Keeping our children safe

At KIng Athelstan, the safety, wellbeing and happiness of every child is at the heart of everything we do.

As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, we recognise our duty to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and extremism. The Prevent Duty is one part of our wider approach to keeping children safe and helping them to grow into confident, respectful and resilient members of our community.

What is the Prevent Duty?

The Prevent Duty is a responsibility placed on schools to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

In a primary school, Prevent is approached in an age-appropriate, supportive and proportionate way. Our focus is on safeguarding children, promoting positive values and helping pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to make safe and informed choices.

Prevent is not about asking children to understand or discuss terrorism. Instead, it forms part of our wider work to promote respect, inclusion, resilience and critical thinking.

Helping our pupils to stay safe

Through our curriculum and wider school life, we encourage children to:

• respect people whose beliefs, backgrounds and opinions may be different from their own;
• listen to and consider different viewpoints;
• understand the importance of kindness, fairness and equality;
• develop confidence and resilience;
• recognise right from wrong;
• think critically about information they encounter;
• understand how to stay safe online;
• recognise when something may be worrying or unsafe; and
• know which trusted adults they can talk to if they have a concern.

These important skills are developed through our PSHE curriculum, Relationships and Health Education, computing and online-safety teaching, as well as through assemblies, discussions and everyday school life.

A safe and inclusive school community

We are committed to creating a school where every child feels safe, valued, respected and included.

We promote an environment in which children are encouraged to ask questions, share their views respectfully and learn from one another. We celebrate diversity and actively promote equality, tolerance and mutual respect.

Our work also supports the Prevent Duty alongside the promotion of British Values, including:

Democracy • The Rule of Law • Individual Liberty • Mutual Respect • Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs

These values underpin our school ethos and help our pupils develop into responsible and active members of society.

Online safety

Children can encounter a wide range of information and opinions online. We therefore place a strong emphasis on online safety and digital resilience.

Pupils are taught how to:

• use technology safely and responsibly;
• recognise that not everything they see or read online is reliable;
• question information and consider different sources;
• respond appropriately to content that makes them uncomfortable;
• understand how and when to report concerns; and
• seek help from a trusted adult.

We also work with parents and carers to support children in developing safe and positive online habits at home.

What happens if we have a concern?

Radicalisation is considered a safeguarding concern. If a member of our school community becomes concerned that a child may be vulnerable to radicalisation or extremist influence, the concern will be treated sensitively and managed through our established safeguarding procedures.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) oversees safeguarding concerns, including those relating to Prevent.

Where appropriate, we may work with parents and carers and with relevant external agencies, including the local authority and police, to ensure that children and families receive the right support.

Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of the child.

Our commitment

At [School Name], Prevent is not a stand-alone initiative. It forms part of our wider commitment to safeguarding children and creating a school community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

We will continue to:

• provide appropriate safeguarding and Prevent training for staff;
• maintain effective safeguarding policies and procedures;
• provide an inclusive and respectful learning environment;
• promote resilience, critical thinking and positive relationships;
• teach children how to stay safe online and offline; and
• respond appropriately and proportionately when concerns arise.

Who can I speak to?

If you have a safeguarding concern or would like to discuss Prevent, please contact one of our Designated Safeguarding Leads.

Designated Safeguarding Leads: Emily Newton, Headteacher, and Denise Ramkissoon, Nurture Lead. 
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Naomi Ahearn, Deputy Headteacher

Safeguarding Governor: Jess Castellino

School telephone: 020 8546 8210 
School email: admin@kingathelstan[Email address]

You can also find our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy [here].

Further information

For further information about the Prevent Duty, please visit the UK Government's Prevent Duty guidance.

[Prevent Duty guidance – GOV.UK]

[Keeping Children Safe in Education – GOV.UK]