Teacher Handbook — KS3 (Years 7–9, Ages 11–14)
Aligned with: Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 · KCSIE 2025 · Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 · CONTEST 2023
MASH-ALIGNED KS3 PREVENT DUTY⚠️ Teacher note — read before delivering this lesson
Prevent is a statutory safeguarding duty. At KS3, pupils are old enough to engage with the concepts of extremism and radicalisation directly, but language and activities must remain age-appropriate and inclusive. This lesson must be delivered without stigmatising any community, culture, religion, or ethnic group. If a pupil makes a disclosure during this lesson that raises a Prevent concern, follow your school's safeguarding procedures and refer to your DSL immediately. Do not attempt to investigate or challenge extremist views yourself — support and refer.
| Duration | 60 minutes (adaptable to 45 or 75 minutes — see notes) |
|---|---|
| Key Stage | KS3 (Years 7–9, Ages 11–14) |
| Subject Links | PSHE, Citizenship, Computing, Religious Studies, Media Literacy |
| Resources Needed | Pupil handout, quiz, presentation slides, whiteboard/projector |
| Curriculum Links | PSHE Association Programme of Study (KS3 — Living in the Wider World); Citizenship statutory curriculum (political literacy, rights, responsibilities, democracy); RSE statutory guidance (DfE 2019) |
| Statutory Duty | Schools are required under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, s.26, and Prevent Duty Guidance 2023, to actively promote Fundamental British Values and have due regard to the need to prevent pupils from being drawn into terrorism |
By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:
Home Office — Individuals Referred to and Supported through the Prevent Programme, England and Wales, April 2024 to March 2025
Why this is especially relevant at KS3
| Legislation / Guidance | Key provision for schools |
|---|---|
| Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (CTSA), s.26 | Creates the Prevent Duty: specified authorities — including all schools — must have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism." Statutory duty, not guidance. |
| CTSA 2015, s.38 | Creates the Channel Duty — schools must co-operate with Channel panels when asked. |
| Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 (Home Office) | Statutory guidance (in force December 2023) requiring schools to appoint a Prevent lead, train all staff, embed FBV in the curriculum, maintain IT filtering and monitoring, and have clear referral pathways. |
| Channel Duty Guidance 2023 (Home Office) | Sets out the Channel process — voluntary, multi-agency, early intervention for individuals at risk of radicalisation. Consent-based. No criminal record. |
| Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE 2025) | All staff must receive Prevent awareness training; DSLs must understand Channel referral thresholds; schools must promote FBV. Radicalisation is explicitly listed as a safeguarding concern. |
| CONTEST 2023 | The UK's counter-terrorism strategy. Prevent is one of four pillars: Prevent, Pursue, Protect, Prepare. Schools are named as key partners in the Prevent pillar. |
| Education Act 2002, s.78 | Requires promotion of spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development — the statutory basis for embedding FBV in the KS3 curriculum. |
| Value | KS3-appropriate framing |
|---|---|
| Democracy | Everyone's voice has equal weight in a democracy. Extremist ideologies typically reject democratic processes — they argue that violence is more effective than votes. Why does this matter? |
| The Rule of Law | Laws are made through democratic processes and apply equally to everyone — no one is above the law because of their beliefs or status. Terrorism breaks this principle by using violence to bypass democratic law-making. |
| Individual Liberty | People have the right to make their own choices about their lives, identity, beliefs, and relationships. Extremist ideologies seek to remove this freedom — often starting with specific groups. |
| Mutual Respect | Recognising the dignity of all people, regardless of difference. Extremist ideologies always begin with dehumanisation — treating a group of people as less than fully human. Mutual respect is the direct counter to this. |
| Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs | A plural society requires accepting that others believe differently. This is not the same as agreeing with everyone — it means accepting coexistence. Intolerance is the starting point of most violent extremist ideologies. |
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support extremist ideologies, including terrorism or political violence. It is a process — gradual, not sudden — and it can be interrupted and reversed at any stage. This is the most important message for KS3 pupils: radicalisation is not inevitable, and getting help early always works better than late.
Home Office and RAND research identifies two categories of factors that contribute to radicalisation:
| Type | What it looks like | Prevent referrals 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|
| Right-wing (RWTE) | White nationalism, neo-Nazism, incel ideology, anti-government extremism. Primarily recruited via gaming platforms, forums, and social media memes — looks like "edgy humour" at first. | 21% — largest |
| Islamist | Ideologies justifying violence in the name of a particular interpretation of Islam. ISIL/Daesh, Al-Qaeda inspired. | 10% |
| MUU (mixed/unclear) | Multiple extremist influences without a single clear ideology. Increasingly common in younger referrals — young people absorbing content from several extreme sources. | 34% |
| Left-wing / single-issue | Includes eco-extremism and anarchist violence. Currently a small but notable proportion. | ~1% |
Source: Home Office (2025). Individuals Referred to and Supported Through the Prevent Programme, year ending March 2025. gov.uk
For KS3 pupils, online radicalisation is the primary risk pathway. The process typically follows this pattern:
These are drawn directly from KCSIE 2025, Annex B and Prevent Duty Guidance 2023. No single indicator is definitive. Report any concern to the DSL — you are not expected to investigate or assess risk yourself.
