Prevent Policy

1. Purpose

• Ensure an awareness of Prevent within SCL
• Provide a clear framework to structure and inform our response to safeguarding concerns, including a supportive referral process for those who may be susceptible to the messages of extremism
• Embed British Values into the curriculum and ways of working
• Recognise current practice which contributes to the Prevent agenda
• Identify areas for improvement

2. Who does this policy apply to?

The Prevent Policy applies to everyone working at or attending SCL. It confers responsibilities on all board members, SCL staff, students, agency staff and volunteers, contractors, visitors, consultants and those working under self-employed arrangements.

3. Policy Statement

The aim of the Prevent Policy is to create and maintain a safe, healthy and supportive learning and working environment for our students, staff and visitors alike. We recognise that extremism and exposure to extremist materials and influences can lead to poor outcomes for students. We further recognise that if we fail to challenge extremist views we are failing to protect our students from potential harm. As such the Prevent agenda, will be addressed as a safeguarding concern.

SCL has adopted the Prevent Duty in accordance with legislative requirements. However, we will endeavour to incorporate the relevant duties so as not to:

• Stifle legitimate discussions, debate or student engagement activities in the local community; or
• Stereotype, label or single out individuals based on their origins, ethnicity, faith and beliefs or any other characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010.

4. Why do we need this policy?

Background information

Prevent is one of 4 strands of the Government’s counter terrorism strategy – CONTEST. The UK currently faces a range of terrorist threats. Terrorist groups who pose a threat to the UK seek to radicalise and recruit people to their cause. Therefore, early intervention is at the heart of Prevent which aims to divert people away from being drawn into terrorist activity.

Prevent happens before any criminal activity takes place by recognising, supporting and protecting people who might be susceptible to radicalisation.

The national Prevent Duty confers mandatory duties and responsibilities on a range of public organisations, including Further Education institutes and seeks to:

• Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
• Provide practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and violent extremism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
• Work with a wide range of sectors where there are risks of radicalisation which needs to be addressed, including education, criminal justice, faith, the internet and health.

The Government has created a system of ‘threat level’ which represents the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the near future. The current threat level from international terrorism in the UK is severe, which means that a terrorist attack is highly likely.

Our Prevent Policy has five key objectives:

1. To promote and reinforce shared values, including British Values1; to create space for free and open debate; and to listen and support the learner voice
2. To breakdown segregation among different student communities including by supporting inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue and understanding; and to engage all students in playing a full and active role in wider engagement in society
3. To ensure student safety and that SCL is free from bullying, harassment and discrimination
4. To provide support for students who may be at risk of radicalisation, and appropriate sources of advice and guidance
5. To ensure that students and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in preventing violent and non-violent extremism

5. Definitions

The following are commonly agreed definitions within the Prevent agenda:

• An ideology is a set of beliefs
• Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism that may lead to terrorism
• Safeguarding is the process of protecting vulnerable people, whether from crime, other forms of abuse or from being drawn into terrorism-related activity
• Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence, damage or disruption and is intended to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made with the intention of advancing a political, religious or ideological.
• Vulnerability describes factors and characteristics associated with being susceptible to radicalisation
• Extremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, Individual and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

6. Aims

Leadership and Values

To create and maintain an SCL ethos that upholds core values of shared responsibility and wellbeing for all students, staff and visitors whilst promoting respect, equality and diversity and understanding.

This will be achieved through:

• Promoting core values of respect, equality and diversity, democratic society, learner voice and participation.
• Building staff and student understanding of the issues and confidence to deal with them through mandatory staff training, specialist tutorials, awareness campaigns and community engagement activities.

Teaching and Learning

To provide a curriculum that promotes British Values, knowledge, skills and understanding, to build the resilience of students by undermining extremist ideology and supporting the learner voice.

This will be achieved through:

• Embedding British Values, equality, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and community cohesion throughout the curriculum.
• Promoting wider skills development such as social and emotional aspects of learning.
• A curriculum adapted to recognise local needs, challenge extremist narratives and promote universal rights.
• Teaching, learning and assessment strategies that explore controversial issues in a way that promotes critical analysis and pro-social values.
• Use of external programmes or groups to support learning while ensuring that the input supports SCL goals and values.
• Encouraging active citizenship and learner voice.

