At the end of last month the Department for Education released listing practical security strategies to help schools prepare for and mitigate any potential incidents, ranging from antisocial behaviour to terrorist threats.
The guidance draws on expertise from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and ProtectUK, and adapts this for education establishments, with the aim of fostering a culture of vigilance and care.
While the likelihood of serious incidents in schools remains low as far as we can tell, the guidance is a good reminder of the importance of proportionate planning and preparation for the worst that might happen. Here are five key insights:
New security guidance for schools
1. Build a clear security leadership structure
One theme is the importance of clarity around roles and responsibilities. Ideally, the guidance says, every school should appoint a security lead, which may be the headteacher or a designated senior colleague, responsible for developing, updating and communicating security policies.
This individual not only takes the lead during an incident but is also tasked with embedding a security culture in everyday school life.
As with 51ºÚÁÏ, all staff, including non-teaching staff and regular contractors, should know who this lead person is and understand their role.
The guidance encourages schools to think beyond job titles, focusing on ensuring that the right people are equipped and available to act. This shifts the emphasis from a top-down model to a culture of shared responsibility, and suggests this should be a part of whole-school training.
2. Tailor plans to your setting
The guidance repeatedly underscores the need for proportionality and local adaptation. Whether in a small village primary school or a large urban sixth-form college, leaders are encouraged to assess physical spaces, local risks and the specific needs of their pupils.
Learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) feature prominently, with a focus on ensuring that personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) are in place and that drills are communicated sensitively to avoid triggering anxiety or trauma.
Schools are also advised to consult with staff, governors, parents and even neighbours when shaping plans to ensure that those plans will be effective if they are ever needed.
3. Embed a security-minded culture
The guidance introduces the see, check and notify (SCaN) model, helping staff to identify and calmly report suspicious activity.
In particular, schools are encouraged to communicate safety messages in an age-appropriate way.
Younger pupils, for example, can be taught to tell an adult if they notice something unusual, while older students may learn about suspicious behaviours or items using the HOT protocol. HOT stands for:
- Hidden: has the item been deliberately hidden or concealed from view? For example, is it tucked behind furniture, under a table or placed in a rarely used area?
- Obviously suspicious: does the item have wires, circuit boards, batteries, tape, liquids or putty-like substances visible? Was it found after observing someone behaving suspiciously?
- Typical: is the item typical of what you would expect to find in that location? Or does it look out of place? For example, a school bag in a classroom might be typical, but the same bag abandoned outside a secure area might not be.
Importantly, the document advises that leaders avoid fear-based approaches or stereotypes and instead foster calm, reassuring conversations about safety.
4. Prepare and rehearse response options
The guidance offers a particularly clear explanation of three core incident responses: lockdown, invacuation (moving people inside a building or designated safe space on site to protect them from an external threat, rather than evacuating them off-site) and evacuation.
Leaders are encouraged to plan and rehearse these responses in ways that reflect their site’s realities, including use of sports fields or shared community spaces.
While live drills are recommended, the guidance cautions schools to introduce these carefully, especially for younger children or those with SEND. A staged approach, moving from planned drills to more realistic exercises, helps to avoid unnecessary alarm while building confidence and familiarity.
5. Prepare alert and information systems
Finally, schools are advised to develop internal alert systems that are quick to activate; prepare holding statements for parents and carers; and work out in advance how to liaise with police and emergency services.
The guidance also recommends compiling grab kits, containing items such as contact lists, site plans and SEND-specific equipment, to ensure critical information and resources are immediately available.
After an incident, schools are reminded to prioritise welfare, offer clear updates to the community and reflect openly on lessons learned.
Luke Ramsden is deputy head of an independent school and chair of trustees for the
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