Prevent & Radicalisation — Teacher Handbook KS4

⚠️ Teacher note — read before delivering this lesson

Prevent is a statutory safeguarding duty. This lesson must be delivered without stigmatising any community, culture, religion, or ethnic group. All forms of extremism — right-wing, Islamist, left-wing, single-issue — must be treated with equal rigour. 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.

Lesson Overview

Duration	60 minutes (adaptable to 45 or 75 minutes — see notes)
Key Stage	KS4 (Years 10–11, Ages 14–16)
Subject Links	PSHE, Citizenship, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Sociology
Resources Needed	Pupil handout, quiz, presentation slides, whiteboard/projector
Curriculum Links	PSHE Association Programme of Study (KS4 — Living in the Wider World); Citizenship statutory curriculum (political literacy; rights and responsibilities)
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

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

Define radicalisation as a process — not a fixed state — and explain why it requires early intervention
Identify the main ideological types of extremism in the UK and the evidence base behind current referral patterns
Recognise the warning signs of radicalisation in themselves and others, including online radicalisation
Articulate what Fundamental British Values are and why they are central to preventing violent extremism
Explain what Channel is, that it is voluntary and supportive — not a criminal process — and who to tell if worried
Demonstrate confidence in knowing what to do and where to get help if they are concerned about themselves or someone they know

The Statistics: Current Data (cited)

Home Office — Individuals Referred to and Supported through the Prevent Programme, England and Wales, April 2024 to March 2025

8,778 referrals were made to Prevent in 2024/25 — a record high and a 27% increase on the previous year (Home Office, 2025)
21% of all referrals related to right-wing terrorism and extremism — the largest single ideological category since 2019 (Home Office, 2025)
10% of referrals related to Islamist extremism (Home Office, 2025)
34% had no clear ideology or a mixed, unstable or unclear (MUU) concern — the largest single group (Home Office, 2025)
36% of referrals came from the education sector — the single largest referring sector (Home Office, 2025)
1,472 individuals were adopted into the Channel early intervention programme in 2024/25 (Home Office, 2025)
Of all referrals in 2024/25, 54% involved individuals under the age of 18 (Home Office, 2025)
The most common primary vulnerability factor in Channel cases was personal grievance, followed by mental health and exposure to extremist narratives online (Home Office, 2023)

Source: Home Office (2025). Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent programme, year ending March 2025. gov.uk

⚠️ Important context for teachers

Right-wing extremism has been the largest single ideological category of Prevent referrals since 2019. This is a deliberate correction to the misconception that Prevent is primarily concerned with Islamist extremism.
The majority of Channel cases involve young people — radicalisation is not an adult phenomenon. Early intervention in schools is therefore among the most effective points of intervention in the entire counter-terrorism framework.
Online radicalisation is the dominant pathway for right-wing extremism referrals. Social media algorithms, gaming communities, and online forums are the primary recruitment environments.

The Legal and Statutory Framework

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." This is a statutory duty, not guidance.
Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales 2023 (Home Office)	Statutory guidance (updated December 2023) setting out how schools must discharge the Prevent Duty: named Prevent lead, staff training, curriculum, IT filtering and monitoring, referral pathways.
Channel Duty Guidance 2023 (Home Office)	Sets out the Channel process — the voluntary, multi-agency early intervention programme for individuals at risk of radicalisation. Schools have a duty to co-operate with Channel panels.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE 2025, DfE)	Statutory guidance requiring all school staff to receive Prevent awareness training; DSLs to understand the Channel process and referral thresholds; schools to promote Fundamental British Values.
Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended)	Defines terrorism (s.1); makes it an offence to support or be a member of a proscribed organisation (ss.11–12) and to finance terrorism (ss.15–18). Relevant for classroom discussions about what constitutes a criminal act.
Terrorism Act 2006, ss.1–2	Criminalises the encouragement of terrorism (s.1) and the dissemination of terrorist publications (s.2). Covers online content that glorifies or promotes terrorist acts. Particularly relevant to discussion of online radicalisation.
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, s.38	Creates the Channel duty — a statutory duty for specified authorities to co-operate with Channel panels and to have due regard to Channel guidance.
CONTEST 2023 (HM Government)	The UK's counter-terrorism strategy. Prevent is one of its four pillars (Prevent, Pursue, Protect, Prepare). Schools are explicitly named as key partners in the Prevent pillar.
Education Act 2002, s.78	Requires schools to promote spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development (SMSC) — the statutory basis for embedding Fundamental British Values in the curriculum.

