Explainer: What happens in a school lockdown?

For parents, not knowing what is behind the lockdown of their local school can be just as terrifying and frustrating as the lockdown itself. Here is what happens during a school lockdown.

Scenes outside Helensvale Primary School after it went into lockdown. A lockdown can be a confusing time for students and parents alike. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

FOR parents, not knowing what is behind the lockdown of their local school can be just as terrifying and frustrating as the lockdown itself.

School lockdowns can be sparked by a range of things. A threat made by phone by a disgruntled former student, student or parent.

There could be a situation involving parents in a custody dispute.

A threat could be made by someone with absolutely no connection to the school.

In most cases, a school lockdown is taken as a precautionary measure — a simple case of its better to be safe than sorry.

While every school has its own policy, there are there are some key guidelines in Queensland to help schools respond to threats.

In broad terms, a lockdown is essentially the securing of staff and students within buildings and stopping or restricting any access into buildings.

Scenes outside Helensvale Primary School after it went into lockdown. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

The intention is to stop movement throughout the school until the threat or risk has been resolved.

“There may be a range of causal factors leading to a lockdown but the frequency of armed incidents occurring within educational centres overseas cannot be ignored during the development of local lockdown procedures,” a Department of Education and Training policy document says.

“Whilst Queensland state schools have not seen a significant level of violent acts within schools, future acts of violence including armed offenders or ‘active shooters’ cannot be excluded.”

Students are pictured returning to school during a lockdown procedure.

Lockdowns are regarded as central to the response of principals, teachers and students to such acts or threats of extreme violence.

“The primary objective of instigating a lockdown is to enhance the safety of staff and students during incidents.

“A secondary objective is to prepare the school site for emergency services responses to support that primary objective.”

Police Parents and Students at the Upper Coomera State College after the school went into lockdown over social media threats. Picture Mike Batterham

The Department of Education document on lockdowns gives some of the reason which could trigger such a response including:

•An accident on, or in close proximity to, school grounds which introduces hazards to the school environment, e.g. an actual or potential toxic gas or liquid emission;

•An incursion onto school grounds of a dangerous animal(s);

•A rapid onset extreme weather event;

•An incursion, onto school grounds, of a policing action which may involve the use of force or violence;

•A threat being made against the students, staff or school;

•An act of violence on school grounds or nearby which increases the risk to staff or students;

•A direct act of violence against the students or staff; or

•An act of terrorism in, about or near the school.

Police visiting Trinity Bay High School after some students caused disruptions to class and teachers PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY