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Resources for Handling Difficult Issues

Resources

Handling Difficult Issues

We have all been affected by the horrific acts of violence carried out in Israel and Gaza and making sense of it all can be very challenging for adults much less for younger people and children.  In light of this I want to draw your attention to the suggestions from:

  1. The Linking Network who have pulled together guidance for schools on dealing with sensitive issues due to external events (attached here).
  2. The Teacher’s Standards which set out clearly the way in which teachers are required to remain impartial in all matters political.

A teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. The following statements define the behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career.

Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

    • treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
    • having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions
    • showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
    • not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
    • ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.

Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61b73d6c8fa8f50384489c9a/Teachers__Standards_Dec_2021.pdf

  1. Prevent Guidance

Many young people will have a strong personal interest in these issues, and we are aware that in some schools this may lead to political activity by older pupils.  Schools should ensure that political expression by pupils is done sensitively, avoiding disruption and feelings of intimidation or targeting for other pupils and staff.  Schools should also make every effort to ensure that this activity does not extend to discriminatory bullying or involve the expression of antisemitic, anti-Muslim, or other discriminatory views.  Where this does happen, the Department for Education expect schools to deal with these incidents with all due seriousness, in line with their behaviour policy.

Depending on the circumstances, safeguarding leads may also look to determine whether abusive and discriminatory views expressed or shared by pupils are representative a wider susceptibility and consider the appropriateness of engaging with support through the Prevent programme. We trust teachers and other staff to exercise their professional judgment about whether a referral is appropriate, as they do for all other safeguarding risks.  Further training and more discussion around radicalisation will help in addressing this, and advice and guidance is available on Educate Against Hate and GOV.UK to support safeguarding leads in making these decisions.

Schools should also be mindful of their legal duties regarding political impartiality and should always avoid working organisations that promote antisemitic, anti-Muslim or any other discriminatory views. The Department for Education has published clear and comprehensive guidance to help those working with and in schools to better understand legal duties on political impartiality.  The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools

Please do not hesitate to seek further clarity on what you can do to support your students during this difficult time.

PSHE Resources

The PHSE Association have just released some new free resources for schools (no membership required)

Resources to address Misogyny and Andrew Tate

Misogyny KS2 Presentation

Misogyny KS3 Presentation

Report on Andrew Tate - Hope Not Hate

Free Resource on Knife Crime

The Ben Kinsella Trust and the National Justice Museum in Nottingham have jointly produced free knife crime lesson plans for schools for KS2, KS3 and KS4. The two charities have shared their expertise to produce four new primary school lesson plans on topics surrounding knife crime.
These PSHE lesson plans for schools teaching KS2, KS3 and KS4 are based on video testimony from ex gang members, victims and offenders. The lessons include all the worksheets, activities and film that you need to run a successful lesson.
The lessons, for school years 5 and 6 (Key Stage 2), focus on video content from real people with real lived experience of knife crime.
The four lessons are: 

  • Keeping Safe
  • Consequences of knife crime
  • Laws on knife carrying
  • Communicating the problem

Click here to download the resource

A fantastic resource for ages 15 to 18 year old students, has been produced by the Metropolitan Police to support discussions within school/colleges and youth provisions relating to Hate Crime and Prevent. They are based on a video made by Humza Arshad, the actor & comedian behind Humza Productions on YouTube. His productions include "Diary of a Badman" and "Badman".

There are 5 sessions in total including an assembly presentation, video and lesson plans.

if you would like more information or a link to the resource please contact us.

Prevent Resources

Resources for Schools

If you require a specific topic to be covered please contact us.

Other Resources

Below are links to documents and resource information for schools.

  • Educate against Hate - a government website that has a wide range of resources for classrooms of all ages, including those with autism spectrum conditions, giving teachers the information and guidance teachers to enable them to teach these sensitive subjects with confidence

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