Protecting Children from Extremism (‘Prevent’)
All schools have a duty to their children to develop them as good citizens who can recognise, resist and repudiate extremism.
At Marshfield Primary School, we promote strong SMSC learning, and to further develop this we apply the DfE advice on Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (November 2014) which affirms that:
“pupils must be encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance.”
This is part of an obligation to meet the requirements of s78 of the Education Act 2002, and schools are “inspected and assessed on their measures to protect their pupils from extremist material” (Tackling Extremism in the UK).
What is extremism?
On 1 July 2015 the Prevent duty (section 26) of The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 came into force. The June 2015 Guidance, defines extremism as;
“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.”
What is expected of schools?
Schools are expected to fulfill their ‘Prevent’ duties in three ways:
Useful links for further information on Prevent.
http://www.educateagainsthate.com
http://cohesionbradford.org.uk/
What are we doing at our School?
It is recognised that Governors are a vital component of the school’s ‘Prevent’ role, and that their understanding of the purpose and nature of work to safeguard against extremism is integral to maintaining strong, positive and trusting bonds between school and community. In the event of any uncertainty about how to respond to a concern about vulnerability, school staff would, where possible, discuss the principles with the link Governor responsible for safeguarding. This would of course maintain confidentiality and no names would be given.
School will always contact the Local Authority and, if necessary, the police if it has any concerns regarding radicalisation or extremism.