School lockdown procedures - is this happening everywhere?

[HappyMum123456]

We've received information from DDs school about lockdown procedures and upcoming practise drills. She's in year 6. Is this happening everywhere? I would have lost the plot when I was her age but thankfully she's way more resilient. I've spoken to her and given the example of a dog sneaking into the school grounds (so as not to cause her any alarm) but she's come home today talking about intruders and guns which I'm assuming has come from other kids rather than the teachers.

Yes quite a usual part of school life these days - just like fire drills are.

We frequently had bomb scares in school in the 1979s when IRA activity was at its peak on the mainland.

We thought it was great fun and got time out of lessons as we all had to go out on the field.

I was reading this thread thinking, “my children’s school has never done any kind of drill like this” - but it has just dawned on me that perhaps the day they came home all excited because the air ambulance had needed their (fairly small) field to land on was - just maybe - not an actual real landing of the air ambulance…. 🧐

My goodness, I was just thinking of her when I read your post.

I bloody wish they did similar drills for offices though - I was once working in an office with huge windows making up most of the external walls when there was a bomb scare in the street outside…. The police told us we weren’t allowed to come out onto the street, so we just sat there inside a non-bombproof glass box - with absolutely no idea what we were meant to do, and wondering quite how painful the shards of flying glass would be if the bomb did actually detonate….

I’ve never heard of this. My dd is 11 and just started secondary school and I have a child in year one. Also 3 older kids now left school.

we did these 20 years ago at my central london school

My sons (3.5y and 18m) goes to a private nursery. When I picked them up a few weeks ago I was told they had done a lockdown drill that day (and they’d managed to get all the kids (ages 2-5) up stairs to the baby room in just over 1 minute which I was quite impressed with). But until they mentioned this I’d never thought about it being something they would even need to think about doing.

First one at my DS's school was this summer (he was in Yr10).

The letter the school sent detailing the reasons really made me laugh. I'm not sure what kind of animal would be considered dangerous in SW London!

A potentially dangerous person or animal on the school site
A disturbance or dangerous situation in the local community that could affect the school
A nearby chemical incident or other risk of air pollution
An incident related to terrorism

@TwigTheWonderKid an XL Bully on the loose who had got away from its owner. Wouldn’t want to risk children fussing around one of those in the playground

Hadn't thought of that. We don't really have those kind of dogs here but it's a sensible thought. More likely than a homicidal badger!

@TwigTheWonderKid swarm of bees can also be a reason to get children indoors

As most people have said, this is very normal and something all schools should have in place and practise for all manner of reasons.

The fact some claim not to be aware of them at their kid's schools shows what a great job most schools do of underplaying it to the children so as not to cause fear, alarm or upset. I'm sure not every child will go home and report to their parents that they did a fire drill that day. Some will, but many will have forgotten about a 10am fire drill by home time as it's so mundane. Same with lockdown practise. They may not even be aware they're doing it.

Given what has just happened in Southport, I'm surprised why anyone would question why this is necessary. Obviously a member of the public wielding a weapon in the local area would be the most extreme of lockdown situations, but many people have given great examples to explain why a school may need to lockdown at any point. Hiding under desks would only be for the most extreme circumstances (but can easily be turned into a game for young children). Most lockdown scenarios would just require everyone to be inside (so playtime/outside PE abandoned if in progress) and all doors to be locked.

Apparently my own primary school locked down for real when I attended during the 90s. I wasn't even aware at the time, it was only when my mum told me years later when we were discussing the topic of school lockdowns. She worked at the school at the time, and apparently the school got a call from the police telling them a prisoner has escaped from the local prison. It was lunchtime, and apparently us children were told we needed to go in early as very heavy rain was forecast. I have no recollection of this. Lockdown doesn't even need to be explicitly explained to children. As long as they're all safely inside their classrooms and accounted for, the day can continue as 'normal' for them in most situations. It would only be the most extreme of situations that hiding under the tables etc would be required.

Schools all need a lockdown policy. The need to practise it. They don't need to make a big deal of it. The calmer the school are, the more likely the kids will be completely oblivious to it.

I’m in my mid thirties, we had them at both my primary and secondary schools.

I remember my DD doing this in Year 6. She’s just about to head off to university, so it’s definitely a thing.

Yup 4yr old talked me through her drill procedure. They told them it’s incase theres a stranger on the grounds, which I’m happy with because then DD will know what she’s meant to be avoiding. But yeah it gives me the heebie jeebies.

I'm assuming my children's school are doing them. My daughter said they've had a new fire alarm system fitted, which was being tested, and one part of it just has a light with no sound.

My grandchildren have being doing this for years where we live.

Yes, there have been other similar posts, including for nurseries!
You need to tell her the truth, in age appropriate language, but the truth.

What's the point of that?

It's like saying to you have a fire alarm procedure, but don't practice.

How will anyone know what to actually do in a lockdown?

Lockdown could be for any reason. Not madmen with guns on the loose.

It might be because a stray animal in the playground or something like that.

i teach in Southport, these drills are incredibly important

They did the same when dd 18 was in primary school so it's not something new.

We did them in the late 90's/early 00's, so it's nothing new

My DD Yr 10 came home yesterday and said they were going to have intruder practice - this is the first time she has done it.