What is the Prevent Strategy?

See Our Prevent Action Plan

Full details of how Bevington Primary School meets its Prevent Duty are set out in our Prevent Action Plan, which is included as an annex to our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.

What Is the Prevent Strategy?

The Prevent Strategy is part of the government’s work to stop people from becoming involved in terrorism or supporting extremist ideas. It covers all types of extremism, including:

Violent Islamist groups
Extreme right-wing ideologies
Other forms of political, religious, or ideological extremism

Prevent in Schools

Since July 2015, all schools have had a legal duty under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to protect pupils from the risks of radicalisation and extremism.

At Bevington Primary School, all staff are trained annually in the Prevent Strategy by our Local Authority so they are confident in recognising the signs of radicalisation and knowing how to respond.

This duty means we safeguard pupils from extremist and violent views in the same way we protect them from risks such as drugs, gangs, or exploitation. Schools also provide a safe space for pupils to explore and discuss challenging topics, helping them develop critical thinking skills and the confidence to keep themselves safe.

How We Promote Safety and Resilience

At Bevington, many of the things we do to support children’s personal development also help meet the aims of Prevent, including:

Promoting diversity by learning about different cultures and religions
Challenging prejudiced or discriminatory language
Developing critical thinking and encouraging debate
Building pupils’ confidence and sense of belonging
Teaching British values: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We also take practical measures to reduce risks, such as:

Filtering internet access to block extremist material
Checking visitors to ensure they are safe and appropriate to work with pupils

Understanding the Risks

Children and young people can be exposed to extremist ideas in many ways, including:

Influence from friends or family members
Direct contact with extremist groups or organisations
Online content and social media, which can normalise radical views and promote harmful material

Possible signs of concern may include:

Expressing extremist views or supporting extremist groups
Significant changes in behaviour or language
Possessing extremist literature or material
Talking about conspiracy theories or showing distrust in mainstream information
Being secretive about online activity or switching screens when others are near
Seeking to recruit others to a cause
Believing their faith, culture, or beliefs are under attack

What We Do If We’re Concerned

If a child is identified as being at risk of radicalisation, we follow our safeguarding procedures:

Concerns are reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
If needed, we seek advice from the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) or other relevant professionals
Where appropriate, we may also contact the Department for Education’s Prevent advice line (020 7340 7264)

If Parents Have Concerns

Parents worried about their own child or someone else’s can:

Speak to the school’s safeguarding team
Contact the Police
Call the NSPCC for confidential advice

Our Safeguarding Team

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Shainey Slater – Assistant Headteacher
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL): Alexandra Brown – Assistant Headteacher
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL): Tyson Evans – Head of School

Key Definitions

Extremism: Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Terrorism: Violent action against people or property designed to create fear and advance a political, religious, or ideological cause
Radicalisation: The process by which a person comes to support extremist ideas and may engage in terrorism