Golftyn Primary School Lockdown Procedure

 

 School Lockdown Procedure

 

 

Lockdown procedures should be seen as a sensible and proportionate response to any external or internal incident which has the potential to pose a threat to the safety of staff and pupils in the school. Procedures should aim to minimise disruption to the learning environment whilst ensuring the safety of all pupils and staff.

Lockdown procedures may be activated in response to any number of situations, but some of

the more typical might be:

  • A reported incident / civil disturbance in the local community (with the potential to pose a risk to staff and pupils in the school).
  • An intruder on the school site (with the potential to pose a risk to staff and pupils).
  • A warning being received regarding a risk locally, of air pollution (smoke plume, Gas cloud etc).
  • The close proximity of a dangerous dog roaming loose.
  • A major fire in the vicinity of the school.

 

Immediate action:

  • All outside activity ceases immediately, pupils and staff return to the building if safe to do so.
  • All staff and pupils remain in the building and external doors and windows locked.
  • All pupils return to the classroom.
  • External doors locked. Classroom doors blocked/locked.
  • Shutters closed.
  • Doors locked, windows locked, blinds drawn, lights turned off, pupils sit quietly, away from windows and sight glass where possible.
  • Register taken/headcount – staff to use their 2 way radios if 2 way radios are not available the emergency Whatsapp group and emergency email will be used.
  • Staff and pupils remain in lockdown until it has been lifted by an authorised staff member/emergency services.
  • During the lockdown, staff will keep agreed lines of communication open, 2 way radios, Whatsapp and email.
  • If the fire alarm sounds during the lockdown nobody should evacuate automatically as this may be set off deliberately by an intruder. Staff at this point would undertake a dynamic risk assessment of their surroundings, evacuating if they feel there is an immediate threat to them or if instructed by the headteacher, SMT or emergency services.

Communication between parents and the school

  • School lockdown procedures, especially arrangements for communicating with parents, will be routinely shared with parents by Schoop and/ or Seesaw.
  • In the event of an actual lockdown, any incident or development will be communicated to parents as soon as is practicable.
  • Parents should be given enough information about what will happen so that they:
  • Are reassured that the school understands their concern for their child’s welfare, and that it is doing everything possible to ensure his/her safety
  • Do not need to contact the school. Calling the school could tie up telephone lines that are needed for contacting emergency providers
  • Do not come to the school. They could interfere with emergency provider’s access to the school and may even put themselves and others in danger
  • Wait for the school to contact them about when it is safe for you to come get their children, and where this will be from.
  • Parents will be told

‘… the school is in a full lockdown situation. During this period the phones and entrances will be unmanned, external doors locked and nobody allowed in or out…’ 

Emergency Services

  • It is important to keep lines of communication open with Emergency Services as they are best placed to offer advice as a situation unfolds. The school site may or may not be cordoned off by Emergency Services depending on the severity of the incident that has triggered the Lockdown.
Full Lockdown procedure
Signals Staff will be alerted to the activation of the plan via the school bell/Phone call to staff in the mobile classroom . The all clear will be given by the headteacher or Assistant Head.  Do not exit lockdown unless you have been advised by the headteacher, Assistant Heads or the police.
Lockdown Staff to ensure all external doors are closed immediately.

Pupils who are outside of the school building are brought inside as quickly as possible, unless this endangers them and others. The alert for outside will be the school bell, 2-way radios and What’s app. Class teachers will be responsible for their own class.

 

Outside-Playground – Children to be brought into school as quickly as possible, if safe to do so.

Inside –  Pupils and staff will be alerted to this by the school bell/phone call to the mobile classroom. Whoever initially calls for lockdown will inform the school office before anyone else. All staff to take action to increase protection from attack: Secure access points – External doors, fire doors, Internal doors and windows, draw blinds where possible, children will all sit away from external windows.

Those inside the school should remain in their classrooms. All doors and windows should be secured including classroom doors. Please lock or wedge closed classroom doors where possible.

(Alternatively, ask pupils to hide or disperse if this will improve their safety).

Turn off lights and stay away from windows and doors. Once in lockdown mode, staff should notify the headteacher via email or What’s app group immediately of any pupils not accounted for or any extra children they have taken into their room.

Staff to gather all essential resources if safe to do so.

Staff should encourage the pupils to keep calm.

If someone is taken hostage on the premises, the school should seek to evacuate the rest of the site

 
Communication arrangements Headteacher’s email address for staff to contact headteacher.

Call emergency services – Dial 999. As appropriate, the school office, SMT will establish communication with the Emergency Services and notify the Local Authority.

Parents/Carers- Parents will be notified as soon as it is practicable to do so.

Pupils will not be released to parents during a lockdown.

Remain inside until an all-clear has been given by the Headteacher, or unless told to evacuate by the emergency services.
Evacuation If it is necessary to evacuate the building, everyone will be alerted via email, the 2 way radio or Whatsapp or verbally by other staff or emergency services.
Partial Lockdown
Alert Alert to staff initially to ‘Full lockdown’ using the school bell/phone call to the mobile classroom.

Following this, staff will receive an email, What’s app or verbal instruction informing staff that it is a partial lockdown.

This may be as a result of a reported incident / civil disturbance in the local community with the potential to pose a risk to staff and pupils in the school. It may also be as a result of a warning being received regarding the risk of air pollution, etc.
Immediate action All outside activity to cease immediately, pupils and staff return to the building. Staff will be notified by SMT. All staff and pupils remain in the building and external doors and windows locked. Movement may be permitted within the building depending upon circumstances. Staff to locate any pupil medication in case this is needed.
Risk Assessment All situations are different, once all staff and pupils are safely inside, SMT will conduct an on-going and dynamic risk assessment based on advice from the Emergency Services. This can then be communicated to staff and pupils.

‘Partial lockdown’ is a precautionary measure but puts the school in a state of readiness (whilst retaining a degree of normality) should the situation escalate.

In the event of an air pollution issue, air vents can be closed (where possible) as an additional precaution. Emergency Services will advise as to the best course of action in respect of the prevailing threat.

If necessary, a partial lockdown may be escalated to a full lockdown.

Staff will be alerted via email or Whatsapp..
Drill It is of vital importance that the school’s lockdown procedures are familiar to all members of the school staff. To achieve this, a lockdown drill should be undertaken at least once a year.