PREVENT
At Blessed Robert Widmerpool catholic Voluntary Academy, safeguarding and the welfare of our pupils is our highest priority. As part of this commitment, we take our responsibilities under the Prevent Duty very seriously.
The Prevent Duty, introduced under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, requires schools to have due regard to the need to prevent children and young people from being drawn into terrorism and extremist activities.
What is Prevent?
The Prevent Duty is about protecting pupils from the risk of radicalisation and extremism. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. Extremism is behaviour or beliefs that seek to undermine fundamental British values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect.
You can read more about Prevent by clicking here. (opens in new tab)
How We Promote Prevent
We help pupils stay safe by:
- Raising awareness of radicalisation and extremism through our curriculum and by providing age-appropriate opportunities for pupils to learn how to challenge extremist views and make safe, informed decisions
- Teaching British Values, including respect for difference, tolerance and the importance of law and democracy
- Working with staff, parents and external partners to identify and respond to concerns early
What We Do if We Have Concerns
If we have concerns that a pupil may be at risk of radicalisation or extremism, we take action in line with our safeguarding procedures. This may include:
- Consulting with senior leaders and the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
- Speaking to the pupil and their parents/carers
- Calling the Anti-Terrorism hotline
- Referring to local authority safeguarding teams and the Prevent Programme
We always act in the best interests of the pupil and in accordance with our safeguarding policies and will be on hand to support any student who requires it.