Fundamental British Values — Statutory Requirement

Schools are required by the Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 and the DfE guidance on promoting British values (2014, updated) to actively promote Fundamental British Values (FBV) throughout the curriculum. FBV is not a suggestion — it is a mandatory element of the Prevent framework for schools.

Value	What it means in practice
Democracy	Understanding how democratic decisions are made; the right to vote and stand for election; respect for the democratic process even when we disagree with outcomes
The Rule of Law	Understanding that laws apply equally to everyone; that laws are made and can be changed through democratic means; that breaking the law has consequences regardless of belief
Individual Liberty	The right to make choices about one's own life within the law; freedom of speech, thought, and belief; protection from arbitrary interference by the state or others
Mutual Respect	Recognising the dignity of all people regardless of difference; challenging disrespectful or dehumanising language and behaviour
Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs	Understanding that a plural, multi-faith society requires acceptance of belief differences; distinguishing tolerance from agreement

What Is Radicalisation? (Teacher Background)

Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support or engage in extremist ideologies, which may include terrorism or other forms of political violence. It is a process — not a sudden event — and it can be interrupted at any stage.

The Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 defines being drawn into terrorism as including not just direct involvement in terrorist activity, but also supporting, glorifying, or facilitating terrorism — including online.

Push and Pull Factors

Research commissioned by the Home Office and the Rand Corporation identifies two categories of factors that contribute to radicalisation:

Push factors — circumstances that make a person more vulnerable: social isolation, personal grievance (perceived injustice), discrimination, mental health difficulties, identity crisis, domestic abuse, bereavement, or a sense of meaninglessness
Pull factors — what extremist groups offer: a sense of identity and belonging, a clear narrative explaining the world, a community of like-minded individuals, adventure, excitement, purpose, and validation

Understanding these factors is why the Prevent approach is welfare-based: it treats radicalisation as a vulnerability that requires support, not simply a crime that requires punishment.

Types of Extremism (Current UK Picture)

Type	Description	Proportion of Prevent referrals 2024/25
Right-wing terrorism and extremism (RWTE)	Ideologies including white nationalism, neo-Nazism, incel ideology, and anti-government extremism. Primarily recruited online through gaming, forums, and social media.	21% — largest ideological category
Islamist extremism	Ideologies that justify violence in the name of a particular interpretation of Islam. Includes ISIL/Daesh and Al-Qaeda inspired ideology.	10%
Mixed, Unclear or Unstable (MUU) ideology	Cases where the ideology is not clearly defined or draws from multiple sources. Increasingly common in younger referrals.	34%
Left-wing, anarchist, and single-issue	Includes animal rights extremism, 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

Warning Signs — KCSIE 2025 and Prevent Duty Guidance 2023

The following are indicators that a young person may be vulnerable to or already engaged in radicalisation. These are drawn directly from the Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 and KCSIE 2025, Annex B.

Verbal and Written Indicators

Expressing support for terrorist organisations, attacks, or the use of violence for political or religious ends
Dehumanising language about any group (based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, or politics)
Justifying violence as a legitimate response to political or social grievances
Glorifying martyrdom or depicting terrorist acts in a positive light in writing or artwork
Expressing a strong us-versus-them worldview — particularly one that portrays a specific group as an existential enemy

Behavioural Indicators

Sudden change of friendship group, particularly to older or more extreme individuals
Withdrawal from previous social groups, family, or cultural activities
Secretiveness about online activity — new accounts, encrypted messaging, unfamiliar communities
Possession of or access to extremist materials — online or physical
Expressing a desire to travel to conflict zones, or attempting to do so
Returning from travel to conflict zones without a clear explanation
Significant and unexplained change in appearance, particularly where it aligns with extremist signalling
Producing content — videos, images, written material — that glorifies or promotes extremism

Important: No single indicator is definitive. These are signals that a conversation with the DSL is needed — not evidence of wrongdoing. Radicalisation is a process that can be interrupted; the school's role is to identify vulnerability early, not to investigate or prosecute.

