Horrabridge Primary and Nursery School
Discovering, Learning and Achieving Together
General Safeguarding Information & Terminology
Keeping Safe (Safeguarding) is our main priority for our children and is reinforced to them throughout the school on a regular basis. It is part of a planned approach to ensure all children are aware how to keep themselves and others safe.
Such activities will include:
- People who help us
- Stranger Danger
- Road Safety
- Fire safety
- Beach Safety
- Sun safety
- Staying Healthy
- Swimming lessons
- NSPCC PANTS
- NSPCC Share Aware
- E-safety
- National Anti Bullying week
- UNICEF Rights of a child
- Sex and Relationships programme
- Risk assessing
- First Aid certificate
This section provides parents with a wealth of information about how to support their child with hot topics such as online safety and terrorism. If any parent is concerned about a child's safety they should contact a school safeguarding officer or social care.
~ Keeping children safe is everyone's responsibility~ KCSIE 2021
If any parent/carer/ family member or member of our school community is concerned about a child they should make contact with the Safeguarding Leads in school..
If any parent has concerns over our procedures, practices or curriculum content, they should come and discuss this with the Headteacher.
NSPCC Assembly guidance and resources parents can access
How to keep children safe online.
The 'at home agreement' may support you and your child to ensure only sites you are aware of are being accessed.
Advice on discussing terrorism with your children
Children look to their parents for guidance and reassurance. Even if your children are reluctant to talk about it at first, take the lead. What you say matters.
Review what they understand.
As your children continue to deal with terrorist episodes, they may have misconceptions or misunderstandings about what took place, even if they have followed the news accounts. Talk about it in terms they can understand.
Identify your children’s fears.
Children may have unrealistic fears that we do not anticipate. They might fear an attack on their home or loss of their parents. Take time to find out what your children are thinking about and reassure them.
Limit television exposure.
Television news presents highly disturbing images and victim accounts that can be too frightening for most children, particularly those under the age of 12.
Help your children express their feelings about the tragedy.
Share your feelings with your children, but set a good example by expressing your feelings in an appropriate and mature manner. Extreme expressions of anger and grief may not be helpful to your child’s sense of security and self-control.
Express anger in an appropriate manner.
It is understandable that children feel angry, but the target of that anger should be the terrorists. Discourage stereotypes and prejudice which grow so easily from hate and fear. If a British citizen commits an act of terrorism, it does not represent all British citizens.
Spend some family time in normal, reassuring activities.
Bake a cake. Go for a walk. Play a favourite game. Do something together as a family that helps your children feel comfortable and secure.
Advice originally (adjusted for UK context) from http://curry.virginia.edu/research/projects/threat-assessment/talking-to-children-about-terrorism
For Additional Information
National Association of School Psychologists
Purdue Extension: Terrorism and Children
American Academy of Pediatrics – Communicating with Children about Disasters
Prevent agenda
What is the Prevent strategy?
Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes.
The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing, violent Islamist groups and other causes.
How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?
From July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.
This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs or gang violence.
Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.
What does this mean in practice?
Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.
These include:
- Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity
- Challenging prejudices and racist comments
- Developing critical thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity
- Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, as well as British values
We will also protect children from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, or by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.
Different schools will carry out the Prevent duty in different ways, depending on the age of the children and the needs of the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Prevent relate to British values?
Schools have been required to promote British values since 2014, and this will continue to be part of our response to the Prevent strategy.
British values include:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty and mutual respect
- Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Isn’t my child too young to learn about extremism?
The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself, which may not be appropriate for younger children. It is also about teaching children values such as tolerance and mutual respect.
The school will make sure any discussions are suitable for the age and maturity of the children involved.
Is extremism really a risk in our area?
Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and misogynistic extremism. Some of these may be a bigger threat in our area than others.
We will give children the skills to protect them from any extremist views they may encounter, now or later in their lives.
Where to go for more information
Contact the school
If you have any questions or concerns about the Prevent strategy and what it means for your child, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
KEY TERMS
Extremism – vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values such as democracy, the rule of law and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Ideology – a set of beliefs
Terrorism – a violent action against people or property, designed to create fear and advance a political, religious or ideological cause
Radicalisation – the process by which a person comes to support extremism and terrorism