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Original poster

Lockdown drills in UK schools

118 replies

RoseslnTheHospital · 03/02/2023 20:12

These were mentioned on another thread, and I genuinely had never heard of a school in the UK regularly doing lockdown drills with their children. In the manner of the active shooter drills in the USA. Apparently there's an official government example of a drill routine and policy on the gov.uk site.

So, I was wondering, do you know if your children's school do these drills, or if they have a published policy on their website?

OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 03/02/2023 20:18

I know that schools local to where I used to live in Scotland which was relatively close to the State Hospital carried out drills for the event of an escaped inmate when the alarm was tested. I’ve only ever heard of private Jewish and Islamic schools in the UK doing shooter drills, though: my goddaughter’s school does.

Meredusoleil · 03/02/2023 20:22

My dd2's junior school has done a couple of these. Also, the primary school teach in has as well. Don't think my dd1's high school has though 🤔

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 03/02/2023 20:22

Yep, it's done is a very low key fun way but they do them at DDs primary every year.

They had to partially invoke one recently because someone had decided it would be fun to fly a drone all around the school grounds so they had to draw the blinds and all stay in doors until it was gone.

They get the kids to all hide under the tables, blinds drawn, doors closed and staying very quiet while the headteacher sneaks around the corridors trying to spot them.

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General education
CrimeQueen · 03/02/2023 20:24

They do these drills at my kids large stage comprehensive in a city in the north west. They have to lock the door and get under the tables.

CrimeQueen · 03/02/2023 20:25

State not stage!

Maestro12 · 03/02/2023 20:26

Yes and they have a policy.

They usually pretend a dog is in the playground at mine.

Tulipvase · 03/02/2023 20:26

I know but only as my children have told me.

Reasons given were foxes (!), an ash cloud and a swarm of bees……

In fact, my child’s school had one yesterday but it wasn’t a drill, rather a problem with the alarms but as it was unexpected, the teachers reacted as if it was real. My son sent me a picture of him lying on the floor of his form.

My year 7 child said his tutor only remembered after about 5 mins that they should be under their desks.

None were remotely phased though and they know full well that the reasons given are a load of bollocks!

SparkleSpangle · 03/02/2023 20:27

All the schools near us do them. One school had to use it a few years ago when there was a massive fire at a dump and toxic smoke was blowing over the grounds. Close doors close windows stay in the room you are in.

Passmethecrisps · 03/02/2023 20:28

I have worked in schools for over 20
years. I have children in primary school. Never heard of any school doing them. In Scotland

HappyAsASandboy · 03/02/2023 20:29

The primary school my kids attend does these a few times per year, they tell the kids it's for if a dog gets into the playground Confused

My kids haven't been phased by them. It's just another ridiculous thing their teachers require them to do (like PE!)

ofwarren · 03/02/2023 20:29

Yes they do
Dog in the playground drill

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 03/02/2023 20:29

I worked in over 20 schools over the years until very recently (peripatetic - I wasn't shit and kept getting the boot!) and only four did anything other than fire drills.

All four did for specific reasons - one was in close proximity to a prison, one had children bussed or taxiied in from a couple of women's refuges, one had the children of a few high profile/high wealth people and one must have had a specific threat as they started when a family joined the school and stopped when they left a few years later.

AliceinSlumberland · 03/02/2023 20:30

I was a primary school teacher for four years and we did them. Children had to move to a corner of tbe classroom, lights off, blinds down etc. Around once per year. We told children it was to practice in case a dog came in tbe playground but the older kids definitely had an idea what it was for. A local
school actually had to use it at one point.

BettyOBarley · 03/02/2023 20:30

I asked DD(9) about this when there was a thread running a while back and she said they'd never done any sort of drill that she can remember.
DS is only 6 so not sure, but school have never mentioned anything.

KittyMcKitty · 03/02/2023 20:32

I work in a secondary school;and have worked in two other with my children at a fourth. It’s normal procedure. All schools should have a policy and it’s a different alarm to the fire alarm.

meditrina · 03/02/2023 20:32

Yes it's very common

There was a long thread about it a couple of weeks ago, but you might not have spotted t:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4720747-dangerous-person-in-school?page=1

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2023 20:33

DS s Secondary school do them (Private)
His State Primary did too

helloisitmeyourelookingfor · 03/02/2023 20:34

We do this drill and we are a special school

My last school was a mainstream, we did it for real once. The police rang and asked us to lockdown as they were raiding a warehouse behind the field

Kept us in for about 45 minutes and the kids were amazing

Phos · 03/02/2023 20:34

I've just asked my daughter who is in Y1 at a small private school. She said they do lockdown drill and its for when there is a big wind and you have to hide, under the tables.

Iwantabloodypizza · 03/02/2023 20:34

Yes, they do it in dds school.

The children find it quite fun to do from what they tell me. The teachers have hand signals to communicate so they can do it all in silence.

They are told it’s to practice for if a dog was lose in the playground.

Tulipvase · 03/02/2023 20:35

I work in a primary school and we don’t do lockdown drills but we have recently implemented a new system where if an intruder or similar were on site, we have a code word that we are meant to pass around the school and then instigate lockdown rules. The word is too stupid and hope I never have to use it…. Should go without saying that of course I hope it never happens regardless.

Original poster
RoseslnTheHospital · 03/02/2023 20:35

meditrina · 03/02/2023 20:32

Yes it's very common

There was a long thread about it a couple of weeks ago, but you might not have spotted t:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4720747-dangerous-person-in-school?page=1

Ah thanks @meditrina I wouldn't have realised that was the topic from the thread title.

OP posts:
Alighttouchonthetiller · 03/02/2023 20:36

We do them, but no-one hides under desks. Just shut the door and stay put. If out of classroom get into the nearest office/classroom and stay put. The kids are fine about it.

toomuchlaundry · 03/02/2023 20:40

Our local schools do them. A couple have had to do them for real. Children are not phased, some parents have been upset by the thought of them. Think they envisage an American shooter getting into the school, but they are usually for a more mundane reason like a swarm of bees. Depending on the scenario they don’t always hide under the tables

SellFridges · 03/02/2023 20:49

I don’t think they get them to hide under desks but I think they do practise staying safe in the room they are when the alarm goes off.

My large, northern secondary used to frequently have bomb scares. It was mid 90’s so I assume connected to IRA threats at the time. We weren’t a religious school. Happened every few weeks when we were in year 11 and I’ve got photos of us all out on the school field for hours on end while the police and fire brigade searched the place.