Lockdown Procedure Policy

Lockdown procedures should be viewed as a sensible and proportionate response to any external or internal incident that could threaten the safety of staff and pupils.

The procedures aim to safeguard everyone until external agencies become involved. Incidents may occur with or without warning. Those with warning trigger the School’s Critical Incident Plan and Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT); incidents without warning are dynamic and will be handled by the most appropriate person available in line with the procedures below.

Lockdowns begin when the whole-school lockdown alarm is activated and end only when a senior member of staff announces that the lockdown is over.

Above all, members of the community are asked to use common sense — no procedure can legislate for every eventuality.

External Lockdown
Initiated when a threat exists outside the school buildings or site (e.g. a police alert about a dangerous person nearby or an external health hazard such as a toxic cloud). Normal activity continues inside but no one may go outdoors. The goal is to prevent the threat from entering the building.

Full Lockdown
Initiated when the danger is inside a building or on site (e.g. an intruder or person whose intent is unknown but poses a risk). This scenario demands urgent action to protect against an immediate threat such as a violent attacker.

This procedure protects the community from an imminent internal threat. On hearing the lockdown signal (whistle), staff and students must act as follows:

1. Remain calm but alert — the campus should fall silent immediately.
2. Collect pupils / move into a room within a building at once. Clear all arenas, outdoor areas, toilets and communal spaces. Do not allow pupils to visit the toilet.
3. If already in a room, stay there.
4. Close and, if possible, lock all doors and windows (lockboxes with keys are in every room).
5. Account for and keep together all pupils in your care.
6. Block the door with heavy items that are readily available (e.g. desks).
7. Hide your staff lanyard in a pocket so you cannot be identified by an intruder.
8. Turn off all lights and close blinds or curtains.
9. Keep pupils silent and seated on the floor in the least visible part of the room, out of sight of door vision panels.
10. Follow further instructions only from a recognised senior member of staff or emergency-services personnel.
11. Use a mobile phone only if essential information must be relayed.
12. Remain barricaded until the all-clear is given.
13. Ignore any fire drill unless you and your class are obviously at risk.

Initially follow the full-lockdown steps above. If the threat is confirmed as external, a senior member of staff will advise and the alarm will cease.

1. Remain calm but alert.
2. Keep all windows and external doors closed; close blinds.
3. Keep pupils inside — usually classrooms, but possibly common rooms or other buildings if the situation is prolonged and visibility is not an issue (e.g. toxic cloud).
4. Continue to follow the timetable as far as possible unless instructed otherwise.
5. Be prepared to accept further instructions face-to-face from SLT or via email.
6. Use radios or mobile phones only if developments must be reported.
7. Keep pupils as calm as possible.

If, as a last resort, evacuation is ordered, senior staff or emergency-services personnel will instruct you to relocate pupils to a designated safe space. The first-choice location is Arena 5.

Primary Action
The Headteacher (or Deputy Heads in their absence) becomes aware of an incident.

Secondary Action
If the Headteacher agrees that a Critical Incident should be declared, they convene the Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT), authorise the lockdown signal and liaise with the authorities. SLT relay information by internal and mobile phones and declare the all-clear when appropriate.

Primary Action
The person discovering the situation calls 999 and informs reception. Ideally, a colleague calls 999 while they contact reception.

Secondary Action
Reception attempts to contact SLT; if unavailable, they telephone the proprietor. If senior colleagues cannot be reached, the staff member activates the lockdown and assumes the role of incident controller until relieved or the incident is resolved.

Maintaining communication with emergency services is vital; they advise on the evolving situation. They may cordon off the site and will agree the content and timing of messages to parents.

Parents are initially informed of lockdown procedures by letter. During an actual lockdown, developments will be communicated as soon as practicable. Parents must not block phone lines or attempt to access the campus.

Parents will be reassured that the school is prioritising children’s safety and should wait for instructions on when and where to collect their children. All press communication follows the crisis-communication procedure in the Critical Incident Policy and is led by the proprietor; no other staff member should speak to the press.