Lockdown drill

[mrsglowglow]

We've been informed that our school will in the next couple of days be having a lockdown drill. Is this the norm now in our primary schools? Have another child in high school and all trips to central London cancelled until further notice. The reality of the times.

At DS's primary school the littlest kids were told the lockdown drill was to practise what to do if there was a strong wind that everybody must go inside for, or if they was a dog in the playground that they need to check is friendly

We have been doing lockdown procedures alongside full evacuation procedures for about 18 months. It is a large inner city primary school but the drills are not connected to anything in today's climate.

There was also something in place about 10 years ago when their was an incident with a man with a machete at the school gate at home time. The staff were clear about what to do so obviously had had some training or instructions.

Only fire drills here.

I've lived in countries where there's earthquake drills but obviously that's not really a U.K. concern.

My child's primary school is on the outskirts of Manchester. We usually have a safe town but recently there has been a spate of assaults and home invasions using weapons. I don't think I would have an issue with them teaching kids to be safe in any event. It only take 1 idiot and a target.

Ds1 is at secondary school and they had a lockdown drill late last year.
Ds2 is at primary school and they haven't.
We live in a largish town in Yorkshire

Ds's academy practised a shelter plan last week. We got sent a 16 page document of the procedure

Lochan
We never know when we are getting a fire drill, and when we do get one, we usually explain that it is just a practise ( even if we don't know that to be true), and yet somehow we always end up with children who won't be placated, and so we get tears. I don't know what other way we could do it? We don't make a huge fuss other than to usher them out of the nearest fire exit, even during PE, to go and stand on the school field, count them, then report to the Head. Then, head back in when all have reported.

Staggered the school sent home the procedure! Our quiet village primary has had to put lockdown procedures in place (LA has told all schools to do so) but we are supposed to keep the precise details confidential.

My local school had its first lockdown drill about 3 months ago. The children were told that they were practising what would happen if an animal escaped from the zoo, and ended up in the playground. Our nearest zoo is about 25 miles away!

Jam My own schools and my DCs schools have always had planned and unplanned fire drills.

Planned drills to get the children used to the process with advance warning and without panic.

We've done them for several years. We word as fire drills are when there is danger in the building, we stay inside when there might be danger outside. We are sketchy on what that danger might be but the children usually insist it's in case of swarms of bees!

Having previously lived in Crowthorne ( near Broadmoor) lockdowns were a relatively common occurrence! The children were told it was to practice keeping away from stray dogs on the playground! When a true lockdown occurred ( twice whilst I lived there) schools were like Fort Knox!

Also near Broadmoor and also familiar with lockdown procedure.

Having been in a situation where we had to have a lock down for a significant reason. I think it's a good idea to have them.

Our school had a bomb alarm and that was back in the 80s...

I actually remember quite frequent bomb scares then

We had several bomb scares and drills at school. My children's school does fire and earthquake drills.

My son's primary has 2 lock down situation drills, one is just everyone into a classroom, outside doors and windows shut, ie dog in playground.

2nd scenario is much more serious, ie person inside the school who shouldn't be, so that is as above but all children away from doors and windows and lock them if they have locks. Teachers are emailed to inform them of the situation. All classrooms have teacher laptops connected to smartboards.

We have had one situation a few years ago where a parent released from prison managed to get onto school grounds and knocked on the windows to find his child. Since then all our external gates are locked or manned by SLT when open for drop off and collection.