under the prevent duty, what must schools do by law?

Under the Prevent duty, schools in the UK must by law have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”, and embed this within their broader safeguarding duties for pupils.

What the law actually says

The Prevent duty comes from the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which places a statutory obligation on specified authorities, including schools and childcare providers. For schools, this duty is treated as part of keeping children safe, alongside protection from harms such as abuse, gangs, drugs and sexual exploitation.

In practice, this means schools must show they have appropriate systems, policies and staff training in place to reduce the risk of pupils being radicalised or supporting terrorism.

Core things schools must do

Here are the key legal expectations under the Prevent duty for schools (England focus, but similar principles apply across the UK):

1. Have due regard to preventing terrorism
   • Ensure decisions, policies and daily practice take into account the need to stop pupils being drawn into terrorism.

 * Treat extremism and radicalisation as safeguarding concerns, not as separate “security issues”.

2. Leadership, governance and risk assessment
   • Senior leaders and governors must take responsibility for implementing Prevent and be able to show oversight and challenge.

 * Carry out a **risk assessment** of how pupils in that school might be vulnerable to radicalisation, taking into account local community and online risks, and put proportionate measures in place.

 * Keep these assessments and responses under review and update them as circumstances change.

3. Policies and procedures
   • Embed Prevent within existing safeguarding and child protection policies (a separate “Prevent policy” is not legally required, but the duty must be clearly covered).

 * Set out clear procedures for staff to follow if they are worried a pupil is being radicalised or expressing extremist support.

 * Where appropriate, use local Prevent referral pathways and, where needed, the **Channel** programme, which provides early, voluntary support to those at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

4. Staff training and capabilities
   • Make sure staff know:
     • What the Prevent duty is.
     • How to spot concerns that might indicate radicalisation risk.
     • How and to whom to report concerns (usually the Designated Safeguarding Lead).

 * Designated Safeguarding Leads and senior staff are expected to be familiar with the latest Prevent guidance, particularly the education sections.

5. Safe environment, curriculum and British values
   • Provide a safe space where pupils can discuss terrorism, extremism and controversial issues, and learn to challenge extremist arguments safely.

 * Deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes what government calls “fundamental British values”: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

 * Use PSHE, citizenship, assemblies and wider school life to build resilience, critical thinking and the ability to spot manipulation and propaganda.

6. Online safety and IT policies
   • Put reasonable IT filtering and monitoring in place so pupils are less likely to access terrorist or extremist material on school systems.

 * Have clear acceptable use policies for pupils and staff, banning access to material that promotes violence, hate or terrorism.

 * Educate pupils about staying safe online and recognising extremist content, including on social media.

7. Partnership and communication
   • Work with local safeguarding partners, Prevent teams and police where appropriate.

 * Engage parents and carers, explaining the school’s approach to Prevent and how they can raise concerns.

 * Ensure governors are informed and, where possible, attend awareness or training sessions.

What Prevent duty does not require

To balance common worries, it is also important to note what schools are not required to do:

• They are not required to label pupils as “terrorists” or criminalise them for expressing worries, confusion or controversial views; concerns should be treated through normal safeguarding and support routes.

• They are not required to ban all discussion of political or religious issues; in fact, schools are encouraged to allow open, critical discussion in a structured, safe way.

• They are not required to adopt one-size-fits-all approaches: measures must be proportionate to the school’s context and risk.

Why this matters in 2026

In recent years there has been continued concern about online radicalisation, polarisation around global conflicts, and the spread of extremist content via social media. Schools are expected to recognise that pupils encounter these influences on their phones and at home, not just in school, and to prepare them with critical thinking skills and supportive relationships so that they can seek help if they feel pulled towards harmful ideologies.

In short: the legal duty is not about surveillance for its own sake, but about safeguarding – giving pupils the knowledge, resilience and support they need so they are less likely to be drawn into extremist violence.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.