Lockdown drills in primary schools

[Don Barzini]

So my three kids (age 5, 7 and 8) were excitedly telling me last night how they'd been practicing a new "Lockdown Drill" at school that day.

They were told that the school might go into lockdown if there is a gas leak, or if something falls onto the roof and the roof is in danger of falling in. If it happens, they have to lock their classroom windows, close the blinds and hide under the tables until a teacher tells them it's safe to come out.

Obviously, they are practicing for if there is a shooter/terror attack at the school. But they don't know that.

I'm glad they are told what to do in such an eventuality. But what sad times we live in when our young kids might one day need to put this into effect.

 

[CliveW]

I guess it's just like practising fire drills, best to have a plan in place for all eventualities. Back in the 1960s we used to practice for nuclear attacks!

 

[Imurg]

My only concern about practising for a falling roof or gas leak by locking down the classroom and hiding is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing in those circumstances.
If they're telling the kids to lockdown when the roof falls in ( shooter on the loose) what are they going to tell the kids when the roof IS falling in...???
These kids are young and can easily be confused.

 

[harpo_72]

My son does lock down drills and fire drills .. He was asking should he come out of hiding for a fire drill and I had to explain to him yes. So there is an element of confusion in their heads.
What would be good is a quick response team that can get to the area when the alarm is raised, that's what I want to see.
Also the school access should be monitored, gates and fences are reasonable protection and they can buy time.

A business doesn't let anyone just go on their property especially those dealing with valuable items.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

So my three kids (age 5, 7 and 8) were excitedly telling me last night how they'd been practicing a new "Lockdown Drill" at school that day.

They were told that the school might go into lockdown if there is a gas leak, or if something falls onto the roof and the roof is in danger of falling in. If it happens, they have to lock their classroom windows, close the blinds and hide under the tables until a teacher tells them it's safe to come out.

Obviously, they are practicing for if there is a shooter/terror attack at the school. But they don't know that.

I'm glad they are told what to do in such an eventuality. But what sad times we live in when our young kids might one day need to put this into effect.

Blimey, where is this? I get fire drills, we all do fire drills, but all the rest? You aren't in the US are you?

 

[Don Barzini]

Blimey, where is this? I get fire drills, we all do fire drills, but all the rest? You aren't in the US are you?

Nope, I'm in a middle class leafy suburb of England!

I was surprised to hear this too and thought of it as more of a US thing. But as said, I suppose it's a sign of the times needing to practice stuff like this.

Spoke to a colleague of mine and her kids have this at their primary school as well. Difference is, her kids were actually told they were practicing for a shooter/terrorist. It gave them sleepless nights apparently, so I'm kinda glad my kids school has approached it differently.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Nope, I'm in a middle class leafy suburb of England!

I was surprised to hear this too and thought of it as more of a US thing. But as said, I suppose it's a sign of the times needing to practice stuff like this.

Spoke to a colleague of mine and her kids have this at their primary school as well. Difference is, the kids were actually told they were practicing for a shooter/terrorist. It gave them sleepless nights apparently, so I'm kinda glad my kids school has approached it differently.

Worrying to hear still. It certainly has the potential to scare the daylights out of kids, I'm sure a good number need a lot of reassuring afterwards.

 

[SteveW86]

My wife is a primary school teacher and at her school they have plans in place for what to do in a "terror attack", dont know if they have actually practiced it though.

 

[simonm8]

I work in a infant school, and last year we practiced a lockdown procedure with the children.. we have a different sounding alarm to the fire alarm so the children know which is which.. its something we only really practice 2 times a year.. but sadly in this day and age its needed..

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I work in a infant school, and last year we practiced a lockdown procedure with the children.. we have a different sounding alarm to the fire alarm so the children know which is which.. its something we only really practice 2 times a year.. but sadly in this day and age its needed..

How do you deal with not scaring the kids? It would be easy to traumatise and frighten them with this but I presume you have a way of dealing with it?

 

[CliveW]

Blimey, where is this? I get fire drills, we all do fire drills, but all the rest? You aren't in the US are you?

Was there not a terrorist attack on a primary school with a Transit van thwarted last year?

 

[simonm8]

How do you deal with not scaring the kids? It would be easy to traumatise and frighten them with this but I presume you have a way of dealing with it?

If I remember correctly a big assembly was done, and I think it was explained more like a game of some sort and the children not really told the reasons behind it.. so when the alarm sounds they all just sit in there classroom in a specific area and the class that is the most quiet gets prize sort of thing.. the the normal all blinds shut, lights off, door automatically close and lock etc.. The few times in been practised had no issue with children getting scared or upset so seems to work well.. Fingers crossed we never have to do it for real!

 

[simonm8]

Was there not a terrorist attack on a primary school with a Transit van thwarted last year?

I think you are right, and im sure we heard of other thwarted incidents, which is why the Governors decided on the approach of having a policy in place here

 

[Mudball]

Really,.. i too thought this was a US thing only. Our school more likely to be evicted by the council for not paying rent rather than an attack.

... Would Ress-Moggs kids run out instead of staying in when adviced by authority?

 

[Blakey]

Was there not a terrorist attack on a primary school with a Transit van thwarted last year?

That was an episode of Luther wasn't it?

Just asked my kids, and they have never had a practice lockdown, but had a real one recently when a member of staff was taken seriously ill in the playground.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm a chair of governors and all schools have some kind of procedure to follow for unexpected circumstances that they have to practice. The trigger can range from stray dogs on the playground to intruders to rampaging gunmen. The process the school follows is actually mostly identical if it is decided the threat warrants the procedure kicking in.

All the staff in schools are superb at reassuring the pupils, the younger ones may not even realise they are practicing a lock down. Inevitably some will get upset at primary level but with society as it is today, you need to have these processes in place. It's yet another reason the kids of today can turn round to our generation and say, thanks...

Also have friends in the US and shooter lockdown practices are as common as assemblies nowadays.

 

[Hacker Khan]

My son does lock down drills and fire drills .. He was asking should he come out of hiding for a fire drill and I had to explain to him yes. So there is an element of confusion in their heads.
What would be good is a quick response team that can get to the area when the alarm is raised, that's what I want to see.
Also the school access should be monitored, gates and fences are reasonable protection and they can buy time.

A business doesn't let anyone just go on their property especially those dealing with valuable items.

Safeguarding the school with regards to access is very important and something all schools do. However advanced systems cost money, something schools have been notoriously short of recently. No idea why.

Still, apparently schools will be getting lots of money pumped into them soon as it is a vote winner. And you can apparently only do that if an election is coming up.

Sorry, my mistake, the reason everyone is saying they will pump in money is because education is very important. The fact that polling has shown it is a vote winner is just coincidence.

 

[harpo_72]

Safeguarding the school with regards to access is very important and something all schools do. However advanced systems cost money, something schools have been notoriously short of recently. No idea why.

Still, apparently schools will be getting lots of money pumped into them soon as it is a vote winner. And you can apparently only do that if an election is coming up.

Sorry, my mistake, the reason everyone is saying they will pump in money is because education is very important. The fact that polling has shown it is a vote winner is just coincidence.

Sadly education has suffered low investment.. I think it does partly explain our current predicament.