BANDNews-Back Issues: Lockdown Procedure. BANDLTD.org.uk

Lockdown Procedure

From JULY 17

Does your setting have a robust and tested Lockdown Procedure? We recommend all settings consider having a Lockdown Procedures as a sensible response to any external or internal incident which has the potential to pose a threat to the safety of children and staff in the setting. It would be used when it would be more dangerous to evacuate a building than to stay inside and involves getting everyone inside, keeping them there safely and preventing anyone or anything entering. Procedures should aim to minimise disruption whilst ensuring the safety of everyone and might be activated in response to any number of situations, for example:

• 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);
• A major fire in the vicinity of the school;
• The close proximity of a dangerous dog roaming loose.

Once you have developed your procedure, we would advise practising it regularly and have it displayed in your setting alongside your evacuation procedure.

Here at BAND, we are in the process of developing a sample Lockdown Procedure for settings to use. If you would like a copy or would like to speak to somebody about Lockdown Procedures, please contact one of the Development and Support Team.

Tags: policy, safeguarding, safety