2. PREVENT – DUTY FOR SCHOOLS
IN A NUTSHELL
• There’s an ongoing threat from terrorism
• British citizens and residents are being recruited by
terrorist groups
• Government think local services could do more to
identify and safeguard those at risk of getting involved
• So it’s making the prevention of terrorism a legal duty for
public bodies, including all schools
What extremist and terrorist groups are there
in the UK that we should be concerned
about?
3. WHAT IS AN EXTREME GROUP?
“Extremism” is 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. We also include in our
definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces,
whether in this country or overseas. Terrorist groups very often draw on
extremist ideas developed by extremist organizations.
There are currently about 60 organizations which are designated as
terrorist group and are banned. These include: Al Queda, Al Shabaab, ETA,
Hezbollah, Continuity IRA, Irish National Liberation Army, Red Hand
Commandos.
But what are FBV? Make a short list in talking to the
people next to you of what you think these might be?
6. WHAT DOES OFSTED SAY ABOUT FBV?
Paragraph 135 says inspectors should assess the social development of
children by their:
... acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values
of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect
and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; they develop and
demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in
and contribute positively to life in modern Britain
School Inspection Framework: September 2015.
A useful guide and exploration of “promoting
FBV in schools can be found at:
https://schoolgovernors.thekeysupport.com/
sample-articles/promoting-british-values-in-
schools#section-2
7. THE PROBLEM
• Ongoing terrorist threat – currently rated as ‘severe’
• Growth in extreme, intolerant, ideologies
• Extreme right wing and Islamist ideologies are
similar
• Groups actively aim to recruit young people
• Recruitment face to face and, increasingly, via social
media
8. COUNTER TERRORISM AND SECURITY ACT
• The new Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015
places a legal duty on public bodies (including
schools) to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent
people from being drawn into terrorism’.
• The legal duty is backed by statutory guidance that
sets a range of expectations on schools.
“Frontline Staff should understand Prevent, be able to
recognise vulnerabilities to radicalisation and know
where to go to get help.” Home Office – December 2014
• The statutory guidance will be monitored via existing
inspection procedures, (Ofsted)
9. PREVENT IS PRE-CRIMINAL
IT AIMS TO WORK AT THE BASE OF THE ICEBERG
Acts of Terror
Recruitment
Radicalisation
Fundraising
Dissatisfaction
Inequality
10. CHANNEL
IS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PREVENT STRATEGY. IT IS A MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH TO
SAFEGUARD PEOPLE AT RISK FROM RADICALISATION. THIS ENTAILS COLLABORATION
BETWEEN A RANGE OF AGENCIES TO:
IDENTIFY
Individuals at
risk of being
drawn into
terrorism
ASSESS
The nature and
extent of that
risk
DEVELOP
The most appropriate
support plan for the
individuals concerned
Channel Guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/channel-guidance
11. EXPECTATIONS OF SCHOOLS
• Teach a broad and balanced curriculum (SMSC, mental and
physical)
• Promote fundamental British values
• Have a prevent policy (probably part of the safe-guarding
policy)
• Assess the risk of pupils being drawn into terrorism and
support for extremism – especially early years as ‘arguably
most vulnerable’
• Train key staff to give them the knowledge and confidence to
identify children at risk
• Protect children from terrorist and extremist material when
accessing the internet at school
• Ensure robust safeguarding policies are in place to identify
children at risk, intervene and refer pupils as appropriate
12. You overhear a student
saying that they are thinking
of going to Turkey in the
summer.
What would you do?
Why would we not want to voice our concerns?
A pupil mentions during a
lesson that they have
seen videos of suicide
bombings
A pupil tells you that a
member of staff has been
talking about his religious
beliefs during a lesson
A student asks to have a
visiting animal rights activist
to speak to the course
13. WHAT CAN WE LOOK OUT FOR?
Disclosures, writings, drawings, possessing or accessing extremist
materials
Expressions of support for terrorism, using extremist narratives and
‘us and them’ language; justifying the use of violence to solve real
or perceived grievances
Personal Crisis – family tensions; sense of isolation; low self-
esteem; changes in friendship group, searching for answers to
questions about identity, faith, belonging;
Personal Circumstances – migration; local community tensions; and
events affecting the student / pupil’s country or region of origin; a
sense of grievance triggered by personal experience of racism or
discrimination or aspects of Government policy;
14. THE SIMPLE PROCESS
NOTICE
Notice
something of
concern
CHECK
Check your
concern and ask
the opinion of
someone you
trust to see if
they agree.
SHARE
Share the
concern if you /
your trusted
person feel that
it is warranted.
15. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN SCHOOLS?
Central Premise
• All children and young people have a fundamental right
to be protected from harm
• All children and young people have a right to expect
schools to provide a safe and secure environment
• All professionals that work with children, including
teachers and other school staff, have a responsibility
for keeping them safe.
• Staff must remember “it could happen here”
• Children are best protected by professionals who are
clear about what is required of them individually, and
collectively
Talk to the head teacher, local police
prevent contact or the local authority
prevent lead.
16. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US IN HE?
• Section 26(1) of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (“the Act”)
imposes a duty on “specified authorities”, when exercising their functions, to
have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into
terrorism. Certain higher education bodies (“Relevant Higher Education
Bodies”, or “RHEBs”) are subject to the section 26 duty.
• RHEBs’ commitment to freedom of speech and the rationality underpinning
the advancement of knowledge means that they represent one of our most
important arenas for challenging extremist views and ideologies.
• Some students may arrive at RHEBs already committed to terrorism; others
may become radicalised whilst attending a RHEB due to activity on campus;
others may be radicalised whilst they are at a RHEB but because of
activities which mainly take place off campus.
• Expectation are that RHEB manage:
• External Speakers (University UK guidance 2013 – link)
• Risk management of events
• Regard to policies in relation to gender segregation
• Risk assessment of risk of radicalisation
• Prevent awareness training
• Welfare and support for students
17. RESOURCES
The Prevent Duty:
Advice for
schools and
childcare
providers
Channel Duty
Guidance –
protecting
vulnerable people
from being drawn
into terrorism.
Prevent Duty
Guidance for Higher
Education in
England and Wales
Prevent Duty
Guidance for Local
Authorities,
Schools, Health
Sector, Prisons and
probation
Prevent for
Schools
www.preventf
orschools.org
HEFCE
Monitoring of
the Prevent
Duty:
http://www.hef
ce.ac.uk/reg/pr
event/resource
s/
Educate
against
hate
http://www.
educateaga
insthate.co
m
18. SO WHAT DO I NEED TO TAKE AWAY?
• Awareness of my personal and professional responsibilities
regarding the prevent agenda this should include:
• My legal responsibilities
• My pastoral responsibilities
• My moral responsibilities
• An idea of the processes that should (can) be undertaken
should an issues arise
• An awareness of where I can find support / resources to aid me
with these.
Notas del editor
In groups discuss what extremists and terrorist groups there are in the UK at end of slide – so who did you choose – what does extremism mean?
At the end of the exercise get staff to identify what factors may make people at risk from radicalisation.