Gold Coast: Helensvale State School in lockdown after alleged threat

A busy Gold Coast primary school was put into lockdown this morning after a threat was made. Teachers and students were forced to take shelter for more than an hour while parents say there was not enough information given out from the school.

Helensvale State School was put into lockdown following phone threats made to the school.

A Gold Coast school was in lockdown for four hours after threats were phoned into the administrators this morning.

Helensvale State School on Lindfield Road was put into lockdown at 9.30am this morning, with police rushing to the scene.

Police were investigating the authenticity of alleged phone threats made to the school early this morning.

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

The lockdown was lifted at 1.30pm on police advice and classes resumed as normal.

Helensvale State School Principal Heidi Booth informed parents the lockdown was lifted in an email.

“Our school went into lockdown today as a precaution in response to phone threats,” Ms Booth said.

“I would like to reassure you that we treat the safety and welfare of your children, our students, as our highest priority at all times.

“I would like to thank our staff and students for conducting the precautionary lockdown in a calm and responsible manner.”

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Police are on the scene of the Helensvale State School lockdown. Parents are being asked not to attend the school as nobody other than the police will be able to enter school grounds.

Up to 40 concerned parents and carers gathered at the front of the school during the lockdown.

Regional duty officer inspector Karen Shaw said two calls were made to the schools answering service last night.

“At 9.30am police received information from the school about threats made to the schools answering service,” she said.

“Upon arrival the school was in lockdown by the Department of Education.

“Police have listened to the threats and no threats where made directly to students or parents.

“Two recordings were made and are believed to be made by the same person.

“The children are ok. They have been fed, given water and had had toilet breaks.

“I have briefed parents.

“The school or teachers can not address parents or media.

“We are investigating who is responsible.”

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Earlier a concerned parent told The Gold Coast Bulletin the small amount of information given from the school wasn’t good enough.

“I tried to ring the school and got an answering machine that said no-one was at reception.

“The email they sent had next to no information in it, of course our minds are going to be racing.

“That’s not good enough, I’ve got a young child there and I don’t know what’s going on.”

Multiple police officers are stationed inside the school’s fence.

Concerned parents have started to arrive at the school’s campus despite being urged not to come.

A letter sent to parents and carers from the principal of Helensvale State School.

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One parent told the Bulletin they didn’t get alerted while “events are ongoing” and she only knows due to a friend living nearby.

Others have said they had just received an email.

One parent who saw an email from the school telling parents not to attend the campus said “how do I not come?”

Concerned parents. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

One parent tried to walk into the school to collect her eight-year-old but an administrator told her to leave as they are in a lockdown.

Students missed morning tea which is at 10.55am due to the lockdown.

Police at the school Photograph: Jason O'Brien

Helensvale mother Tarynn Cowell heard the alarms go off at the school.

“I heard it go off between 9.30am and 9.45am,” she said.

She had pulled her two children out of the school last year.

“There was a few reasons from bullying to things they learned and other than that because parents are not involved,” she said.

“For kids to be scared for their lives that’s not OK.”

Police talking to concerned parents. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

Regional duty officer Inspector Karen Shaw said two calls were made to the school’s answering service last night.

“At 9.30am police received information from the school about threats made to the schools answering service,” she said.

“Upon arrival the school was in lockdown by the Department of Education.

“Police have listened to the threats and no threats where made directly to students or parents.

“Two recordings were made and are believed to be made by the same person.

Police cars outside the school. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

“The children are OK. They have been fed, given water and had toilet breaks.

“I have briefed parents.

“The school or teachers cannot address parents or media.

“We are investigating who is responsible.”

More to come.