What Is Prevent?
“Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
The Prevent strategy responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views;
It provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensures they are given appropriate advice and support; and
[It] works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.”
Source: let’s talk about it: working together to prevent terrorism – http://www.ltai.info/what-is-prevent/
The International School Pune Prevent Strategy is designed in the same way as the national approach in order to reduce the number of serious incidents and to support anyone, especially vulnerable people, before they enter the criminal justice system.
The Channel Process, (mentioned in section 4 below) is a multi-agency strategy aimed at diverting anyone on the fringes of radicalisation/extremist behaviour. It would be implemented by the local police after reviewing evidence.
Statement
International School Pune understands its responsibilities under the Counter Terrorism & Security Act 2015 to prevent people of all ages from being radicalised or drawn into terrorism and seeks to meet its obligations in the ways shown below, after setting the context. This policy should be read alongside the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
Context
- International School Pune accepts students aged 11–18 from a variety of places from around the world.
- International School Pune promotes a multi-cultural environment where respect for and tolerance of others’ beliefs is required
- International School Pune is located in Stoke-by-Clare in the beautiful, rural county of Suffolk. The multi-cultural population is limited with a predominantly Caucasian local population.
Strong Leadership
- Responsibility for ensuring that Prevent Duty is met lies with the Principal.
- Responsibility for the Prevent annual action plan (see point 4 below) and policy lies with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and ADSLs who are able to make and implement decisions.
- Their duties are to ensure delivery of an effective risk assessment/action plan and policy as outlined here.
Risk Assessment Of Current Situation And Action Plan For Future
An annual action plan has been produced showing what is already being done and what still needs to be done; it will be reviewed and updated at least annually by the DSL and ADSL.
Working With Local Partners
- Make and maintain contact with the local police/ local authority Prevent coordinator to understand their role and the support available, (e.g. via the Channel process) through the training process.
- Make contact with local authority to ascertain other useful local agencies.
- Develop local area Prevent links with other similar organisations.
- Share information with all local organisations as appropriate.
Understanding Terminology
- Radicalisation: act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of mind
- Extremism*: holding extreme political or religious views which may deny right to any group or individual. Can be expressed in vocal or active opposition to
- Core British values: including
- Democracy
- the Rule of Law
- individual liberty
- respectful tolerance of different faiths or beliefs.
*NB: extremism can refer to a range of views, e.g. racism, homophobia, radical political ideologies, as well as any religious extremism transmitted to staff, students, group-leaders and any other adults.
Understanding Risk Of Extremism
- Staff, students and other adults may arrive at International School Pune already holding extremist views. Or, while attending the School, they may be influenced by a range of factors: global events, peer pressure, media, family views, extremist materials (hardcopy or online), inspirational speakers, friends or relatives being harmed, social networks, and more.
- People who are vulnerable are more likely to be influenced.
- Their vulnerability could stem from a range of causes, including: loss of identity or sense of belonging, isolation, exclusion, mental health problems, sense of injustice, personal crisis, victim of hate crime or discrimination, and bereavement.
Ways To Counteract Risks
- Promote a safe and supportive international environment via clear expectations of acceptable behaviours and those, including radicalisation and extremism, that will not be tolerated (any changes required to student rules, staff code of conduct).
- Promote core British values through documents given to students, notices around the School, via stand-alone classes on British culture and traditions on arrival and via the curriculum. This approach is to educate that this is how things are in UK; although it may be different to your country.
- Where possible, develop critical awareness and thought to counter accepting extremism without question, especially of online material.
- Challenge radical or extremist views in any context (formal or informal) via stated procedures. In most situations this would require an immediate response, referring to international environment of the School, and tolerance expected, then reporting concerns (see section 10).
- Be ready to react when world or local events cause upset and the likelihood of conflicting feelings being expressed. Prevent lead to take initiative in these situations.
- Have strong filters on IT equipment and clear rules on accessing extremist/ terrorist websites/ uses of social networks to exchange extremist/ terrorist views. The Acceptable Use Policy is to clearly state rules regarding students’ and staff use of own devices while accessing them within the School setting.
- Ensure that extremist speakers do not use premises to distribute material or expound views.
- Staff get to know students, their home circumstances and friendship groups, making it easier to spot changes in behaviour.
- Staff to be observant and vigilant in noticing any signs of radical or extremist behaviour.
- All staff to support any students identified as vulnerable.
Training
The DSL has undertaken awareness, referral and channel online training.
With staff, the aim is to provide more knowledge and confidence to all through online training, arranged by the Deputy Head Pastoral.
Documents and face-to-face training ensure staff understand this policy:
- context and expectations of Prevent
- their duty to implement the policy
- terminology and risks associated with radicalisation and extremism
- how to identify and support vulnerable students
- ways International School Pune will counteract the risks (see risk assessment/action plan)
- signs to notice that may cause concern
- know the lead Prevent person and procedures for communicating concerns
- know the importance of their own behaviour and professionalism in
- being exemplars of British values, and
- not discussing inflammatory subjects with students (Code of Conduct).
- Students and group leaders must be made aware of key parts of the policy:
- understanding terminology
- importance of maintaining a supportive and tolerant society in the School
- what core British values are and why they are considered important
- any changes to rules, particularly those regarding IT
- that they must report concerns/ incidents and understand the procedure report the following:
- Students talking about exposure to extremist materials or views outside the School (in this event, information must be shared with relevant local authorities)
- Changes in behaviour, e.g. becoming isolated
- Fall in standard of work, poor attendance, disengagement
- Changes in attitude, e.g. intolerant of differences/ having closed mind
- Asking questions about certain topics (e.g. connected to extremism)
- Offering opinions that appear to have come from extremist ideologies
- Attempts to impose own views/ beliefs on others
- Use of extremist vocabulary to exclude others or incite violence
- Accessing extremist material online or via social network sites
- Overt new religious practices
- Drawings or posters (e.g. in accommodation) showing extremist ideology/ views/ symbols
- Students voicing concerns about anyone
NB: Any concerns relating to a person under 18 are safeguarding issues and should be dealt
with by the DSL or DSL team in liaison with the Principal.
This policy is available to parents of students and prospective students on request.
