School lockdowns used to feel like a distant, American problem. That’s no longer the case.
In the first nine months of 2025 alone, at least 117 schools across the UK were placed into lockdown — affecting around 100,000 pupils. That’s according to an investigation by Schools Week, which had to rely on media reports and Freedom of Information requests because no national database of lockdown incidents even exists.
The true number is almost certainly higher.
What’s driving it?
The reasons are varied, but a few patterns stand out.
Knife crime is the biggest factor. Police recorded over 54,000 knife-enabled offences in England and Wales in the year to June 2024 — a post-Covid high. Channel 4 News obtained data showing 631 knife crimes at schools in 2024 alone, including 150 that resulted in injury. The figures only covered 27 of 43 police forces, so the real scale is likely much worse.
In February 2025, 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose was fatally stabbed at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield. It was the school’s second lockdown in a single week. The incident prompted the Education Secretary to describe the situation as “deeply concerning.”
Malicious communications are also a growing problem. Anonymous threats made via social media and messaging apps — many of them hoaxes — are now one of the most common triggers for school lockdowns, accounting for around one in five incidents.
And most lockdowns happen because of what’s going on nearby, not inside the school itself. Around 38% of incidents are triggered by external events — armed incidents, protests, or disturbances in the surrounding area. Schools are increasingly caught up in community-level threats they have little control over.
Are schools prepared?
Not consistently. Despite the rising numbers, there is still no mandatory national lockdown guidance for schools in England. The Department for Education updated its advice in July 2024, and the NASUWT teaching union has been calling for compulsory, comprehensive procedures — but compliance remains voluntary.
From 2027, schools with a capacity of over 200 will be required to follow Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025), which will mean having formal emergency plans in place. That’s a step forward. But it’s still two years away, and it won’t cover every school.
What should parents do?
This isn’t a reason to panic — but it is a reason to have a conversation.
Talk to your children about what a lockdown means before it happens. Keep it calm and matter-of-fact: it’s a safety drill, like a fire alarm. Find out whether your child’s school has a lockdown plan and whether they’ve practised it. Agree in advance that your child should stay silent during a lockdown and not call or text unless they’re told it’s safe — a ringing phone can create real danger.
And if a lockdown is ever called at your child’s school: don’t go to the gates. It feels instinctive, but it can hinder the emergency response.
Being informed is the most useful thing you can be right now.
Preparing for Lockdown covers practical family preparedness for unexpected events. Browse more articles at preparingforlockdown.co.uk Get The Book – Preparing for Lockdown