If There's an Emergency at Your Child's School

Every instinct says go straight there. Here's why schools ask families to wait, and how you'll hear what to do.

If a school goes into lockdown or evacuates, it's natural to want to rush to the gates. Department for Education guidance asks schools to tell parents and carers to stay away from the site temporarily, because crowds and traffic can get in the way of the emergency services and make the situation more dangerous.

How you'll hear

The guidance says the first messages to parents should come from the school, not from social media. Schools are encouraged to prepare short holding messages in advance, so they can let families know quickly that the situation is being managed and what to do next.

Collecting your child

If the site has to stay closed, the school will tell you when and where to collect your child once it's safe. Keep your contact details and your child's emergency contacts up to date, and make sure anyone who might collect them is on the list.

Afterwards

Schools are expected to offer support to pupils and staff after a serious incident, and to keep checking on wellbeing in the weeks and months that follow. Speak to the school or your GP if your child is struggling.

Sources

• Protective security and preparedness for education settings (Department for Education)

This guidance applies to England. Schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow their own national guidance, which covers similar ideas.

This post is general information. Your school's own plan comes first, so ask the school office for its procedures.