The Channel Process — What Teachers Need to Know

Channel is a voluntary, welfare-based early intervention programme. It is not a criminal process. There is no criminal record, no prosecution, and no punishment. Consent is required from the individual (and parents/carers where under 18) before any support is provided. It is explicitly designed to help — not to penalise.

Stage	What happens	Who is involved
1. Identification	Staff member identifies indicators and reports to the DSL	School staff, DSL
2. Referral	DSL refers to the local authority Prevent/Channel coordinator or police Prevent team. The referral does not automatically trigger Channel — it triggers an assessment.	DSL, police Prevent team, local authority
3. Assessment	Prevent practitioners assess whether the referral meets the Channel threshold. Many referrals do not proceed to Channel — they may be signposted to other early help services instead.	Police, local authority
4. Channel Panel	Multi-agency panel (police, health, education, probation, children's services) meets to assess vulnerability and agree a support plan. Individual and family consent is sought before any intervention.	Multi-agency panel including school where relevant
5. Support and review	Tailored support delivered — may include mentoring, CBT, faith engagement, education support, employment support. Regular review. Case closed when vulnerability is reduced.	Specialist practitioners, family

Source: Home Office (2023). Channel Duty Guidance: Protecting vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. gov.uk

Lesson Plan — 60 Minutes

5 mins Starter — Myth or Reality?

Display five statements about radicalisation and extremism. Pupils vote True/False anonymously (show of hands, mini-whiteboards, or online poll). Reveal and discuss — designed to surface and gently challenge misconceptions before the lesson begins. Example statements:

"Radicalisation always happens suddenly." (Myth — it is a gradual process)
"Prevent is only about one religion." (Myth — right-wing extremism is the largest ideological referral category)
"Being referred to Channel means you get a criminal record." (Myth — Channel is voluntary and welfare-based)
"Online content can radicalise someone." (Reality — digital radicalisation is now the primary pathway for right-wing extremism)
"Schools don't have to teach about this — it's a police matter." (Myth — Prevent Duty is a statutory requirement for schools)

10 mins What Is Radicalisation? (Input + Discussion)

Present the definition and the process model (push factors / pull factors). Use the presentation slides. Key discussion question: "What might make someone vulnerable to being recruited by an extremist group?" — use pair-share, then whole-class. Draw out themes of isolation, grievance, identity, and belonging without attributing these to any specific community.

10 mins The UK Picture — Extremism Today (Statistics Analysis)

Present the Prevent statistics from Home Office 2024/25. Pupils work in pairs to analyse: What surprises you? What does this tell us about who is at risk? Does this match what you see in media coverage? Draw out the gap between media representation (often focused on Islamist extremism) and the actual data (right-wing is the largest ideological category). Discuss online radicalisation as the dominant recruitment pathway.

10 mins Warning Signs and Vulnerability (Group Activity)

Distribute pupil handouts. In groups of 3–4, pupils examine the warning signs list and categorise them: "I would notice this in a friend" / "I might not have recognised this" / "I'm not sure about this one." Groups feed back to the class. Emphasise that warning signs are indicators of vulnerability — not proof of wrongdoing — and that telling a trusted adult is an act of care, not betrayal.

10 mins Fundamental British Values — Why They Matter

Interactive activity: For each of the five FBVs, ask pupils: "How does this value protect us all?" and "What would life be like without it?" Use real examples — elections, court cases, free speech, interfaith communities. Challenge: Can anyone think of a time when one value came into tension with another? (E.g. liberty vs rule of law.) This demonstrates that values require active stewardship, not passive acceptance.

10 mins Channel Explained and Scenario Discussion

Present Channel using the 5-step model from the pupil handout. Emphasise: voluntary, no criminal record, designed to help. Then present two anonymised scenarios (adapted from Prevent case study materials):

Scenario A: A classmate has started sharing extreme right-wing content online, using dehumanising language about refugees. He says he's "just joking." What are the signs? What do you do?
Scenario B: A friend has become very withdrawn, mentions feeling that "the system is rigged against people like us," and is spending a lot of time on websites you've never heard of. What might be happening? What do you do?

Pupils discuss: at what point would you tell someone? Who would you tell? What stops people from saying something?

