Prevent Strategy
At Yalding St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a safe, caring and inclusive environment where all children feel valued, respected and able to be themselves.
What is the Prevent Strategy?
Prevent is part of the UK Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to protect people from being drawn into terrorism or extremist activity by identifying concerns early and providing appropriate support. Prevent is an important part of our wider safeguarding responsibilities and works alongside our commitment to keeping children safe from harm, both in school and online.
How does Prevent apply to schools?
Schools have a legal duty to help protect children from the risk of radicalisation. This means creating an environment where children feel safe to ask questions, share their views and discuss different ideas respectfully. Through our curriculum and everyday school life, we promote British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also help children develop critical-thinking skills, understand online safety and recognise when information or behaviour may be harmful.
What does Prevent mean in practice at Yalding Primary School?
At Yalding, Prevent is part of our everyday safeguarding practice. We:
-
Promote kindness, respect, tolerance and inclusion, ensuring that every child feels welcomed, valued and listened to.
-
Encourage children to think critically, ask questions and express their opinions in a safe and respectful environment.
-
Teach children how to stay safe online and how to recognise and respond to inappropriate or harmful content.
-
Ensure staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and know how to recognise and report concerns that may indicate a child is vulnerable to radicalisation.
-
Take concerns seriously and work with parents and carers, and relevant external agencies where appropriate, to ensure children receive the support they need.
Prevent is not about targeting particular beliefs, backgrounds or communities. It is about safeguarding children, recognising vulnerability and providing support at an early stage.
At Yalding Primary School, we believe that every child has the right to feel safe, respected and included. By working together with our children, families and wider community, we aim to nurture confident, thoughtful and compassionate young people who respect others and understand the importance of living well together.
