Clever Clogs Pre-School

Safeguarding Children

Clever Clogs Pre-school

4.8 Emergency Lockdown Policy

Policy Statement

We take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children and staff in setting. In the event of an emergency whereby the children and staff could be at risk and are safer inside the building, we would follow our emergency lockdown procedure.

When to action a lock down

An emergency lockdown in setting could be required in response to several different situations. Examples could be, however are not limited to the following:

A report of an incident or disturbance in the local community (with potential to pose a risk to staff and children in setting).
Unauthorised person(s) on the grounds of the setting (with potential to pose a risk to staff and children in setting).
Unauthorised individual(s) attempting to collect a child who may pose a risk to staff and children – possible abduction.
A local warning of air pollution (smoke plumes, gas cloud, poisonous fumes etc.)
A major fire or explosion in the vicinity of the setting – if it is safer staying in the premises than leaving.

Procedure

In the event of an emergency lockdown, we will be contacted via the managers phone and all staff in the hall and annexe sessions will be informed verbally. It is important children are not informed of details about the lockdown which may frighten them. It is equally important staff demonstrate a calm attitude to the procedure to ensure children are not frightened.

Lockdown

In the event of an emergency lockdown, the following procedure must be followed:

The bell will be rung, encouraging children to come and sit on the middle mat, including those in the garden. This will be replicated in the annexe.
Registers and headcounts will be carried our on the middle mat for both the Hall and Annexe sessions to ensure everyone is accounted for.
Garden doors should be closed immediately to ensure children are kept indoors and windows shut to prevent any risk of pollution, smoke or to impair any noises from outside situations.
Where there’s a risk of a dangerous individual, intruder or potential abduction of a child, all blinds should be closed. Where this is not possible for the kitchen area, the kitchen door and hatch doors should also be closed.
If it is safer to have all children away from windows, they should be occupied in the centre of the room to avoid witnessing any situations developing outside.
If the setting is in immediate danger of an intruder, the police will be called as a matter of urgency. In other cases where the situation has been alerted by the police or local authority, then the setting will await further instructions.
No one will be given access into the setting until the all-clear has been given.
If management decide children must be collected, they must contact all parents and arrange collection.
If it is safer for everyone to leave the building, we may follow our fire evacuation procedure as stated in policy 4.7 and relocate at our ‘safe place’ as stated.

Ending a lockdown

When management receives information that it’s safe to end the lockdown, the manager will inform all staff.
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 child 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 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.

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