Updated Prevent Duty guidance is in place with a greater focus on particular areas, not least tackling extremist ideology. Elizabeth Rose takes a fresh look at best practice in safeguarding against extremism
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The Prevent Duty (Home Office, 2015) has long been a core part of safeguarding work in schools. Formed as one of the four strands of the government’s anti-terrorism CONTEST strategy in 2003 in response to the threat posed by Islamist terrorism, it has been a key responsibility for schools to work to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism for many years.

The original approach has been adapted and extended over time and the most recent review into the strategy – the Independent Review of Prevent – was published last February (Home Office, 2023).

This review put forward 32 recommendations to address a range of issues with the Prevent strategy and to further strengthen the national approach to the threat of terrorism. 

As part of the response to the review, the statutory Prevent Duty guidance for “specified authorities” was updated in September 2023 and became statutory on December 31 (DfE, 2023; Home Office, 2023). While this guidance doesn’t confer new statutory responsibilities on schools, it brings Prevent back to the forefront of safeguarding discussions.

The global context, recent conflict in the Middle East and the rise in hate crimes against minority groups have also highlighted the on-going requirement for schools to balance promoting tolerance and cohesion, sensitively addressing questions and opinions about global matters, supporting children with vulnerabilities, protecting them from harm and robustly responding where there are concerns about radicalisation, and extremism.

These issues are challenging for all agencies and can be especially challenging in schools, where all elements of this may be happening simultaneously. While there is no simple solution to these issues, there are a number of things that schools can – and in some cases must – do to ensure that they are meeting safeguarding requirements and keeping children safe.

 

Understand the guidance and assess risk

It is essential that safeguarding leads and senior leaders read and understand the Prevent Duty statutory guidance. According to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, schools have a duty to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” and there are several updated documents and tools available alongside the main guidance to support this, including an updated Prevent risk assessment template (see further information).

The guidance is clear that schools should:

  • Perform a risk assessment which assesses how their learners or staff may be at risk of being radicalised into terrorism, including online.
  • Develop an action plan to address risks identified.

Settings can use the government’s suggested proforma or one may be provided by the local authority that better reflects local priorities and risks. It is important to address this point and implement a risk assessment if there is not one in place already. It is essential that schools understand both the local and national context in relation to radicalisation and extremism to be able to effectively develop this risk-assessment. 

 

Training 

It is important that schools have a robust approach to Prevent training. Different roles require different approaches but Prevent training should form part of school induction processes for new staff and be part of the annual training calendar.

  • Designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) should complete specific training that includes information about extremist and terrorist ideologies, how to make referrals, and how to work with Channel panels. It is recommended that DSLs complete Prevent training at least every two years and it is important to be aware of changing and emerging risks in-between.
  • Staff should be trained at least annually in radicalisation risks, spotting the signs of radicalisation, and how to report concerns. As well as being alert to violent extremism staff should also be aware of, to quote the Prevent Duty guidance, “non-violent extremism, including certain divisive or intolerant narratives which can reasonably be linked to terrorism”.
  • Governors should be trained at induction and regularly thereafter so that they are aware of their responsibilities in relation to Prevent.
  • Training for all groups should include factors which may make individuals more “susceptible” to radicalisation.

The quality and reliability of training can vary. Schools should critically engage with training providers and their offers to ensure that they are suitable and meet the needs of the setting’s context. The Prevent Duty guidance includes a number of quality-assured providers and local authorities should be able to advise further.

 

Policy

School safeguarding policies should be regularly updated and should reflect the school’s approach to Prevent. A separate policy is not required as Prevent should be seen as part of the setting’s wider safeguarding approach.

The guidance is clear that schools should work closely with their safeguarding partners to enable them to have an up-to-date awareness of risk and threat posed and have a good understanding of the latest developments in best practice. Policies should reflect local Prevent arrangements too.

There should also be an “external speakers” policy and process in place to effectively vet and quality-assure any outside providers coming in to school to deliver training, education opportunities, performances, mentoring or other services. Staff should have an awareness of this and a robust process should be in place for any external speaker that may be commissioned.

Policies should always include the processes for raising any concerns about radicalisation and extremism.

 

Promoting tolerance and cohesion 

The Prevent Duty guidance contains specific information for schools about “reducing permissive environments”. This is part of the approach to tackling extremist ideologies as well as the threat of violence. Schools may approach this in many ways, some of which are directly discussed in the document, and this should include:

  • Ensuring that there are suitable security systems and filtering and monitoring programs in place to ensure that IT systems are not being used to access or share extremist content. 
  • Ensuring that anyone working in, with or on behalf of the school has been subject the appropriate level of checks prior to employment or engagement. 
  • Promoting tolerance, community cohesion and respect – especially in relation to protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. 
  • Delivering a suitable and effective safeguarding curriculum that builds resilience to support in managing risk and seeking support.
  • Providing safe spaces for children to discuss ideas and ask questions, with well-trained staff who are able to respond and manage this in a safe way.
  • Promoting leadership and democracy through school structures.
  • In all settings, but particularly in further and higher education settings, balancing legal duties in terms of both securing freedom of speech and protecting learner and staff welfare.

 

Final thoughts

Although the legal duties on schools remain the same, the content of the guidance now has a greater focus on particular areas – especially the idea of tackling extremist ideology. It recognises that schools are ideally placed to both tackle and respond to radicalisation risks and concerns, and considering school approaches to Prevent through the prism of this guidance will support in ensuring both compliance and developing best practice in order to keep children – and others – safe.

 

Further information & resources