Jubilee Square, Buckingham Park.

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. HP19 9DZ

Email: office@buckinghampark.org
Web: www. buckinghampark.org

School Policy Document

Lockdown Procedure

Date Adopted by Full Governing board: 23/06/2021

Last reviewed on: 22/06/2021

Next review due by: 22/06/2024

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1. Aims and expectations

1.1. At Buckingham Park Church of England Primary School it is important that every member of the
school community feels valued and respected, and that each person is treated fairly and well. We are
a caring community, built on a clear Christian foundation and rooted in Christian values. We aim to
provide the highest quality all round education, for each and every child, in partnership with parents,
within the context of a Christian community. In short, ‘Excellence, through God who strengthens us’.

1.2. Buckingham Park Church of England Primary School is committed to creating a school community
where exemplary behaviour is at the heart of productive learning. Everyone, staff, children and
parents alike, are expected to maintain the highest standards of personal conduct, to accept
responsibility for their behaviour, and encourage others to do the same.

1.3. All school policies are therefore designed to support the way in which all members of the school can
live and work together in a supportive way. It aims to promote an environment where everyone
feels happy, safe and secure.

1.4. The school has a set of values that are based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. These are a means of
promoting good relationships, so that people can work together with the common purpose of
helping everyone to learn. These values are displayed below:

We are kind, helpful and polite

We do our best
We are honest
We share
We are peacemakers
We forgive others
We take care of everything, and everyone

1.5. The school expects every member of the school community to behave in a considerate way towards
others and by following these set of values

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2. Rationale

2.1. All schools should consider the need for robust and tested school lock down procedures. Lock down
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.

2.2. On very rare occasions it may be necessary to seal off the school so that it cannot be entered from
the outside. This will ensure that pupils, staff and visitors are safe in situations where there is a
hazard in the school grounds or outside the school in the near vicinity.

2.3. A lockdown is implemented when there are serious security risks for the premises due to, for
example, near-by chemical spillage, proximity of dangerous dogs or other threats, serious weather
conditions or attempted access by unauthorised persons’ intent in causing harm/damage.

3. Notification of Lockdown

3.1. Staff will be notified that Lockdown procedures are to take place immediately on hearing a solid tone
from the lockdown alarm. Alternatively a whistle may be blown through the school corridors. This
has been chosen as it is clearly distinct from the sound made by the fire alarm.

3.2. Dependent on the risk associated, the most suitable of these two methods of lockdown alarm will be
instigated.

3.3. The decision to instigate a lockdown will be made by the headteacher, school business manager or
the most senior member of staff on the school site in their absence.

4. Lockdown Procedure

4.1. This is the standard procedure for the most common lockdown scenario, when the disturbance has
taken place outside of the school building. Scenarios mentioned in section 2.3 including near-by
chemical spillage, proximity of dangerous dogs or other threats, serious weather conditions or
attempted access by unauthorised persons’ intent in causing harm/damage fall in to this category.

4.2. In the event of a Lockdown situation, and upon hearing the whistle sounded by a member of school
staff the following CLOSE procedure will be followed.

Close all windows and doors.

Lock up (where possible)
Out of sight and minimise movement
Stay silent and avoid drawing attention
Endure – Be aware you may be in Lockdown for some time.

4.3. The above signal will activate a process of children being ushered into the school building as quickly
as possible if they are outside and the locking external doors

4.4. At the given signal, the children will remain in the room they are in (whether this be their
classrooms, small learning room or the school hall). Any children in toilets, or in rooms without an
adult presence, shall move to the nearest room occupied by an adult.

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 4.5. This may not be their own typical classroom. Class teachers should keep a clear list of all children in
their classrooms who are not part of their own class.

4.6. Children will be positioned, where possible, away from sightline from external windows and doors.
Blinds will be closed in all classrooms.

4.7. Where possible, the school should continue to operate as normal in a calm and quiet way. Children
should continue with quiet activities in their classrooms unless instructed otherwise.

4.8. If safe to do so, the Deputy Headteacher will ensure that all phase leaders are issued with a radio for
communication purposes.

4.9. Teachers should ensure that under these circumstances, their school email account is active on their
computer. This will be the primary method of communication during this scenario.

4.10. Any adults not in classrooms, will proceed to the nearest occupied classroom and remain with that
class and class teacher until the lockdown procedure has been completed.

4.11. Individual class teachers/TAs close classroom doors and cover the internal window panel. Premade
templates for all windows should be stored in the teachers cupboard for this eventuality. Senior
leadership to instruct staff to check and ensure toilets are clear.

4.12. All external doors to be checked and closed. This includes the external door from the kitchen,
techroom and library, doors at the bottom of both staircases and the reception and nursery
classrooms. The doors to the playground from the toilets and any other access points must be
checked.

4.13. No child or adult is to leave the room for any reason during lockdown, unless specifically directed.

4.14. Staff to remain with children in Lockdown positions until informed by key staff, e.g. SLT, that there is
an all clear.

4.15. As soon as possible after the Lockdown, teachers to return to their classrooms and conduct a
register. The school office must be notified immediately of any pupils not accounted for.

5. Communication with Parents

5.1. If necessary, parents will be notified as soon as it is practical to do so via text or email through our
parent communication system. Parents will only be notified in extreme circumstances where there is
information such as a close of telephone lines or a change of school collection.
5.2. Depending on the type and severity of the incident, parents may be asked NOT to collect their
children from school as it may put them and their child at risk.

5.3. Pupils will not be released to parents during a lock down. Parents will be asked not to call school as
this may tie up emergency lines.

5.4. If the end of the day is extended due to the lock down, parents will be notified and will receive
information about the time and place pupils can be picked up from the office staff or the emergency
services.

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 5.5. A letter to parents will be sent home on the nearest possible day following any serious incident to
inform parents of the context of the lockdown and to encourage parents to reinforce with their
children the importance of following procedures in these very rare circumstances.

6. Lockdown Drills

6.1. Lock down practices will take place at least once a year to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do
in such a situation. Monitoring of practices will take place and staff debriefed for positive
reinforcement or to identify required improvements.

6.2. Dependent on need, these may happen with or sometimes without children in school as to not cause
panic.

7. Staff Responsibilities during Lockdown

Staff Responsibilities

Headteacher Instigate lockdown procedure

Organise staff and coordinate with other team members throughout
Make decisions regarding contact with other services or parents
Signify the end of the lockdown

Deputy Headteacher Key point of communication between SLT and other staff members
where safe and necessary

School Business Initiate contact with emergency services, the diocese and the local
Manager authority where necessary
Coordinate caretaker team

Caretakers Ensure immediate lock of all external doors and internal doors where
able.
Maintain vigilance of possible issues – one monitoring the front
entrance and one the back playground doors

Office Staff Communicate with the parents where advised by the headteacher.
Lock down the front office including locking the parent window.
Base in the Green room, or headteachers office as appropriate

Teachers and Ensure the safe containment of all children in their care
Teaching assistants Ensure classroom windows are locked and closed with blinds lowered.
Close classroom doors and cover internal windows
Ensure email accounts are open on computers as this is the most
suitable form of communication with SLT during lockdown
Take a register as soon as the lockdown is complete and ensure that

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 any unaccounted children are reported to the office and SLT
immediately.

8. Review

8.1. The Governing body will review this policy every three years. In certain circumstances, such as
updated government guidance or if the governing body receives recommendations about how the
policy may be improved, this review may take place earlier than this.

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