[Mamma_mia]

Hi. DS (6 yo) told me last night that they had a "lockdown drill" at vacation care yesterday. He said it was in case any threatening people came into the school and tried to hurt the kids. They were shown a safe area to hide and practiced doing it. I was a bit surprised and sad when I heard this, but then I thought it was probably a good idea. I'm assuming it has come about recently as a result of what happened in the US before Christmas. I'm wondering if DS' regular school will start doing this (his vacation care is at a different school). Has anyone else seen/heard of this happening in Australia? (We are in Canberra).

I also think schools should have better security in general. Anyone can walk into DS' primary school and wander around - I did it a while ago and there was noone around at the front entrance/in the hallways to see me. I could have been anyone! (I was supposed to be there BTW - went to the front desk to "check in", but there was noone there). I would actually like it if primary schools had a security door where you need a pin code to get in, the same as a lot of childcare centres do.

WDYT?

ETA: I was also a bit surprised that the school/vacation care didn't mention this to the parents - I only know because DS told me.

This post has been edited by Mamma_mia: 25/01/2013, 12:20 PM

[causeway]

I went to school across the road from a maximum security jail. We had a jailbreak procedure. On my 6 years there we never had a problem. Interesting to note that the jail was there before the school although the jail is closed now.

[Julie3Girls]

It's part of the school procedures - they need to do certain drills during the year. One lockdown, and one evacuation drill - actually not sure how many of each they are required, but pretty sure they did to do both during the year.

Lockdown - teacher locks windows and doors, closes blinds if possible. Kids all on the floor under the tables. Anyone outside of a classroom needs to go to the nearest classroom and stay there.

[purplekitty]

My children had lockdown drills in primary school over 13 years ago now.
They didn't mention them to me until they had to do it for real when someone escaped from the local police station.

[FrogIsAFrogIsAFr...]

Our kids do lockdown drills at school, and fire drills, in SA.

They once, dramatically, had to go into lockdown when there was a stray dog on the school grounds!

[gizboo]

They do this at our childrens' school, and their daycare centre.
Both fire drills & lockdowns.

[warriorsfan]

Not at all uncommon, my daughter is in year 9 and has been doing them since year one. There are a few drills a year, as well as fire drills, and there have been a few real lock downs too. The drills have been an important part of keeping the kids calm when there has been an actual lock down. Some schools send letters home some don't.

[lovealpacas]

I taught at at a primary school in the early 2000's, we had both a fire/evacuation procedure and a lockdown procedure, so it's not new.

This post has been edited by lovealpacas: 25/01/2013, 12:32 PM

[RobotFerretOfDoo...]

I don't think it's a particularly new thing. I know that our childcare centre alternates between lock down drills and fire drills, and has for as long as we've been there.

I wouldn't expect them to inform parents, just as I wouldn't expect to be informed of a fire drill.

I don't think a pin type system would be practical for primary schools due to the sheer scale involved, plus the general layout of schools with a number of buildings scattered over a large area with a fair bit of open space.

This post has been edited by WootFerretOfDoom: 25/01/2013, 12:31 PM

[julz78]

Lockdowns are fairly common in my experience, my kids school has had probably a dozen or so. It doesn't necessarily mean they are for crazed gunmen on the rampage but everyday scenarios like a stranger roaming the school, or disgruntled parent, teenagers strolling past throwing rocks at classroom or a student having a violent outburst throwing chairs and the like.