Schools to start carrying out 'lockdown drills'

Schools in Wales will be carrying out various drills including what to do in a lockdown procedure which some pupils may find “unsettling”, education bosses have confirmed.

A letter has been sent to parents and carers in Carmarthenshire outlining the council’s “ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all pupils” in primary and secondary schools. The council has stressed that the drills to be carried out are “designed to test and refine our emergency procedures and strategies” and are “standard practice and an essential part of ongoing efforts to keep everyone in school communities safe”.

The letter has been sent just over a month after one of Carmarthenshire’s biggest schools - Ysgol Bro Myrddin in Carmarthen - was placed into a full lockdown after reports that threats were made against a pupil. Following the incident a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and released on bail.

Fourteen months earlier, in October 2024, the same school went into lockdown mode due to a similar incident. 

Meanwhile, in October 2025, Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford was placed into lockdown as a “precautionary measure due to a potential offsite threat”, with police later confirming that a 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill.

That incident came less than 18 months after Ysgol Dyffryn Aman was the scene of a stabbing. On April 24, 2024, a 15-year-old girl, who can not be named for legal reasons, stabbed two teachers and a pupil and was later sentenced to 15 years' detention.

The procedures to be carried out in schools are not just related to lockdowns, but will also include fire drills, preparation for gas leaks, and “other relevant safety exercises”. Whether pupils will be directly involved in any of these drills will be down to individual schools across the county.

The letter sent to parents and carers, written by Aneirin Thomas, Carmarthenshire Council’s head of education services, says: “The safety of your children is our highest priority and we have robust and proven procedures in place to respond swiftly and effectively to any emergencies that may arise.

“As part of our commitment to maintaining these high standards, our schools will be conducting a series of well-prepared and carefully planned exercises throughout the year.

“We understand that some children may find such drills unsettling. Please be assured that schools will approach these exercises with sensitivity and will do everything possible to minimise any stress or anxiety for pupils.

"Each school will determine how to approach these exercises, including deciding when and how to explain the purpose of each drill to pupils and how to provide reassurance before, during, and after the event.

“It is important for all parents and carers to understand that these exercises are not cause for alarm. There is absolutely no need to be concerned or to contact the school during these drills.

"They are simply a precautionary measure to ensure that everyone is prepared and that our procedures are effective in safeguarding your children.

“Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding as we work together to maintain the safest possible environment in our schools.

"Should you have any general questions about our emergency procedures, please feel free to contact your child’s school at a convenient time - but there will be no need for any action from parents and carers during the drills themselves."