What is the PREVENT Duty?
‘Prevent’ relates to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 which came into force on 1 July 2015. Since 1 July 2015 there has been a duty on schools to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’.
This is called the Prevent duty. Schools are expected to encourage pupils to respect other people with particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation).
Schools can build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. As with all forms of safeguarding, adults should use their professional judgement in identifying an individual who may be at risk of radicalisation.
What is radicalisation?
“Radicalisation” refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism leading to terrorism. During that process, it is possible to intervene to prevent vulnerable people being drawn into terrorist-related activity.
What is extremism?
‘Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs’. Being drawn into terrorism includes not only violent extremism but also non-violent extremism.
What are British Values?
‘Democracy, the rule of law, equality of opportunity, freedom of speech and the rights for all men and women to live free from persecution of any kind’.
What are our procedures?
The Trust has clear procedures in place to safeguard children that includes protecting children at risk of radicalisation.
All staff are aware of the Trust policy their own school procedures and follow these for any aspect of safeguarding, including extremist views/extremism.
For immediate information or concerns please contact Mrs Jill Benson on 01642 529200 or email: [email protected]
The following national guidelines should also be read when working with this policy:
