King’s Leadership Academy Bolton

Lockdown Policy
June 2019
All schools should consider the need for robust and tested school lockdown
procedures. 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 students in the school. Procedures should aim to minimise
disruption to the learning environment whilst ensuring the safety of all students 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 students and staff
• An intruder on the school site with the potential to pose a risk to students and
staff
• A warning being received regarding a risk locally of air pollution (smoke
plume, gas cloud etc)
• A major fire in the vicinity of the school
• The close proximity of a dangerous dog roaming loose

Lockdown Arrangements

There are two types of lockdown; partial and full

1. Partial Lockdown

Issue recognised-alert to staff via bells. (to be confirmed after handover of

temporary build)

In a partial lockdown staff and students should remain in the school building and
all doors leading outside should be locked. No one should be allowed to enter or
leave the building; however teaching and work can continue as usual. This may
be as the result of a reported incident/civil disturbance in the local community
with the potential to pose a risk to staff and students 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, student and staff return to the
building
• All staff and students remain in the building and external doors and
windows are to be locked
• Free movement may be permitted within the building dependent upon
circumstances
• In the event of an air pollution or chemical, biological or radiological
contaminants issue, air vents, fans, heating and air conditioning systems
should be closed or turned off
• Use anything to hand to seal up all the cracks around doors and any vents
into the room to minimise the possible ingress of pollutants
• Staff should await further instructions
Once all staff and students are safely inside, senior staff will conduct an ongoing and
dynamic risk assessment based on advice from the emergency services.

A Partial Lockdown may also be a precautionary measure, but puts the school in a
state of readiness (whilst retaining a degree of normality) should the situation
escalate.

Emergency services will advise as to the best course of action in respect of the
prevailing threat.

2. Full Lockdown

Issue recognised alert to staff via bells and message on projector screens.

This signifies an immediate threat to the school and may be an escalation of a partial
lockdown. The aim of a full lockdown is for the school and its rooms to appear
empty.

Immediate action

• All students and staff stay in their classroom or move to the nearest
classroom
• Office staff should remain in their office. All other staff should move to the
nearest office or safe room.
• External doors to be locked by Site Staff. Classroom doors to be locked from
the inside.
• Windows to be locked, blinds drawn and internal windows covered if feasible
(so that an intruder cannot see in).
• Students/staff sit quietly out of sight and where possible in a location that
would protect them from gunfire. This would be under the desks in a normal
classroom. Individuals with mobility problems should be seated out of view
from the windows.
• Lights, computer monitors and projectors to be turned off.
• Mobile phones to be turned off or on to silent.
• A register to be taken of all students/staff in each classroom/office.
• Communicate register to student services
• Staff should await further instructions. Bells will be rung again to signal end of
lockdown.

Staff and students are to remain in lockdown until it has been lifted by a senior
member of staff/emergency services. At any point during the lockdown, the fire
alarm may sound which is a cue to evacuate the building.

During the lockdown staff will keep agreed lines of communication open but not
make any unnecessary calls to reception/office as this could delay more important
communication. Communication lines could be email, iPad display or text messages
via the Tucasi system.
 School Lockdown Plan

• The Principal is nominated as lockdown manager (Vice Principal in his absence) to

initiate, manage and conclude the lockdown. They will also communicate with
emergency services.
• Staff are alerted to the activation of the plan by a recognised signal, audible
throughout the school.
• Pupils/staff who are outside of the school buildings should be brought inside as
quickly as possible.
• Those inside the school should remain in their classrooms or proceed directly to
the nearest classroom.
• All external doors and, as necessary, windows are locked (depending on the
circumstances, internal classroom doors may also need to be locked).
• Blinds/curtains drawn and windows on internal doors covered.
• Once in lockdown mode, staff should notify Student Services immediately of any
pupils not accounted for and any additional pupils/staff in their classroom via the
agreed communication channel.
• Staff should encourage the pupils to keep calm.
• As appropriate, the school should establish communication with the Emergency
Services as soon as possible.
• If necessary, parents should be notified as soon as it is practicable to do so via the
school’s established communications system.
• Pupils must not be released to parents during a lockdown.
• If it is necessary to evacuate the building, the fire alarm should sound.
• Any visitors in reception at the time of the alarm sounding will be taken into the
Admin office.
• Establish agreed methods of communication from staff to the lockdown manager
should a dangerous intruder be located on the school premises.
• An overview sheet outlining the school’s procedures will be displayed in the
staffroom and other places throughout the school as appropriate (see Appendix A).

