Our Commitment to PREVENT and British Values
Our ethos and goal is to build a school community based upon mutual respect, tolerance and understanding and to promote the use of dialogue not violence as a form of conflict resolution. We are committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and safe learning environment for all members of the school community, to equip pupils to understand and respect others, to value diversity and to promote and protect an individual’s human rights.
Efforts by school operate at two complementary levels – the values and guidance that are embedded and implicit in the curriculum and day to day life in the our community along with more explicit approaches to provide advice, information and guidance, particularly in respect of British Values. Through this approach, school aspires to promote a sense of identity and belonging which is the strongest safeguard against terrorism. It is recognised and accepted that creating a safeguarding culture is the responsibility of all staff and that robust procedures, underpinned by clear expectations and values are key in achieving this.
Through a broad and balanced curriculum, we seek to support the education, well-being and healthy development of all pupils preparing them with the skills and attitudes to be well informed and responsible citizens and members of modern, multi-cultural British society, participating fully and contributing positively. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism in all forms, is no different from safeguarding against any other risk or vulnerability. We recognise the very significant risks and concerns posed by extremism and radicalisation and the role that school has to play in appropriately guiding and educating pupils as a means to counter these threats, whether these are political, religious, ethical or emanating from other extreme belief systems.
We are fully committed to meeting the requirements of the Prevent Duty:
"to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” and to promoting the acceptance and engagement by all members of the school community with the fundamental British values of :
- democracy
- the rule of law
- individual liberty
- mutual respect
- tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
We work closely with partner agencies and the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board to ensure that the required safeguarding procedures are in place in school and are suitably robust and transparent, and that these empower staff and students to raise concerns in an atmosphere of support and openness.
The sharing of information throughout school (e.g. PSHE curriculum, e-safety curriculum, PREVENT Information on the School web site) and training of staff (e.g. PREVENT briefing by SLT / North Yorkshire Police and online training: Channel General Awareness) are means by which a concerted and interlinked approach to identifying and countering radicalisation and extremism is maintained.
Referral and Intervention process
Any identified concerns resulting from observed behaviour or reported conversations which suggest that a pupil supports terrorism and /or extremism will be reported to one of the named designated safeguarding professionals in school; (i.e. Holly Barraclough, Pupil Support Officer / Pat Dubas, Executive Headteacher or Sarah Nicholson, Learning Manager).
All staff are aware of the need to follow our Child Protection Policies and Procedures in situations where concerns are identified In such situations, information should be communicated to the relevant safeguarding staff as priority in order that appropriate PREVENT / Channel action can be taken.
Our approach to tackling extremism and radicalisation
There is the potential for young people to be exposed to extremist influences or radical views from a variety of sources and media from an increasingly early age. On occasions, pupils may reflect or display views that may be extremist, prejudiced or discriminatory, including using derogatory language. Any such behaviour, displayed by learners or staff will always be challenged and dealt with in line with the relevant policies on student behaviour or staff conduct. Staff training and sharing of information within school will equip staff to identify concerns and recognise extremism and ensure they are skilled and confident enough to challenge it.
National Guidance and Strategies
PREVENT is a key part of the Government’s strategy to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Early intervention is at the heart of PREVENT in diverting people away from being drawn into terrorist activity. PREVENT happens before any criminal activity takes place. It is about recognising, supporting and protecting people who might be susceptible to radicalisation.
The PREVENT strategy objectives are:
Ideology: respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it.
Individuals: prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support
Institutions: work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation which we need to address.
The Prevent Duty
To fulfil the Prevent duty it is essential that staff are able to identify individuals who may be vulnerable to radicalisation / susceptible to a terrorist ideology and know how to respond in such cases.
Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation and extremism is seen as part of school’s wider safeguarding duties, whether this is from within the family or the product of wider influence. All school staff are aware that general safeguarding principles apply and concerns relating to the Prevent duty / radicalisation should be addressed in line with our Child Protection Policy and Procedures. Specific staff training / general staff safeguarding briefings and distribution / availability of relevant guidance within school (electronic and hard copy), are the ways in which this is reinforced.
Our school community will strive to challenge and eradicate the myths and assumptions that can lead to some young people becoming alienated and disempowered, and susceptible to extremism and radicalisation. Central to this will be the goal of supporting pupils to build resilience to extremism and give them a positive sense of identity through the development of independent, critical thinking skills.