Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is part of the school’s wider safeguarding duties.
6.1 Farnham Primary will actively assess the risk of pupils being drawn into terrorism.
6.2 Staff will be alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection.
6.3 Staff will use their professional judgement to identify pupils who may be at risk of radicalisation and act appropriately, which may include making a referral to the Channel programme. The school will work with the LSCB as appropriate.
6.4 The school will ensure that they engage with parents/carers and families, as they are in a key position to spot signs of radicalisation. In doing so, the school will assist and advise family members who raise concerns and provide information for support mechanisms.
6.5 Any concerns over radicalisation will be discussed with a child’s parents/carers, unless the school has reason to believe that the child would be placed at risk as a result.
6.6 The DSL will undertake Prevent awareness training to be able to provide advice and support to other staff on how to protect children against the risk of radicalisation. The DSL will hold formal training sessions with all members of staff to ensure they are aware of the risk indicators and their duties regarding preventing radicalisation.
6.7 Indicators of an identity crisis:
- Distancing themselves from their cultural/religious heritage
6.8 Indicators of a personal crisis:
- Family tensions
- A sense of isolation
- Low self-esteem
- Disassociation from existing friendship groups
6.9 Indicators of vulnerability through personal circumstances:
- Local community tensions
- Events affecting their country or region of origin
- Alienation from UK values
6.10 Indicators of vulnerability through unmet aspirations:
- Perceptions of injustice
- Feelings of failure
6.11 Indicators of vulnerability through criminality:
- Experiences of dealing with the police
Making a judgement
6.12 When making a judgement, staff will ask themselves the following questions:
- Does the pupil have access to extremist influences?
- Does the pupil access the internet for the purposes of extremist activities (e.g. using closed network groups, accessing or distributing extremist material, contacting covertly using Skype)?
- Is there a reason to believe that the pupil has been, or is likely to be, involved with extremist organisations?
- Is the pupil known to have possessed, or be actively seeking, extremist literature/other media likely to incite racial or religious hatred?
- Does the pupil sympathise with or support illegal/illicit groups?
- Does the pupil support groups with links to extremist activity?
- Has the pupil encountered peer, social, family or faith group rejection?
- Is there evidence of extremist ideological, political or religious influence on the pupil?
- Have international events in areas of conflict and civil unrest had a noticeable impact on the pupil?
- Has there been a significant shift in the pupil’s outward appearance that suggests a new social, political or religious influence?
- Has the pupil come into conflict with family over religious beliefs, lifestyle or dress choices?
- Does the pupil vocally support terrorist attacks’; either verbally or in their written work?
- Has the pupil witnessed or been the victim of racial or religious hate crime?
- Is there a pattern of regular or extended travel within the UK?
- Has the pupil travelled for extended periods of time to international locations?
- Has the pupil employed any methods to disguise their identity?
- Does the pupil have experience of poverty, disadvantage, discrimination or social exclusion?
- Does the pupil display a lack of affinity or understanding for others?
- Is the pupil the victim of social isolation?
- Does the pupil demonstrate a simplistic or flawed understanding of religion or politics?
- Is the pupil a foreign national or refugee, or awaiting a decision on their/their family’s immigration status?
- Does the pupil have insecure, conflicted or absent family relationships?
- Has the pupil experienced any trauma in their lives, particularly trauma associated with war or sectarian conflict?
6.13 Critical indicators include where the pupil is:
- In contact with extremist recruiters
- Articulating support for extremist causes or leaders
- Accessing extremist websites
- Possessing extremist literature
- Using extremist narratives and a global ideology to explain personal disadvantage
- Justifying the use of violence to solve societal issues
- Joining extremist organisations
- Making significant changes to their appearance and/or behaviour
6.14 Any member of staff who identifies such concerns, as a result of observed behaviour or reports of conversations, will report these to the DSL.
6.15 The DSL will consider whether a situation may be so serious that an emergency response is required. In this situation, a 999 call will be made; however, concerns are most likely to require a police investigation as part of the Channel programme, in the first instance.
6.16 Safeguarding children is a key role for both the school and the LA, which is implemented through the use of the Channel programme. This service shall be used where a vulnerable pupil is at risk of being involved in terrorist activities.
6.17 In cases where the school believes a pupil is potentially at serious risk of being radicalised, the Headteacher or DSL will contact the Channel programme.
6.18 The DSL will also support any staff making referrals to the Channel programme.
6.19 The Channel programme ensures that vulnerable children and adults of any faith, ethnicity or background, receive support before their vulnerabilities are exploited by those that would want them to embrace terrorism, and before they become involved in criminal terrorist-related activity.
6.20 The programme identifies individuals at risk, assesses the extent of that risk, and develops the most appropriate support plan for the individuals concerned, with multi-agency co-operation and support from Farnham Primary School.
6.21 The delivery of the Channel programme may often overlap with the implementation of the LA’s or school’s wider safeguarding duty, especially where vulnerabilities have been identified that require intervention from social services, or where the individual is already known to social services.
Building children’s resilience
6.22 Farnham Primary School will:
- Provide a safe environment for debating controversial issues.
- Promote fundamental British values, alongside pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
- Allow pupils time to explore sensitive and controversial issues.
- Provide pupils with the knowledge and skills to understand and manage potentially difficult situations, recognise risk, make safe choices and recognise where pressure from others threatens their personal safety and well-being.
- Equip pupils to explore political and social issues critically, weigh evidence, debate, and make reasoned arguments.
- Teach pupils about how democracy, government and law making/enforcement occurs.
Teach pupils about mutual respect and understanding for the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities of the UK.
6.23 Farnham Primary School will utilise the following resources:
- The LSCB
- Local police (contacted via 101 for non-emergencies)
- The DfE’s dedicated helpline (020 7340 7264)
- The Channel awareness programme
- The Educate Against Hate Website