What is the Prevent strategy?

Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes.

The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing, violent Islamist groups and other causes.

What is prevent? Let's talk about it.

Educate Against Hate – https://educateagainsthate.com/    

This is an important government website that provide advice and information about protecting children from extremism and radicalisation. 

How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?

From July 2015 all schools have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.

This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs or gang violence.

The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself, which may not be appropriate for younger children. However, it is about teaching children values such as tolerance and mutual respect.

Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss any issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.

Preventing Radicalisation in School

Building resilience in our young people and the promotion of fundamental British values is at the heart of preventing radicalisation. We do this by providing a safe place in which children can discuss issues, and we aim to give them the knowledge and confidence to challenge extremist beliefs and ideologies.

Our new prevent duty is carried out under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which legally requires us to take steps to prevent pupils from being drawn into terrorism.

We recognise that we play a vital role in keeping children safe from harm, including from the risks of extremism and radicalisation, and in promoting the welfare of children in our care.

What we do if there is a concern

If we have a concern about a particular pupil we will follow the school’s normal safeguarding procedures, including discussing with the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead and Prevent Lead, Mrs Tania Chapman, or a member of the Safeguarding Team where deemed necessary, with children’s social care.

We may also contact the local police force or dial 101 (the non-emergency number). They can talk to us in confidence about concerns and help us gain access to support and advice.

The Department for Education has dedicated a telephone helpline (020 7340 7264) to enable staff and governors to raise concerns relating to extremism directly. Concerns can also be raised by email to 

counter.extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk 

Please note that the helpline is not intended for use in emergency situations, such as a child being at immediate risk of harm or a security incident. In an emergency situation we will follow the recommended emergency procedures.

Reporting a hate crime

At High View, we value all of our children equally, irrespective of their backgrounds. Plymouth Local Authority have asked schools to make all families aware of how to report any hate incident or crime. 

Reporting to PCC's Social Inclusion Unit - If anyone is a victim of a hate incident or witnesses one, contact our Social Inclusion Unit on 01752 304321 or email: inclusion@plymouth.gov.uk

Reporting to Police – alternatively you can report incidents to Devon and Cornwall Police as follows:

Emergency:     999

Telephone:      999

SMS/Text:       999 – if you are Deaf/hard of hearing or speech impaired

Non-Emergency:

Telephone:      101

SMS/Text:       67101 – if you are Deaf/hard of hearing or speech impaired

Email:            101@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

To make a Third Party Report: www.report-it.org.uk/report_a_hate_crime