Or is this inappropriate for a summer camp?

[Herewegoagain84]

My five year old has been going for a few days here and there over the summer to a day camp based at a school - well known company - seems to really enjoy it. This morning she mentioned that a few days ago they did “lockdown training” and she had to hide under a desk. She has been asking questions about what a lockdown is etc. We are in London.

Considering I don’t think this has been introduced in schools / we don’t have the same record as the US in this country, AIBU that this was an inappropriate “activity” to do with a group of five year olds? I want to call them to discuss it, as if they planned this I think it should have been brought to the attention of parents. If they did it as a game, I think that’s even weirder?

@ForTheLoveOfSleep Do they do lockdown drills at break time too? Unlikely they would do enough to have covered all eventualities of where the children might be at any given time. And how does a drill help the teacher to know the specifics of a situation as it unfolds? Not really sure of your reasoning there. I never said anything about waiting for a visibly dangerous weapon. Neither did I say the teacher should act like everything is ok. I said explanations should be age appropriate.

My kids did intruder drill at primary school. I found it upsetting when they told me. But unfortunately it’s the world we live in

We started doing them at my school in London after the 2007 bombings. It's pretty common in London in both primary and secondary. It's the opposite of a fire drill. You are to close the windows and block the doors. Blinds down.

But guns are illegal in the Uk. Especially on London. Oh wait a minute, crimals don’t obey the law, dang.

True, being illegal doesn't prevent everything, but UK laws are a major barrier while anyone in safeguarding should know there has been a significant increase in ideation around school shootings and similar.

Just in my small non-London area, we've had multiple cases of teenagers trying to buys who were stopped and cases of teenagers breaking into schools with other weapons.

England not having had a school shooting is because a fuckton of people have worked really hard and the law has helped them do that.

It’s just something to tell the children! We aren’t going to say “there’s an escaped prisoner in the playground” or “Johnny’s estranged Dad is trying to kick the reception doors in”.

I bet they do.

It definitely is in schools. Drills are carried out in the same way as fire drills are (although not as frequent).
I'd be pleased that the club have a policy that covers this (as sad as it is that they have) and that the children would know what to do should the need arise.

Would a bomb threat not be more akin to a fire drill. I.e. get the hell out! Not stay put and hide under a desk! I find it surprising there was no evacuation procedure.

I just asked my daughter and she said they have had both drills during lunchtime. I see your reasoning with age appropriate but I suppose I differ with you're view on what is and isn't age appropriate in this situation.

Telling a 4 year old we are practicing staying safe because there is a dangerous situation in the school is fine. If children ask more questions about the possible meaning of these situations I'm not saying teachers should say "They may want to kill you" but explaining that there could be someone who wants to hurt them would be fine to me.

I have personally always explained to my two elder daughters since they were old enough to understand "stranger danger" that there are people who hurt children or just don't like children. I think it's so important that we make our children aware of the dangers around them.

Over 1000 children aged 10-16 were caught with an offencesive weapon or knife in schools in 2019 and sentenced for the offence. This figure only includes those actually sentenced. 10 is primary aged in most areas. Any children younger than that would possibly not be recorded as 10 is the age of legal responsibilty in England.

Over 40,000 children aged 10-16 were sentenced for carrying an offensive weapon or knife in 2019. Just those caught and sentenced.

Youth on youth violemce in schools is on the rise and children need to be made aware. These drills could save lives.

We were told if they heard an alarm they’d detonate it, and the police wanted them kept on the line talking.
Also, lining up anywhere on the site was an issue, as we didn’t have a clue where on site it was.
It the moment it really didn’t feel obvious or simple

(It was soon after 9/11 and they pretended to be similar terrorists, hoax and not linked to any group but in context was taken seriously)

@ForTheLoveOfSleep Not sure how you know what my view on age appropriate is - I don’t think I’ve specified at any point. I think honesty is important and my children also know there are dangerous people in the world. I’m not against drills full stop (in the case of the person who said their school was near to Broadmoor they are very sensible). I’m just not convinced that there is enough risk to warrant them. That will vary from area to area though. Some posters have lots of examples of times lockdown has been required, I’ve never heard of it happening in any of our local schools. Without having actual stats about incidence, I guess it comes down to personal perception of risk.

@Vincitveritas Nothing to be scared of (unless its happening for real, then we are equipped with handling it), these drills have been happening for quite a while...like I say if they are handled correctly, absolutely no different to a fire drill, which have been around for years and years...

There's no panicking no hysterics...just plain old procedure for 15mins then back to class as if nothing has happened.

My ds does them at his primary school, but then there was many years ago a young girl stabbed to death by an intruder in a school in the town.

@allabouttheviews I prefer not to take the cross my fingers and hope it does not happen to us approach.

Drills are not done for fun. They are done to try to avoid panic if the worst does happen. The more students and staff are used to doing them then the easier and calmer they become. As I said before, younger children do not need to be told if the situation is real or not - far better to let them think it is just another drill.

I have no problem with fire drills, lockdown drills, lifeboat drills if I'm on a cruise. I understand why they happen. It's just a very sad part of modern life. I wish with all my heart they were not necessary.

That’s not what the poster who mentioned foxes said! But I suspect you are right. My kids would think it was really weird to hide inside from a fox though.

Sign of the times….. when I was a kid we had fire drills and bomb drills…..

@allabouttheviews You seem to be personally offended by something I've said? Apologies for assuming we have a different opinion on age appropriate? 🙄

It may not (hopefully) ever happen in your local schools. But if it ever did these drills give the schools a plan of action. No-one ever thinks the bad stuff will happen to them or those around them. All we can do is be prepared

@ForTheLoveOfSleep Not offended at all. Sorry if it came across that way.

@itrytomakemyway @ForTheLoveOfSleep I’m not against drills at all. If my kids’ school started to do more of them I wouldn’t object as I think the staff are better placed to assess the risk than I am. I’d just want to know what the drills involved and what they were telling the kids. They don’t do them at the moment though (apart from fire drills - double checked with my daughter) and I am ok with that as I believe the risk to be minimal. Let’s hope none of us ever have to deal with a lockdown situation!!

My daughter used to have these at primary school during the height of the terrorist attacks from about 2008 onwards. She's never had them at secondary school, but there are regular discussions about personal safety etc.

We're in Scotland and have never heard of this (I also used to be a teacher and have plenty of teacher friends who have never mentioned it). Dc all at college/uni now and nothing there easy.

Just talked to dh and he didn't even have bomb drill at school in 70s/80s Belfast! In fact if something happened they'd all run to the window to have a look at his high school in Belfast city centre! Then go and get the train home cos the buses were off.

We are in australia and My kids do this in kindy. My youngest is now 6 and they so this every year starting when she has just turned 4.
I remember being so upset as she told me she was so scared that she was just crying and one of her little friends was so frightened she literally wet her pants.
They are warned about it and they do practise it before they do the real drill.
But its not the same I guess as the real drill and they really get quite a fright.

I think its good though its unlikely to ever happen but I am glad my girls will know what to do if it does.