Lock Down Policy

Policy aim:

Lock down procedures should be seen as a sensible and proportionate response to any external incident which has the potential to pose a threat to the safety of children and adults in the setting.

Lock down procedures may be activated in response to any number of situations, but some of the more typical might be:

1. A reported incident or disturbance in the local community (with the potential to pose a risk to children and adults in the setting)

2. An intruder onsite (with the potential to pose a risk to children and adults in the setting)

3. A warning being received regarding an environmental risk locally, of air pollution (smoke plume, gas cloud etc)

4. A major fire in the vicinity of the setting

5. The close proximity of a dangerous animal

1) Partial lock down

PARENTS SHOULD NOT:

 CONTACT THE SETTING DURING LOCK DOWN AS THIS COULD BLOCK TELEPHONE LINES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES

 SHOULD NOT COME TO THE SETTING DURING LOCK DOWN AS THIS MAY PLACE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS IN DANGER

 WAIT FOR THE SETTING TO CONTACT THEM ABOUT WHEN IT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO COME AND COLLECT THEIR CHILD

A partial lock down is a precaution aimed to keep children and staff safe while remaining indoors. This may be as a result of a reported incident/civil disturbance in the local community with the potential to pose a risk to children and staff in the setting. It may also be as a result of a warning being received regarding the risk of air pollution, etc. In a partial lockdown staff and children should remain in the building and all doors leading outside should be locked. No-one should be allowed to enter or leave the building; however the setting can continue as usual.

What usually happens during partial lock down?

 All outside activity to cease immediately, children and staff return to building. (There needs to be a means of communicating the alert to staff). All staff and children should remain in the building and external doors and windows should 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.

 Seal up all the cracks around doors and any vents into the room – aim to minimise possible access points of pollutants

2) Full lock down

This signifies an immediate threat to the setting and may be an escalation of a partial lockdown

Immediate action:

 All children and staff should return to/stay in the building

 External doors should be locked

 Internal doors might be locked (where a member of staff with a key is present)

 Lock windows, draw blinds and curtains, cover internal door windows (so an intruder cannot see in)

 Staff and children to sit quietly out of sight and where possible in a location that would protect them from harm such as gunfire (bullets go through glass, brick, wood and metal). Consider locations behind substantial brickwork or heavy reinforced walls.

 Turn off lights, computer monitors

 Turn off mobile phones (or at the least turn onto silent so they cannot give away your position)

 A register should be taken and headcount completed of all staff and children at the setting

 Children should not be released to parents during a lock down and staff should not leave the premises unless instructed to do so

Procedure for full lock down

PARENTS SHOULD NOT:

 CONTACT THE SETTING DURING LOCK DOWN AS THIS COULD BLOCK TELEPHONE LINES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES

 SHOULD NOT COME TO THE SETTING DURING LOCK DOWN AS THIS MAY PLACE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS IN DANGER

 WAIT FOR THE SETTING TO CONTACT THEM ABOUT WHEN IT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO COME AND COLLECT THEIR CHILD

 All staff have been told to be vigilant and if they see something which is likely to cause harm to

immediately shout “LOCK DOWN, LOCK DOWN, LOCK DOWN” so that everyone can hear, alerting staff outside by opening the door and shouting the alarm call. If the main school call lock down using the alarm system the same procedures should apply. Count the children as they come inside, checking the total with the register. Immediately check in the garden if any children are found to be missing.

 On hearing this alarm call fire marshal to bring registers, telephone and details and guide children and any visitors/students etc. to the main school hall. Checking each area is empty as they go, locking external doors and windows; turn off lights and closing internal fire doors.

Then…

 One member of staff immediately counts the children/ staff and check against totals in register. If a child or staff member is missing the manager (or senior staff member in her absence) to search in the building and bring them back to the hall as quickly and quietly as possible.

 Remaining staff sit with the children to help keep as calm and quiet as possible.

 TURN LIGHTS OFF AND KEEP THE GROUP AS QUIET AS POSSIBLE

 turn mobile phones to silent.

 A senior member of staff to ring 999 to report the incident and follow their instructions

 If a group are on an outing when the incident occurs, a staff member to telephone them to tell them NOT to return to the pre-school until the all clear has been given. If it is safe to do, the group should stay where they are e.g. in the library/museum. If they are on their way back, to stop and go back to the venue and stay there until advised otherwise.  The staff on the outing are to ring the police for advice. On being told to do so by police, the staff would contact the parents and notify them of the incident. If safe to do so, we would suggest to parents to collect their children from the venue. If not, we would remain there until it was safe to leave and return to the pre-school.

 We would remain in the school until told otherwise by the authorities, supporting the children and each other, for as long as necessary

 If the incident is being dealt with by the authorities and we are not directly affected and have been told to do so by the police, we will leave the area and return to the classrooms in the hope to reduce the stress on the children as much as possible.

 We would remain within the school building (not venturing into either the front or back garden) until the all clear has been given by the authorities.

 On being told to do so by the police, we would email parents to notify them of the incident. The

telephone would be manned to receive incoming calls.

To reduce the risk of someone entering the building to cause harm, procedures include:

 Key pad entry system

 A member of staff is located in the hallway during busy drop-off and collection times

 The front gate is locked after these busy time and parents ring the bell for entry

 The door to the garden is always key pad entry only when the children are not in the garden.

 We have a password and ask for a description of anyone collecting a child who we haven’t seen before if the parent wishes

 Parents told to inform us if anyone other than themselves are collecting/dropping off

After lock down has taken place:

A letter to parents will be sent home as soon as possible following any serious incident to inform parents of context of lock down.

Following the need for lock down, the setting management will create a full record of the event in the risk assessment. Policies and procedures will be reviewed as soon as possible to identify any areas for potential development.

A notification of significant incident will be made to Ofsted within 14 days (preferably as soon as possible after

the incident).

PLEASE NOTE: Staff will practise this during their staff meetings after hours. We will be practicing with the children as part of a fire drill exercise.

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Policy originally discussed and adopted during staff meeting held 13th November 2018

 

Revised policy emailed to parents and all staff given a copy 11th December 2018

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Review date: 24th August 2023

next review date: On or before August 2024

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Name and position: Alison Balmer manager

A.Balmer 

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Deputy

S.Green

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