Management Information Sheet

Prevent in Education Update

MI Sheet TypeInformation
MI Number:23/21
Publication Date:26/02/2021 12:00:00
LA Contact:Education Safeguarding Team (01603 303303)
Audience:Headteachers, Chairs of Governors, Designated Safeguarding Leads
Links:https://www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/pupil-safety-and-behaviour/safeguarding/contact-safeguarding
https://www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/pupil-safety-and-behaviour/safeguarding/safeguarding-audits

Prevent in Education Update

School and College Closures: Ongoing Prevent Management Support

The Department for Education updated advice to school leaders on Prevent management during COVID-19 to reflect current COVID-19 guidance for schools and colleges. This is to provide advice for schools and colleges around Prevent during COVID.

In line with Home Office guidance, we particularly want to highlight that Prevent referrals can still be made using existing referral processes and we want to make clear that the definition of 'Vulnerable Child' is flexible. If you are concerned that someone may be vulnerable to radicalisation or extremism in Norfolk, you should use the National Prevent referral form. Completed referral forms should be sent to prevent@norfolk.pnn.police.uk.

Education Resources

The following resources have been added to Educate Against Hate (EAH):

LGfL (London Grid for Learning) Spotlight on Safeguarding: Spotlight resources that consist of short videos with discussion questions to engage conversation around different areas of safeguarding. There is a specific video on Prevent/Extremism - Why schools should never ignore a concern which includes an anonymised individual who has been involved in extremism.

IOE, Centre for Holocaust Education: New free-to-download book called Holocaust Education which provides key lessons for teaching the Holocaust including helping to combat myths and misconceptions held by students. Produced after the recent Hope not Hate report and the increasing amount of interest in conspiracy theories.

UK Safer Internet School Online Safety Index Local Authority Area Map: The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) has released data ranking the performance of 14,000 schools in England on online safety. Analysis of data based on the assessment of schools, shows a variation of performance across England which means that children in some areas of the country could be left more vulnerable online.

Patriotic Alternative - Request for information

We understand that nationally some schools and parents have had contact with the group Patriotic Alternative and this has highlighted the need to raise awareness locally.

Background:
Patriotic Alternative (PA) was created in 2019 by former British National Party publicity director Mark Collett as a mostly online and social media-based organisation. They aim to combat the "replacement and displacement" of white Britons by people who "have no right to these lands". In this regard PA follows the broader trend in recent years amongst many in the far right of rebranding white nationalist ideology as a defence of 'indigenous' Europeans against their 'Great Replacement' from non-Europeans.

More recently, PA have embarked on a campaign that focuses on education. They have produced education resources for parents which focus on celebrating the achievements of 'white' people and have produced letter templates to assist parents in withdrawing their children from school to home educate. We are keen to understand to what extent schools may have experienced parents submitting these PA templates to them and if schools are aware that of the PA resources being taught to children at home.

Request for information:
If you believe you have received this type of correspondence and/or parents and carers have been influenced to make the decision to home educate by this particular group, please can you contact the Safeguarding Team at cs.pdcsafeguardingadministration@norfolk.gov.uk.