Radicalisation & extremism
The Prevent Strategy and the Prevent Duty falls under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act of 2015. The aim of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. In the Act, this has simply been expressed as the need to ‘prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.’
Under the Prevent Duty, schools and teachers, along with other frontline workers, have a legal obligation to help prevent vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism.
At St Peter’s, staff and volunteers are encouraged to undertake the online Prevent Duty Awareness Training course that tells us what we need to know.
We aim to be vigilant to the signs that someone may be expressing extremist views or acting in a way that may mean they are in danger of being radicalised. We aim to advise and support anyone who is at risk and involve outside agencies as necessary.
Through the PHSE and Citizenship curriculum, as well as through RE and assemblies, we raise awareness of the need to be tolerant and inclusive of all members of our school community. We promote the key ideas of Fundamental British Values such as rules of democracy, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 states that ‘children are vulnerable to extremist ideology and radicalisation. Similar to protecting children from other forms of harms and abuse, protecting children from this risk should be a part of a school’s or colleges’ safeguarding approach.’
