Prevent Policy and Procedure

Statement

InTuition Languages, as an international language school, understands the obligations under the Counter Terrorism & Security Act 2015 to prevent people of all ages being radicalised or drawn into terrorism and seeks to meet its obligations in the ways shown below, after setting the context.

Context

InTuition Languages accepts students aged 10+ all year from around the world. In its busiest weeks it may have 100 students staying with up to 80 host tutors. These host tutors are located in many different environments, from multicultural inner cities to small villages in the countryside.

Strong Leadership

  • Responsibility for ensuring Prevent Duty is met lies with the Prevent Lead.
  • Their duties are to ensure delivery of an effective Prevent Policy and Procedure as outlined here.

Working with Local Partners

  • Make and maintain contact with the local police/ local authority Prevent coordinator to understand their role and the support available, (e.g. via the Channel process)
  • Make contact with local authority to ascertain other useful local agencies
  • Develop local area Prevent links with other similar organisations
  • Share information with all local organisations as appropriate

Terminology

  • Radicalisation: act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of mind
  • Extremism*: holding extreme political or religious views which may deny right to any group or individual. Can be expressed in vocal or active opposition to
  • Core British values: including
  • democracy
  • the rule of law
  • individual liberty
  • respectful tolerance of different faiths or beliefs.

*NB: extremism can refer to a range of views, e.g. racism, homophobia, right-wing ideology, as well as any religious extremism.

Understanding Risk of Extremism

Head office staff, students and host tutors may arrive at InTuition Languages already holding extremist views. Or, whilst attending an InTuition Course, they may be influenced by a range of factors: global events, peer pressure, media, family views, extremist materials (hardcopy or online), inspirational speakers, friends or relatives being harmed, social networks, and more. People who are vulnerable are more likely to be influenced. Their vulnerability could stem from a range of causes, including: loss of identity or sense of belonging, isolation, exclusion, mental health problems, sense of injustice, personal crisis, victim of hate crime or discrimination, and bereavement.

Way to Counteract Risks

  • Promote a safe and supportive international environment via clear expectations of accepted behaviours and those, including radicalisation and extremism, that will not be tolerated
  • Promote core British values through an introduction to British culture and traditions on arrival and via curriculum. Approach is to educate that this is how things are in UK; although it may be different to your country.
  • Where possible, develop critical awareness and thought to counter accepting extremism without question, especially of online material.
  • Challenge radical or extremist views in any context (formal or informal) via stated procedures. In most situations this would require an immediate response, then reporting concerns.
  • Be ready to react when world or local events (e.g. terrorist attacks) cause upset and the likelihood of conflicting feelings being expressed. Prevent lead to take initiative in these situations.
  • Have strong filters on IT equipment and clear rules on accessing extremist/ terrorist websites/ uses of social networks to exchange extremist/ terrorist views.
  • Host tutors to be observant and vigilant in noticing any signs of radical or extremist behaviour
  • Host tutors and head office staff to support any students identified as vulnerable.

Training

  • Documents and online training ensure head office and host tutoring staff understand this policy:
    • context and expectations of Prevent
    • their duty to implement the policy
    • terminology and risks associated with radicalisation and extremism
    • how to identify and support vulnerable students
    • ways InTuition Languages will counteract the risks
    • signs to notice that may cause concern
    • know the lead Prevent person and procedures for communicating concerns
    • know the importance of their own behaviour and professionalism in
    • being exemplars of British values, and not discussing inflammatory subjects with students (Code of Conduct)

Signs that may cause concern

  • Students talking about exposure to extremist materials or views (this must be shared with authorities if brought to light)
  • Changes in behaviour
  • Fall in standard of work, poor attendance, disengagement
  • Changes in attitude, e.g. intolerant of differences / having closed mind
  • Asking questions about certain topics (e.g. connected to extremism)
  • Offering opinions that appear to have come from extremist ideologies
  • Attempts to impose own views / beliefs on others
  • Use of extremist vocabulary to exclude others or incite violence
  • Accessing extremist material online or via social network sites
  • Overt new religious practices

How and when to react to concerns

  • Everyone given name of who to contact and how to contact them
  • Confidentiality assured for the person reporting a concern
  • Everyone told to report any concern or incident, however small
  • Reassurance that all will be dealt with sensitively and carefully

Policy preparation and review

Prevent policy implemented: Mar 2018

Last review: Jun 2021