Student Support

To ensure that staff take preventative and responsive steps, working with partner professionals, families and communities.

This will be achieved through:

• Strong, effective and responsive student support.
• Developing strong community links and being aware of what is happening in the locality, including within SCL’s own community.
• Implementing anti-bullying strategies and challenging discriminatory behaviour.
• Recognising factors that may increase risk to a student, i.e. vulnerability, disadvantage or hardship, and implementing early risk management strategies.
• Ensuring that students and staff know how to access support in SCL and/or via community partners.
• Supporting students with problem solving and repair of harm.
• Supporting ‘at risk’ students through safeguarding and crime prevention processes.
• Focusing on narrowing the attainment gap between the different groups of students.
• Working collaboratively to promote support for students across all areas of SCL.

7. Roles and responsibilities

Whilst this is a standalone policy, it is integral to our Safeguarding Policy and should be applied as an extension to SCL’s current and established safeguarding procedures.

The Board

All Board Members have a legal responsibility under the Prevent Duty to make sure they have undertaken training in the Prevent Duty. Additionally, the Board must ensure that:

• all SCL staff have undertaken training in the Prevent Duty;
• all SCL staff are aware of when it is appropriate to refer concerns about students, learners or colleagues to the Safeguarding Officer;
• all SCL staff exemplify British values into their values;
• policies and procedures to implement the Prevent Duty are in place and acted on where appropriate.

Prevent Lead for SCL

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for ensuring that our Prevent Strategy is implemented across SCL and that any concerns are shared with the relevant organisations, in order to minimise the risk of our students becoming involved with terrorism.

SCL Safeguarding and Prevent Board

The Safeguarding and Prevent Board meet termly, and any concerns raised under the Prevent agenda or changes to the Duty that affect SCL are discussed within this Board.

All Staff

All staff at SCL have a responsibility to:

• create and support an ethos that upholds SCL’s mission, vision and values including British values, to create an environment of respect, equality and diversity and inclusion;
• attend Prevent training in order to have the skills to recognise those who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, involved in violent or non-violent extremism, and to know the appropriate action to take if they have concerns;
• report any concerns around extremism or radicalisation via the safeguarding reporting channels;
• report and remove any literature displayed around SCL that could cause offense or promote extremist views;
• support the development of staff and student understanding of the issues around extremism and radicalisation through activities such as training, awareness campaigns and tutorials;
• participate in engagement with local communities, schools and external organisations as appropriate.

8. Managing Risks and Responding to Events

SCL will ensure that it monitors risks and is ready to deal appropriately with issues which arise through the following:

• Understanding the nature of threat from violent extremism and how this may impact directly and indirectly on SCL.
• Identifying, understanding and managing potential risks within SCL from external influences.
• Responding appropriately to events reported via local, national or international news that may impact on students and communities.
• Ensuring plans are in place to minimise the potential for acts of violent or non-violent extremism within SCL.
• Ensuring measures are in place to respond appropriately to a threat or incident within SCL.
• Continuously developing effective ICT security and responsible user policies.
• Ensuring compliance with related policies.

9. Links to SCL values and other SCL policies

This policy should be used in conjunction with the following policies and procedures:

• Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
• Health and Safety Policy
• Student Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy

10. Who needs to understand this policy and how will they know about it?

Prevent training for all SCL staff, students and governors is mandatory and will be delivered by the following methods:

In addition:

• All new members of staff will receive Prevent training as part of their induction programme.
• All agency staff, volunteers and contractors will be provided with appropriate training / updates regarding changes to the Prevent agenda.
• A Prevent section on SCL intranet will provide relevant and up to date information, advice and guidance for staff.

11. Policy Summary

Our commitment to meeting the Prevent Duty can be summarised as follows:

P – Promotion of Equality and Diversity and positive relationships between staff and students

R – Referral of any concerns via Safeguarding staff to relevant authorities

E – Embedding British Values and education for students on all courses

V – Vetting teaching staff and guest speakers and removal of any posters or other materials of an extremist nature

E – Environment – a safe and secure learning environment

N – News monitoring for any concerns in the locality

T – Training of staff to raise awareness of the signs and risks