnerable in some way and that exposure to extreme views can make young people vulnerable to further manipulation and exploitation. We will therefore ensure that we build children and young people’s critical thinking skills and resilience through both our curriculum and pastoral provision/systems.

At Langar Church of England Primary School we are clear that we have a duty to safeguard young people from such dangers and we will actively promote resilience to such risks through our RE curriculum, SEND policy, collective worship policy, our SMSC work, anti-bullying work and wider curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that pupils are offered a broad and balanced curriculum that aims to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Teaching the school’s core values alongside the fundamental British Values supports quality teaching and learning, whilst making a positive contribution to the development of a fair, just and civil society. We ensure our policies for use of the academy premises by external agencies, visitors, premises’ hire and our online safety and ICT policies protect students from extremism. Staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour, which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. Staff should use their judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and proportionately which may include the designated safeguarding lead making a Prevent referral.

Recognising Extremism

Early indicators of racialisation or extremism may include:

Showing sympathy for external causes

Glorifying violence, especially to other faiths or cultures

Making remarks or comments about being at extremist events or rallies outside the academy

Evidence of possessing illegal or extremist literature

Advocating messages similar to illegal organisations or other extremist groups

Out of character changes in dress, behaviour and peer relationships (but there are also very powerful narratives, programmes and networks that young people can come across online so involvement with particular groups may not be apparent)

Secretive behaviour

Online searches or sharing extremist messages or social profiles

Intolerance of difference, including faith, culture, gender, race or sexuality

Graffiti, art work or writing that displays extremist themes

Attempts to impose extremist views or practices on others verbalising anti-Western or anti[1]British views

Advocating violence towards others

Definitions

Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups. Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause