Prevent Duty
From 1 July 2015 all schools, registered early years childcare providers and registered later years childcare providers (referred to in this advice as ‘childcare providers’) are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty. It applies to a wide range of public-facing bodies. Bodies to which the duty applies must have regard to the statutory guidance. Paragraphs 57-76 of the guidance are concerned specifically with schools and childcare providers.
The Prevent duty: what it means for schools and childcare providers
In order for schools and childcare providers to fulfil the Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is seen as part of our wider safeguarding duties at Marsh Lane Primary School, and is similar in nature to protecting children from other potential harm. The teaching staff build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues. On the contrary, schools should provide a safe space in which children, young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism/extremism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments. For early years childcare providers, the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage sets standards for learning, development and care for children from 0-5, thereby assisting their personal, social and emotional development and understanding of the world.
Staff training
The statutory guidance refers to the importance of Prevent awareness training to equip staff to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas. The Home Office has developed a core training product for this purpose – Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP). All staff who have regular face to face contact with our pupils have received this training from the head teachers.
Renishaw Primary School Committement to PREVENT
Renishaw Primary School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is no different from 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.
On 1 July 2015 the Prevent duty (section 26) of The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 came into force. This duty places the responsibility on local authorities to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
As part of our commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy.
Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is one oft the four elements of CONTEST - the Government's counter-terrorism strategy which aims to stop terrorism and radicalisation.
As a school, we are tasked by the Government with being watchful and making the children aware of the dangers. Naturally, we do this in a very sensitive way, ranging from discussions about recent news events, to highlighting the problems with violent computer games (Call of Duty etc) and celebrating the differences within our culture rather than sigmatising them.
We hope that that the leaflets and information below help with your understanding of the agenda set for us, but if any questions are raised, please contact us in the usual way.