Important: Many of these signs could indicate other concerns (mental health, bullying, family difficulties). Refer to the DSL who will assess the appropriate response — which may or may not be a Prevent referral.
Channel is a voluntary, welfare-based early intervention programme. It is not a criminal process — there is no prosecution, no arrest, no permanent record. Consent is required from the individual and parents/carers (where under 18) before support is provided.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Staff identifies a concern | A teacher, support worker, or other staff member notices warning signs and reports to the DSL |
| 2. DSL assesses and refers | DSL decides whether to refer to the local authority Prevent team or police Prevent unit. Many concerns are handled within school or via early help — Channel is for higher-risk cases |
| 3. Prevent practitioner assessment | Qualified Prevent practitioners assess whether the case meets the Channel threshold for vulnerability |
| 4. Channel panel | Multi-agency panel (police, health, education, children's services) agrees a bespoke support plan. Consent is sought from the young person and family |
| 5. Support and review | Mentoring, therapeutic support, faith engagement, or education support delivered by specialists. Case closed when vulnerability is reduced |
Source: Home Office (2023). Channel Duty Guidance. gov.uk
Display five statements on the board. Pupils vote anonymously (mini-whiteboards, hands, or online poll). Reveal answers after the lesson to check learning has shifted. Example statements:
Present the definition using the slides: radicalisation is a gradual process, not a sudden event. Introduce the push/pull factor model using relatable, age-appropriate language. Key question for pair-share: "What might make someone feel like they don't belong — and what might an extremist group offer them instead?" Do not link push/pull factors to any specific community. Draw out: isolation, grievance, wanting to belong — these are universal human experiences.
Present the Prevent statistics from the slides. Give pupils 3 minutes to discuss in pairs: "What surprises you? Does this match what you thought?" Whole-class discussion draws out: right-wing extremism is the largest ideological category; young people under 18 make up 54% of all referrals; online content is the primary route in. Correct the common misconception that Prevent is primarily about one religion or one type of extremism.
Pupils read the warning signs on their handout and categorise each into: "I'd notice this" / "I might miss this" / "I'm not sure." Groups share responses. Key message: warning signs are signals of vulnerability — the right response is to get the person help, not to judge them. "Telling someone is an act of care, not betrayal." Emphasise that many warning signs (withdrawal, change in friends, secretive online activity) could have other explanations — the point is to tell a trusted adult who can look at the full picture.
Walk through the five-stage online pathway (entry point → community → identity → escalation → intervention). Ask pupils to map this onto the social media and gaming platforms they know. Key discussion: "Why might memes be an effective entry point for extremist ideas?" and "Why is it hard to leave an online community once you feel like part of it?" Draw out the role of algorithms, anonymity, and the appeal of belonging.
Present two anonymised scenarios from the pupil handout:
Discuss: What are the signs? At what point would you act? What stops people from speaking up — and how do we overcome that?
Three questions (slip of paper or online form, anonymous): (1) What is one thing you now know about radicalisation that you didn't before? (2) If you were worried about a friend online, what would you do? (3) Anything you're still not sure about? Review all responses for anything that requires follow-up with the DSL.
If a pupil discloses involvement in or plans relating to terrorism — including online — contact your DSL and, if necessary, the police immediately.
| Group | Approach |
|---|---|
| Higher ability | Ask pupils to critically evaluate a media headline about radicalisation — does it accurately reflect the Prevent data? What assumptions does it make? Challenge: "Why might the media focus on some types of extremism more than others?" |
| SEND / EAL | Pre-teach key vocabulary: radicalisation, extremism, ideology, Channel. Visual glossary on handout. Peer reading partner for activities. Allow verbal responses for exit ticket. |
| Vulnerable pupils | Consult DSL before delivering the lesson if any pupil is known to be at Prevent risk. The lesson may need to be adapted or the pupil offered an alternative setting. |
| Resource | Contact / URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Early | actearly.campaign.gov.uk | Government advice for anyone concerned about radicalisation — professionals and families |
| Anti-Terrorist Hotline | 0800 789 321 (free, 24/7) | Reporting terrorism-related concerns — anonymous |
| Childline | 0800 1111 | 24/7 support for young people — any concern |
| NSPCC | 0808 800 5000 | Child protection advice for adults |
| CEOP | ceop.police.uk | Online sexual exploitation and harmful online content involving children |
| Samaritans | 116 123 | Emotional support — mental health and crisis |
| Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 | gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance | Full statutory guidance |
| WRAP training | Via local authority Prevent coordinator | Mandatory staff Prevent awareness training |
| Emergency | 999 | Immediate threat to life |
Share this resource: