Building Resilience to Extremism through Enquiry (BREE)

At OLSJ, we are proud to have been involved in the Building Resilience to Extremism through Enquiry (BREE) Project for the past five years. The project was initially developed in response to the tragic attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May 2017 and was created to help schools support children in understanding identity, diversity, peaceful protest and the importance of respectful dialogue within modern society.

The BREE Project equips teachers with the knowledge, confidence and resources to help build pupils’ resilience to extremism within their own classrooms. Through carefully planned enquiry-based learning, children are encouraged to explore themes such as identity, belonging, diversity, inclusion and the difference between peaceful and violent protest before considering how extremism and terrorism can impact communities in real life.

At OLSJ, aspects of the BREE Project are delivered through our PSHE curriculum and wider personal development provision. The programme supports children in developing:

• Empathy and understanding

• Critical thinking skills

• Respect for different perspectives and beliefs

• Confidence in discussing sensitive issues appropriately

• Emotional resilience and self-awareness

• An understanding of inclusion, equality and community

Through our involvement in the project, staff have developed effective strategies for creating safe and supportive classroom environments where children feel confident exploring important and sometimes sensitive topics in an age-appropriate way.

The BREE Project strengthens our commitment to promoting inclusivity, respect and understanding across our school community whilst helping children become thoughtful, reflective and resilient individuals who are prepared for life in modern Britain.