Prevent Statement
Preventing Radicalisation
Prevent is one of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the government's counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
The Prevent strategy:
responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.
Maharishi School Prevent Strategy
Maharishi School Prevent Strategy has been written in response to, and in line with, government guidance - it forms part of the government’s counter terrorism strategy which seeks to:
- respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat faced from those who promote these views
- provide practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
- work with a wide range of sectors where there are risks of radicalisation which need to be addressed, including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, the internet and health
All schools are required by law to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural development of students and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.
The purpose of Maharishi School Prevent Strategy is to protect pupils from harm and to ensure that they are taught in a way that is consistent with the law and British values. To this end it acts to;
- raise awareness
- provide information
- enable learners to make a positive contribution
- safeguard young people
At Maharishi School our pupils benefit from extra Consciousness-based Education (CbE) lessons which expand on their experience of Transcendental Meditation and help them to understand themselves and the world around them. The techniques used by the school have a beneficial impact on children’s confidence, social integration and behaviour. See our Whole School Curriculum Policy for more information.
“The promotion of pupils’ spiritual and personal development is at the core of what this school does so well. Maharishi Free School pupils are good thinkers. They reflect on their world and try to see… through other people’s eyes. Pupils are tolerant, considerate and empathetic…they are
ambitious, articulate, confident and engage very well with adults.” Ofsted. (2017)
In the Maharishi School the social setting is that of a state-funded school with a particular set of educational purposes. Those educational purposes are set out in the Policy Statement for Consciousness-based Education. They can be summarised as
1. implementing the four components of CbE to develop Wholeness of Awareness and Complete Knowledge for all pupils, through
2. teaching and learning which fulfils the aims of a traditional broad and balanced academic
curriculum, whilst
3. culturing ideal behaviour on the basis that “the world is my family”.
Prevent for Schools - more information can be found here.