Are you ready for the introduction of Martyn’s Law?
Is preparing for a lockdown something that’s been on your agenda?
Amongst the range of emergencies schools must be ready for, a potential lock down is something relatively new to many. With increased national focus on counter-terrorism measures and evolving inspection frameworks, a key question is rising to the surface:
Is your school really ready to lock down and if it is, is the alert distinctively different to your fire alarm?
Driven by the proposed Martyn’s Law and backed by Ofsted’s sharpened focus on safeguarding, schools are now expected to take emergency preparedness more seriously than ever, and that includes having a clear, tested lockdown procedure in place.
What is Martyn’s Law?
Martyn’s Law, officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, was introduced in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. The law aims to ensure that publicly accessible venues have plans in place to protect the public from terrorist threats.
While most schools won’t fall under the higher-risk categories of the bill, the principles behind Martyn’s Law, like risk awareness, emergency planning, and rapid response will apply to education settings. In fact, Ofsted is already taking note.
Although Ofsted does not (yet) assess schools against Martyn’s Law directly, it will expect schools to:
The Role of Lockdown Alert Systems
One of the clearest trends emerging from this shift is the adoption of lockdown alert systems. It’s a tool designed to trigger a swift, coordinated response across the school. For this to happen, the sound needs to be distinctive and different to another alarm like the fire alert system. Using the same sound for both can be dangerous — imagine pupils evacuating during a lockdown situation, when the safest thing would be to shelter in place.
A lockdown alert needs to be distinctive, calm, and recognisable, so everyone knows exactly how to respond.
Common features can include:
For Ofsted, the presence of a reliable alert system, and more importantly, evidence that it’s been tested and understood by staff can signal a strong safeguarding culture.
Some systems use PA announcements, others use apps, panic buttons, or integrated tech that links to door locks and CCTV. The most effective schools choose a system that fits their site layout, budget, and staffing model, but you should always prioritise clarity.
What Next for Schools?
Martyn’s Law continues to make its way through Parliament, and its scope could evolve. But whether or not it applies directly to your school, the message is clear:
Be ready. Know your plan. Practise your response.
Ofsted’s safeguarding lens is sharper than ever and being able to demonstrate lockdown readiness is fast becoming an expected part of a school’s leadership and management judgement.
We install The Alertex Wireless Critical Alert System. It’s distinctive and consists of an interconnecting wireless mesh network across a site with flashing beacons and sounders or wireless speakers for security messaging. When one unit is triggered, it will activate all other units on the same site and within range. The Alertex system can be activated by any call-point or key fob within range of any unit, or remotely from a central location using the Alertex web portal and IP bridge.
The system is fully standalone and requires no wires or cabling. Units are battery-powered with a long battery-life up to 2 years.
Make sure you’re prepared for Martyn’s Law.
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