School preparing children for terror attack in Ashfield

Children at an Ashfield primary school are being prepared for a terror attack with a practice classroom lockdown every term.
Leamington Primary and Nursery AcademyLeamington Primary and Nursery Academy
Leamington Primary and Nursery Academy

The lockdown drills take place three times a year at Leamington Primary Academy, Sutton, to make sure pupils and staff are prepared for emergency situations.

And the school says they are not the only institution carrying out this procedure.

A school spokesman said: “Pupil safety is a priority.

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“In line with other schools across the country, we have a lockdown procedure as part of our safeguarding policies.”

As well as the lockdown procedure, the school is also working with students to try and prevent them supporting terrorist or extremist causes.

The ‘prevent strategy’ is designed to cover “all types of terrorism and extremism”.

This strategy has been in place since July 2015 and all schools take part in it, as they have a “duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism”.

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The schools website says: “This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs or gang violence.

“Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.”

It also says this adds to things the school already does to help children become “positive, happy members of society” and that any discussions are made suitable for the age and maturity of the children involved.

The website adds: “Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and misogynistic extremism.

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“Some of these may be a bigger threat in our area than others.

“We will give children the skills to protect them from any extremist views they may encounter, now or later in their lives.”

What do you think to the procedure and strategy? Does your child go to this school? We would love to hear from you about this. Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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