Lock Down Policy

Lock Down Policy

We take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises, communicating policies clearly to staff on induction and through training.  Parents are informed about the procedures through the prospectus, website and reminders through newsletters.

In the event of an emergency requiring a full lock down, the following procedure will be implemented.

Lock down procedure

We will use the lock down procedure when the safety of the children, staff and others on the premises are at risk and we are better placed inside the current building, with doors and windows locked and blinds and/or curtains closed.

We will activate this emergency procedure in response to a number of situations, but some of the more typical might be:

• A report incident or disturbance in the local community (with potential to pose a risk to staff and children in the nursery)
• An intruder on the nursery site (with potential to pose a risk to staff and children in nursery)
• A warning being received regarding a local risk of air pollution (smoke plumes, gas cloud etc.)
• A major fire or explosion in the vicinity of the nursery – if it is safer staying in the premises than leaving.
• The close proximity of a dangerous animal.

Procedure

A lockdown will be initiated by a member of staff through the walkie talkie by saying “peanut peanut.”

Lockdown

All staff-

• Calmly guide the children to the furthest point of the hallway, next to the utility room and store room.
• Headcount the children in your care, alerting the manager if any are missing.
• Attempt to keep the children as quiet and calm as possible.
• Remain where you are until the all clear has been given.

Manager-

• The manager or deputy will immediately call 999.
• Collect the first aid box, visitors book and registers.
• Sweep through the building to check for children or visitors left behind.
• Secure all external windows and doors, put up blinds where possible.
• Turn off the lights, computers and switch phones to silent mode.
• Push the foyer unit over the entrance door.

Once the all-clear has been given externally, the manager will issue the all-clear internally. After this time the staff will try to return to normal practice to enable the children not to be disrupted or upset by the events.

Any children showing worries or concerns will have one to one time with their key person to talk about these.

Parents will be informed about the situation at the earliest safest opportunity and will be kept updated when the information changes.

After the event, if a real lockdown, a post-incident evaluation will be conducted to ensure that each child and staff member was supported fully and the procedure went as planned. Ofsted will be informed of any real lockdown events.

Drills will be held every 6 months and recorded, to practice exercising the lock down procedures, using non-alarming scenarios.