In the event a school is in lockdown and the fire alarm sounds, the school should
contact the emergency services as in a normal fire alarm activation. A nominated
member of staff who has a means of remote communication (e.g. a walkie talkie)
should go to the fire alarm panel to establish what zone has been activated. Once
the zone has been identified, the alarm should be silenced and another person sent
to the area to investigate. They will need to approach with caution as there may be a
fire or an intruder may have activated the alarm. If a fire is discovered this
information should be communicated back to the person at the fire alarm panel, who
should resound the alarm, update the emergency services and evacuate the school.

Due to the fast moving nature of incidents that require lockdown it is important that
all staff are able to act quickly and effectively. Staff should have clear roles and
responsibilities and it is of vital importance that the school’s lockdown procedures
are familiar to members of the senior management team, school administrators,
teaching staff and non-teaching staff. Depending on their age, pupils should also be
aware of the plan. (Regular practices will increase their familiarity).

Staff’s will receive regular training refreshers. A lockdown drill will be undertaken at
least once a year and thoroughly debriefed to monitor the effectiveness of our
arrangements.

Communication between parents and the school

Arrangements for communicating with parents in the event of a lockdown, should be

routinely shared either via newsletter or the school website. In the event of an actual
lockdown, it is strongly advised that any incident or development is communicated to
parents as soon as is practicable. It is obvious that parents will be concerned but
regular communication of accurate information will help to alleviate undue anxiety.
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 required for contacting emergency support providers.
• Do not come to the school. They could interfere with emergency support 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 to collect their children,
and where this will be from.
• Are aware of what will happen if the lockdown continues beyond school hours.

The ‘ communication with parents’ section of the school lockdown plan needs to
reassure parents that the school understands their concern for their children’s
welfare and that everything that can possibly be done to ensure children’s safety will
be done. However, it may also be prudent to reinforce the message that ‘the school
is in a full lockdown situation. During this period the switchboard and entrances will
be un-manned, external doors locked and nobody is allowed in or out…’ Should
parents present at the school during a lockdown under no circumstances should
members of staff leave the building to communicate directly with them.

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. Emergency Services will support the decision of the
Principal regarding the timing of communication to parents. In the event of a
prolonged lockdown or more severe scenario, emergency services, local authorities
and voluntary sector organisations will work together to co-ordinate practical and
emotional support to those affected by any emergency, also referred to as
humanitarian assistance. A reception centre for friends and family could be set-up
outside of the cordoned area.

Emergency Procedures

Fire Alarm
In the event of the fire alarm sounding (which is specify school’s alarm) please leave
the school buildings by the nearest fire escape route and assemble following the fire
evacuation procedures.

Lockdown Alarm

In the event of explain school’s own recognised signal, stay indoors, in the
room/classroom that you are in. If you are outside when this bell sounds, make your
way to the nearest classroom or hall.

Specify how staff will be informed if it is a partial or full lockdown and how further
information will be shared. E.g: An e-mail will be sent to ‘All Staff’ giving instructions
as to what to do – please ensure this is checked and not on the screen for the
children to read. It is therefore important that a computer is always logged on (and e-
mail accounts opened) during teaching sessions. Internal phones may also be used
for communication. If you are with children it is important to:

• remain calm

• reassure them

• remind them to follow your instructions