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Original poster

Help please! Terrorist drill @ holiday club!!

159 replies

Justtryingmybest123 · 15/08/2025 21:50

Hi everyone

Hope you're doing well and surviving the holidays!

I need some help please!!

I just completely flabbergasted!

My daughter attends a well known holiday club in the west midlands. Today she came home, extremely upset, distraught and distressed. She mentioned that they had a procedure called the 'lockdown'. She went onto say that basically if someone comes into the garden etc, they will announce it's a lockdown and you need to hide and ensure something is over your head so you can't be found. She is 5 years old and is part of the 5-7 group at the holiday club.

This evening she's been so upset and distraught about the whole thing, she didn't manage to cover her head, so was worried about that, asking what would happen in that situation, she's worried there will be a lockdown at home, the door shook because of the wind as the windows are open, she was scared because of that, and also would not go to sleep as she's scared something will happen.

Furthermore she absolutely loves this holiday club after trying a different one, and is extremely excited to go even when it's term time, now she's sooo worried and scared about going back as apparently there's going to be another lockdown.

I honestly don't know what to even say or think! My initial reaction is what the you know what! I didn't know anything about this, I wasn't informed, I didn't provide consent or anything! She's absolutely shook, scared and worried for her safety and that something may happen to her.

I know about the awful tragedy that did take place and sadly little girls lost their lives, without the details I guess this is as a prevention for something like that occuring, but having this sort of impact isn't the right answer, surely they need to let us know about this and get consent?

I've emailed, text and rang the club as I had to do something.

Any thoughts on the matter or advise would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
BendingSpoons · 15/08/2025 22:23

My DC have done lockdown drills at school, but at that age it is always framed as 'in case a big dog comes in' and they go under the table. This sounds too grown up, plus a lot of responsibility for her to find something suitable to put on her head. Can you speak to them about it?

scaredfriend · 15/08/2025 22:25

My kids used to have to practice this drill in primary school. They’re mid teens now so it’s not a new thing. Maybe the club assumed that kids would be used to doing this in school?

YouWillFindMeInTheGarden · 15/08/2025 22:33

BendingSpoons · 15/08/2025 22:23

My DC have done lockdown drills at school, but at that age it is always framed as 'in case a big dog comes in' and they go under the table. This sounds too grown up, plus a lot of responsibility for her to find something suitable to put on her head. Can you speak to them about it?

So making them fearful of something they will see daily being walked in the street/parks etc

stupid! Just creating a different problem

Scarylett · 15/08/2025 22:38

Schools and clubs are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Sadly in this day and age terrorists are a threat. Hard as it is, children need to be prepared. When we lived in America kids took part in hurricane or tornado drills. They were worried the first time but became used to it.

Balloonhearts · 15/08/2025 22:38

We used to have lockdown drills and other emergency drills. In case someone comes in with a weapon. Standard bomb/fire evacuations as well, the bomb ones used to involve finding shelter at the safest distance you could. I remember these from primary school but they may have been done earlier.

purpleme12 · 15/08/2025 22:43

If she's 5 she must surely have done this practice at school though?

It's unusual to be scared by this because it's not like they go into the specifics about why they actually do this with the children.

I would just speak to the club and see what was said

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 15/08/2025 22:45

My DC have had these at school for years. Unfortunately the way of the world these days

categorychaos · 15/08/2025 22:49

I understand you OP and it is hard to strike a balance.

i think the club should be commended for having a strategy but they need to communicate this better to parents.

Try not to make too much of it though as your anxiety will feed into your child.

if it was me I’d offer constructive advice to organisers re communication and age appropriate exercises.

I would also suggest a de white lies to your DC to calm them down especially as they like the club. Perhaps you could say to them you’d received a call from the club today and they were really happy with how she responded and she was excellent and has “passed” …blah blah?

SummerEve · 15/08/2025 22:49

Your job here OP is to explain calmly and with appropriate language what has happened and why. As has been pointed out it, it’s the way of the world these days.

BetweenTwoFerns · 15/08/2025 22:50

My school does them every term. We also talk about a dog in the playground. We do talk to them about how they don’t have to be scared etc. but at the same time it’s an ‘every man for themselves’ drill where we aren’t supposed to check the toilets for anyone left behind or round up anyone who won’t come when you ask like you do in a fire drill.

Smartiepants79 · 15/08/2025 22:53

Lockdown drills are as normal as fire drills nowadays. All schools will do them.
They don’t need consent or to give warning any more than they would for a fire drill. Just reassure your child that they are there for her safety but that the probability of it ever happening is tiny. And if it happens she’ll know what to do and that will keep her safe.
It’s not fun but it’s not something to get in a tizzy about. They’re not going to change the procedure just because you complained.

