A secondary school in Liverpool was plunged into a sudden lockdown on Monday afternoon after receiving a threatening email, forcing pupils to remain inside beyond the end of the school day.
Parents Receive 'Worst Nightmare' Texts
Parents and guardians of students at Holly Lodge Girl's College received alarming text messages from the school just before 3pm on Monday, January 19. The texts confirmed the school had initiated a lockdown procedure while investigating an incident on site.
One message read: "Please be aware, the school has been placed in lockdown whilst we investigate an incident on site." It went on to state that this meant their daughters would be kept in school after the normal end of the day until staff were sure it was safe for them to leave.
Police Investigation and Calm Response
The school took the decisive action at 2:55pm after becoming aware of what headteacher Andy Keen later described as a "non-specific threat" delivered via email. Following immediate advice from Merseyside Police, the leadership team instructed that students stay in their classrooms with their teachers.
In a letter sent to parents after the incident, Mr Keen praised the conduct of both students and staff. "As we would expect, our students conducted themselves impeccably and were calm and sensible throughout. We are very proud of them and we are proud of the way our staff looked after them," he wrote.
All-Clear Given and Students Sent Home
The lockdown lasted for approximately half an hour. By 3:25pm, a further text was sent to parents confirming that the police had established there was no danger and it was safe for students to be dismissed and go home as usual.
Mr Keen emphasised that the school's leadership team followed all police advice meticulously. "Once the police had established that there was no danger and our students were safe, we were able to allow them to go home," his letter concluded. The swift response underscored the school's commitment to its stringent safeguarding and emergency protocols.