5 mins Plenary — Exit Ticket

Three questions on a slip of paper (or online form): (1) What is one thing you now understand about radicalisation that you didn't before? (2) If a friend shared concerning content online, what would you do? (3) What is one thing you're still unsure about? DSL reviews responses for any concerns.

⚠️ Safeguarding Considerations — Mandatory Reading

Disclose and refer: If any pupil makes a disclosure during this lesson that raises a Prevent concern, stop the lesson if necessary and refer to your DSL immediately. Do not attempt to manage the concern yourself.
Do not challenge extremist views in class: If a pupil expresses an extremist view, acknowledge it calmly ("that's an interesting perspective — we'll come back to that") and speak to your DSL after the lesson. Challenging publicly can entrench views and embarrass the pupil in front of peers.
Anonymous poll responses: If using anonymous polls or exit tickets, review all responses — these may surface concerns that pupils felt unable to raise directly.
Avoid stereotyping: Under no circumstances should this lesson be delivered in a way that links any religion, ethnicity, or culture to terrorism. Present all forms of extremism with equal focus and use the data to counteract stereotypes.
Trauma awareness: Some pupils may have personal connections to terrorism — as survivors, or through family in conflict zones. Be sensitive and provide opt-out options for any scenario work.
ACT Early: If you are concerned after the lesson about a pupil, report to the DSL and/or contact ACT Early (actearly.campaign.gov.uk) for professional advice.
KCSIE 2025 requirement: All staff working with pupils have a role in Prevent. This lesson does not replace the statutory WRAP training that all staff must complete.

If a pupil discloses involvement in or plans relating to terrorism — including online — this is a police matter. Contact your DSL and, if necessary, the police immediately. Do not attempt to manage this within the school.

Differentiation

Group	Approach
Higher ability	Assign additional reading: Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 executive summary (gov.uk). Ask pupils to evaluate the balance between civil liberties and counter-terrorism. Challenge: "Is the Prevent Duty an appropriate use of school time?"
SEND / EAL	Pre-teach key vocabulary (radicalisation, extremism, ideology, Channel). Provide visual glossary on handout. Pair with a peer reading partner for handout activities. Allow additional time for exit ticket.
Vulnerable pupils	If you have a pupil known to your DSL as being at Prevent risk, seek guidance from the DSL before delivering this lesson. The session may need to be adapted or the pupil offered a one-to-one alternative.

Key Messages for Pupils

Radicalisation is a process — it can always be interrupted, and early help is far more effective than late intervention
Right-wing extremism is currently the largest ideological category of Prevent referrals in England and Wales — extremism has no single face
Online content is the primary recruitment tool for extremists — what you see and share online matters
Channel is not a punishment — it is a support programme, it is voluntary, and it leaves no criminal record
Fundamental British Values are not just about belonging — they are the legal and moral architecture that protects everyone
Telling a trusted adult about a concern is an act of care — it can save a life

Support and Referral Resources

Resource	Contact / URL	Purpose
ACT Early	actearly.campaign.gov.uk	Government advice line for those concerned about someone being radicalised — for 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
Samaritans	116 123	Emotional support — mental health and crisis
Prevent Duty Guidance 2023	gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance	Statutory guidance — school duties
Channel Duty Guidance 2023	gov.uk/government/publications/channel-and-prevent	Channel process and referral
WRAP training	Via local authority Prevent coordinator	Mandatory staff training on Prevent
Emergency	999	Immediate threat to life

Sources and References

Home Office (2025). Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent programme, year ending March 2025. gov.uk.
Home Office (2023). Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales 2023. gov.uk. [In force December 2023]
Home Office (2023). Channel Duty Guidance: Protecting vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. gov.uk.
HM Government (2023). CONTEST: The United Kingdom's Strategy for Countering Terrorism. gov.uk.
Department for Education (2025). Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025. gov.uk. [In force 1 September 2025]
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, ss.26–41. legislation.gov.uk.
Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended), ss.1, 11–12, 15–18. legislation.gov.uk.
Terrorism Act 2006, ss.1–2 (encouragement of terrorism; dissemination of terrorist publications). legislation.gov.uk.
Education Act 2002, s.78. legislation.gov.uk.
Department for Education (2014, updated). Promoting fundamental British values as part of SMSC in schools. gov.uk.
PSHE Association (2023). Programme of Study for PSHE Education (Key Stage 1–5). pshe-association.org.uk.

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