Original poster
Justtryingmybest123 · 15/08/2025 22:56

Thanks everyone for your messages, really appreciate your insights and experiences!!

You'll have to bear with me, first time I'm posting so not really sure how to use the full functionality.

I think once I got over the initial shock of it all, I calmed down and thought, unfortunately it makes sense in this day and age, just wish I would have been told about it so it wasn't a surprise and could handle it at home properly, initially I was trying to figure out what actually happened, I thought it may have been a game but then she kept going and it defo wasn't a game!

She's just completed reception so far starting year 1 on September, and as far as I'm aware she's not done something like this in school.

To be honest it seems like they made it sound more grown up too than what it could have been, I did say the man can't get in the garden as the place is fenced off etc and she was like he can get a ladder etc, so she had properly thought about what could happen.

Thanks very much for your responses!! ❤️❤️❤️They have definitely helped! I will speak to them on Monday and take it from there, hopefully with some explanation as to what went on and then sitting with my daughter it will clear things up!

OP posts:
PluckyChancer · 15/08/2025 22:58

Is it a city thing as my kids have never done lockdown drills?

DelilahMy · 15/08/2025 22:59

You need to stop being so ‘shocked and flabbergasted’ because this is nothing new. I am in my 50’s and we did them at school. My dc are 18 and. 20, they did them at school.

Be calm around your chikd sbout this. Calmly explain that it is highly unlikely she will ever need to do this for real but children all over the world have to practice just in case and it’s always been that way; it’s normal.

landlordhell · 15/08/2025 23:00

BendingSpoons · 15/08/2025 22:23

My DC have done lockdown drills at school, but at that age it is always framed as 'in case a big dog comes in' and they go under the table. This sounds too grown up, plus a lot of responsibility for her to find something suitable to put on her head. Can you speak to them about it?

This

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/08/2025 23:01

This is normal and necessary, did you not see what happened in Southport last year? Our school use a story book about cows getting onto the school field, maybe you could speak with the holiday club to understand the full story and recommend something like that for younger kids

TheFinePrintess · 15/08/2025 23:02

My kids had them at school, they were called the tiger drills - it was to practice hiding incase the circus was travelling through town and a tiger escaped!
Unfortunately in todays world we have to be prepared for terrorist attacks but it should be done in a way that doesn’t scare the children and details tailored to different age groups

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 15/08/2025 23:04

My DD has done this at school

Conversensational · 15/08/2025 23:05

My dc do them at school but are told it's in case a wild animal or a car explodes by accident outside.

legoplaybook · 15/08/2025 23:05

PluckyChancer · 15/08/2025 22:58

Is it a city thing as my kids have never done lockdown drills?

No all schools are supposed to do them. To be honest my kids don't report back every time they do a drill at school though I know lockdown drills happen from working in schools.

HMW19061 · 15/08/2025 23:05

Surely it’s better that she has an awareness about what to do if something was to happen?

My kids nursery do lockdown drills, they’re 2 and 4, I’m not really sure how they explained it to them (or the 4 year old anyway, 2 year old wouldn’t care) but there was nothing traumatising about being told to hide for him.

EllatrixB · 15/08/2025 23:06

Conversensational · 15/08/2025 23:05

My dc do them at school but are told it's in case a wild animal or a car explodes by accident outside.

This is probably much more likely than a terrorist attack tbh. Did they call it a terrorist drill, OP?

QueenofFox · 15/08/2025 23:08

My kids schools or clubs have never done this - I think it’s crazy. All those saying it’s happening in all schools, it really isn’t in my council. Perhaps it’s an academy thing?

OtherS · 15/08/2025 23:09

YouWillFindMeInTheGarden · 15/08/2025 22:33

So making them fearful of something they will see daily being walked in the street/parks etc

stupid! Just creating a different problem

Show quote history

Yeah, that's crazy. I'd be furious if school was telling my kids to be scared of dogs?! Plus if a dangerous dog did come in and want to eat all the children, telling them to get on the floor (where dogs tend to find their food...) seems the worst possible advice!

Tigers, ok.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/08/2025 23:10

QueenofFox · 15/08/2025 23:08

My kids schools or clubs have never done this - I think it’s crazy. All those saying it’s happening in all schools, it really isn’t in my council. Perhaps it’s an academy thing?

No, it’s a council thing where I am. It’s pretty sensible to do it too

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