On July 2015 the Department for Education issued the following advice to all schools:
ABOUT THIS DEPARTMENTAL ADVICE
The Prevent duty is the duty in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 on specified authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
RISK ASSESSMENT
The statutory guidance makes clear that schools and childcare providers are expected to assess the risk of children being drawn into terrorism, including support for extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology. This means being able to demonstrate both a general understanding of the risks affecting children and young people in the area and a specific understanding of how to identify individual children who may be at risk of radicalisation and what to do to support them.
There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to a terrorist ideology. As with managing other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. Children at risk of radicalisation may display different signs or seek to hide their views.
School staff and childcare providers should understand when it is appropriate to make a referral to the Channel programme. Channel is a programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.
I.T. POLICIES
The statutory guidance makes clear the need for schools to ensure that children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet in schools. Branston Community Academy has suitable filtering in place.
More generally, schools have an important role to play in equipping children and young people to stay safe online, both in school and outside. Internet safety is integral to our Academy’s Computing curriculum and is embedded in Active Tutorial Work (ATW).
BUILDING CHILDREN’S RESILIENCE TO RADICALISATION
Branston Community Academy takes the view that we build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping them to understand how they can influence and participate in decision-making. We are very experienced in promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and, within this, fundamental British values.
Active Tutorial Work (ATW) is an effective way of providing pupils with time to explore sensitive or controversial issues, and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to understand and manage difficult situations. We use ATW to teach pupils to recognise and manage risk, make safer choices, and recognise when pressure from others threatens their personal safety and wellbeing. They develop effective ways of resisting pressures, including knowing when, where and how to get help. We encourage pupils to develop positive character traits through, such as resilience, determination, self-esteem, and confidence.
LANGUAGE USED BY ISIL
ISIL relies heavily on Islamic terminology, and often twists its meaning, to reinforce the impression that it is fighting for a religious cause and has established a truly Islamic state. Terms used in ISIL propaganda and by supporters on social media include:
Dawla/Dawlah – A term used to describe ISIL by its supporters, an alternative to ‘Islamic State.’
Caliphate – A Caliphate (or Khilafah) is a form of government used by early Muslims, under a single leader, or Caliph. ISIL supporters describe the territory the group controls in Iraq and Syria as the ‘Caliphate’.
Jihad – Literally meaning ‘struggle,’ jihad can also refer to violence. Extremists may claim that undertaking violent jihad is obligatory for Muslims.
Mujahid – Someone who fights jihad, the plural of which is mujahideen.
Hijrah – Referring originally to the journey made by the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, today hijrah is used by many to mean moving from a non-Muslim country to a Muslim country. ISIL uses this term to reinforce the idea that there is a religious obligation to travel to their so called Caliphate.
Shahada – This can refer both to the Islamic declaration of faith (the first of the five pillars of Islam) and to someone considered to have achieved martyrdom. In this case they will be referred to as a ‘Shaheed’.
Kaffir/kuffar – A pejorative term used to describe non-Muslims, on the basis that they reject the tenets of Islam.
Ummah – This is the concept of the world community of Muslims, who are bound by common faith. ISIL regularly makes claims to be representing the ‘one true Ummah’ and that it is building a community for them.
Rafidha – The Arabic word for ‘rejecters’ or ‘those who refuse’, it is a term used to describe those believed to reject Islamic authority and leadership. ‘Rafidha’ is often used by ISIL supporters as a pejorative or sectarian term against Shia Muslims.
Sham – A classical Arabic term used to describe the region of the Levant, largely focused on Syria.