Gary Hennigan offers a reflective account of implementing a school lockdown drill, highlighting the challenges and successes of the process
“So, you’re going to ring the bell, and everyone will stay in their classroom…. Isn’t that what happens every hour of every day?”
Not the most auspicious start to our meeting about lockdown practice, but it did have a point. As an SLT (Senior Leadership Team), we’d read the reports of incidents across the UK and sifted through the government’s guidance. Now, it was time to put something into practice. After all, it had been a while since our last lockdown drill, and there was a bit of nervous energy around the idea of doing it again.
Our first challenge: the bell. In our school, it’s usually a signal for the students to breathe a sigh of relief (or dread) as they shuffle to their next class. But now, we needed it to mean something entirely different. One of the governors suggested installing a Public Address (PA) system, inspired by a shiny new build down the road. Unfortunately, as a school made up of buildings that could rival a timeline of architectural history, this wasn’t an option.
After some research, we discovered that our fire alarm sounders could be modified to produce two tones—one for a fire, and one for lockdown. This felt like a win but was for the future. So, we put our heads together and settled on the plan: eight rings of the school bell to signal lockdown. The drill was simple: head to the nearest room if you’re not already in one, lock and block the doors, get out of sight, and, most importantly, stay calm and quiet.
Rolling Out the Plan
We rolled out the plan to the staff during a whole-school meeting. Cue the questions. “Can I let a child go to the toilet during a lockdown?” was one of the highlights.
Next, we informed the students during form time, and worked with the SEN team to ensure a tailored message was delivered to our more vulnerable students and their families. A letter went home to parents, explaining why we’d be practicing this drill and reassuring them that it was all, hopefully, just a precaution.
Then, the big day arrived. My task? To sound the bell eight times. It took longer than I’d anticipated, but it certainly hammered home the seriousness of the event (and removed any confusion about whether it was three rings for wet break).
The staff were brilliant, and the students—bar two, who the deputy head swiftly dealt with—were fantastic. SLT patrolled the school, and compliance with the drill was excellent. All that pre-drill anxiety? Turns out, we didn’t need it. The lockdown practice was a success, and it’s now a fixture every September, right alongside our start-of-year fire drill.
Lessons Learnt
Of course, there were a few lessons learnt. For instance, it’s best to lock and block your door before pulling down the blinds (who knew multitasking could be so stressful?). And if you’re going to block the door, avoid using a chair on wheels—unless you want an unintended game of hide-and-seek.
But in all seriousness, despite the initial apprehension from some quarters, the drill was incredibly beneficial. While the probability of an actual lockdown event remains low, practicing it gave us the confidence we need—just like we do with fire drills.
Here’s what we found:
Communication is key: We talked, we listened, we tweaked. Staff and students gave us valuable feedback that helped refine our plan.
Practice reduces anxiety: The act of running the drill demystified it for everyone, easing fears and removing some of the stigma around the process.
Keep it simple: The clearer and more straightforward the instructions, the easier they are to follow—especially under pressure.
Support matters: Having the backing of SLT and governors made the whole process smoother, more effective, and a lot less stressful.
If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend planning your lockdown drill. You might be surprised by how much you—and your school community—will benefit from it.
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