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Spotting the Signs of Radicalisation: A Guide for Educators


This blog post was published under the 2017 – 2019 Conservative government


 

Extremist groups are increasingly using the internet to reach and groom young people in Britain. Studies suggest that half of the UK’s young people who succumb to radicalisation are brainwashed by extremist material on the internet and that the number of people radicalised online in Britain has doubled in the last five years.

Therefore, it is vital that as teachers, we learn how to spot the signs of radicalisation to prevent our pupils being led down a path which could result in them harming themselves or others.

Every school has certain obligations under the Prevent duty, the government’s anti-terrorism strategy that looks to safeguard communities and people from the threat of radicalisation. It’s, therefore, essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and know what to do when they are identified.

There is no single pathway to radicalisation: it is almost always a combination of behaviours and can be different for each person, according to their personal vulnerabilities. It is also important to recognise that some of the behaviours that could be considered signs of radicalisation are also common teenage traits.

To help clarify, Educate Against Hate has compiled a list of signs that might indicate a pupil is being radicalised, drawing on research from the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalisation Leading to Violence in Canada. This research distinguishes between ‘insignificant’, ‘troublesome’, ‘worrisome’ and ‘alarming’ behaviours – but it is important not to think of vulnerabilities in terms of a tick-box approach, with a defined threshold at which point individuals are radicalised. We have tailored this guidance as specifically as possible to the opportunities and limitations of the classroom context. ‘Worrisome’ signs are more likely to be discernible in the classroom and, since these signs often form the pretext to radicalisation, it is at this stage that teachers can most usefully intervene or provide insight.

If a pupil begins to display a combination of the following ‘worrisome’ behaviours, there may be cause for concern:

  • Becoming more angry, argumentative and domineering
  • Quick to condemn those who don’t agree, and ignore or demonise viewpoints which contradict their own
  • Beginning to express themselves in a divisive ‘them and us’ manner about others who have alternative beliefs
  • Increasingly secretive or suddenly unwilling to discuss their views
  • Using derogative terms, ask inappropriate questions, or express themselves in a way that sounds scripted
  • Changed their circle of friends and distancing themselves from friends they were previously close to
  • Lost interest in activities they used to enjoy
  • Become socially withdrawn and spending increasing amounts of time online
  • Expressing hostile and/or conspiratorial ideas about the government and foreign policy
  • Justifying the use of violence and criminality or expressing a desire for “revenge” and “absolute truth”

Whilst we hope this list can provide a useful framework for understanding the symptoms radicalisation, it is by no means exhaustive.

As a teacher, you are well placed to recognise when a student is acting out of character: have confidence in your professional judgment and seek advice from your designated Prevent or safeguarding lead if something feels wrong.

Further guidance on approaching and reporting concerns is available here.

Popular Resources

Debating can enable young people to engage with a broad range of social, scientific and ethical issues facing society today. It can provide students with the opportunity to learn how to argue and defend points of view. Debating Matters provides guides and resources for setting up debate clubs in schools, together with details on the Institute of Ideas’ National Debating Matters Competition.

 


A note about our third-party resources 

Third-party resources are those not created directly by the Educate Against Hate team, or by the Department for Education. All third-party resources hosted on Educate Against Hate have undergone a quality-assurance process, a due diligence assessment and content review before being added to the site, so you can have confidence that you’re using trusted, accurate, high-quality content.  

You should use any resources on this website at your own discretion. When selecting resources and materials to use, schools may find it helpful to review guidance produced by the Department for Education on using external agencies.  


 

A 15-hour programme of creative activities for young people to develop awareness, skills and knowledge related to democracy and voting, thereby supporting the promotion of British values. It is likely to be most effective when used with young people whose engagement with politics and the democratic process is relatively low, but who have some interest in social and community issues and who care about making a positive change in their communities and beyond. The programme helps to make ideas about democracy accessible. Information and activities can be adapted so they are relevant and appropriate for each group of young people.

Through a series of hard-hitting films of real people affected by radicalisation, Extreme Dialogue enables teachers to show young people all the faces of extremism. It equips young people to challenge extremism, helping them navigate core themes and questions using films, educational resources and training. Videos are accompanied by interactive presentations (Prezis). The downloadable resources are all modular and are informed by more than 20 years of research and experience in managing global and community conflict. The seven true stories include a mother whose son died fighting in Syria and a former member of a far-right terrorist group. You will need to give your email address to Extreme Dialogue when downloading the below resources.

 


A note about our third-party resources 

Third-party resources are those not created directly by the Educate Against Hate team, or by the Department for Education. All third-party resources hosted on Educate Against Hate have undergone a quality-assurance process, a due diligence assessment and content review before being added to the site, so you can have confidence that you’re using trusted, accurate, high-quality content.  

You should use any resources on this website at your own discretion. When selecting resources and materials to use, schools may find it helpful to review guidance produced by the Department for Education on using external agencies.  


 

Magistrates visit schools, colleges and community groups to discuss how our justice system works, including how verdicts and sentences are decided. Teams of magistrates give a presentation and discuss a range of topics, including how magistrates are appointed, what kind of cases they deal with, how guilt or innocence is decided and sentencing when guilt is established. The presentations are tailored to suit different audiences and requirements. These visits can support schools in promoting fundamental British values by giving students the opportunity to learn about and engage with the rule of law.