To think it's very depressing that school children need to learn this

[Eastie77Returns]

DD's school is producing a video showing children what to do in the event there is an intruder in the school and they need to go into 'lockdown'. I found out as she has been asked to take part in the video production.She is in Y7.

DS is in Y4 and he told me they did a practice drill at his primary school where they followed the steps they needed to take in a similar situation.

Honestly it makes me feel very sad. I understand in the current climate it's necessary and in countries like the US it's standard but I never thought I'd see something like this here.

My son is year 10, he did lockdown practices every year in primary from reception so I’m surprised this is new to you. I’m actually grateful they do it, it helps my anxiety that nobody would be caught not knowing what to do.

It's not just school age either, we have lockdown procedure in preschools and nurseries too!

I find that very very surprising. I live close to London and it has been the norm here at least since 2014 which is over 1 decade ago, when my son started school and I don’t think it will have just started that year.

My DC, 17 and 15, have never done one of these at either primary or secondary. But the younger one says the school is planning to do one soon.

Yes I’ve had to have an intruder procedure and a terrorist act procedure for quite a number of years as a childminder.

I went to school in Scotland in the 90s just after Dunblane and we were learning a lot of this stuff then. I can’t say it’s scarred me for life or left any lasting impact tbh.

My boys (4 and just 2) go to a private nursery, about 6 months ago they did a lockdown drill and they have plans in place should anything happen. I was quite surprised when they told me on pick up that they’d done it but I’m actually pleased that they’ve thought about it and that they have a plan for it just in case.

DS has been at his current school for 3 years and we received a letter for the first time about their emergency lockdown drill a few months ago.

If, as several posters insist on stating, this drill has been in place for years/decades and I’ve been living under a rock as I didn’t know about it, why would the school only have sent a letter about it this year? It is very clear from the language used in the letter that it is a new policy.

It's absolutely essential (not the video, but the training)

We did a similar drill at the primary school where I work.
Except we told the children it was incase a dog ever entered the playground.

It’s good to have those skills.

We do this training at work - so that in the 0.001% case scenario we know what to do.

Didnt they do training for nuclear war or similar in the 80s, with gas masks and all?

As stated in my other message, the headteacher at DC’s school confirmed they did not do lockdown drills. It was obviously not the norm everywhere.

Yes, we've had that in my dc secondary school. Nobody had to hide under desks for that though. Also had an incident when a child threatened my son with a knife which turned out to be a fake one from the drama department.

Nursery i work in do it. They don't hide under the tables we sit them down and barricade the doors and shut curtains etc.

School near me had someone climb onto the roof during police chase so they wouldve had to do a real one then

The govt suggestion is that lockdown drills in primary and younger are for staff only.

👍🏻 well I’m glad to hear that

Yes but it’s only an issue when directed at women. Otherwise it’s just a word.

Hate to break it to you but “wild dog” is a euphemism to make it less scary for the kids, so yes they do have them.

It’s quite possibly linked to the Luton case, following a review.

These incidents are obviously tragic but incredibly rare. I can’t see any evidence that rolling out lockdown drills in schools is a) relevant, b) proportionate c) in anyway evidenced as shown to help/ mitigate this kind of risk.
There is , however, evidence that these drills can be psychologically harmful to kids.
It’s just more of this anti-terror hysteria we go in for these days. Nothing rational about it.

The cynic in me says they are due an Ofsted in the near future and this is part of their safeguarding folder!

Never had a lockdown drill during the life time in which I've worked in schools. My children never mentioned one when they were at school either - 4 different schools between them. So it's definitely not the practice everywhere.

The only time a school I work at has genuinely gone into lockdown was a father trying to kidnap his own child.

I believe it’s the Stockport stabbing tragedy that has prompted this new focus on lockdowns. It’s horrible but at least we’re not in the US sending kids into school with bullet proof backpacks.

I e done this drill after the French terrorist attacks

its about hiding and not being tricked into coming out of hiding and getting hurt,

it’s useful

Why what did I miss?

Ignorant, arrogant and insulting. Safeguarding children is non negotiable. I hope you never experience what we have in Southport