The Department for Education has issued guidance on when schools should go into lockdown after threatening emails were sent to schools in several regions of the country.
Schools in Manchester, Cheshire and West Yorkshire went into lockdown last month after receiving malicious emails.
In an email to school leaders today, the DfE said: “The police have said these incidents are malicious communications and there has not yet been a credible threat.
“We recognise that threats of this nature are very upsetting and can be disruptive to the calm learning environments you strive to create.”
In the email, the DfE said schools are not advised to lockdown unless police advise it or there is an immediate physical threat on site. Schools are instead advised to alert the police immediately, as well as the local authority.
West Yorkshire Police announced they had made an arrest in September after an email was sent to a number of schools in Leeds and Bradford. The person was released without charge.
Greater Manchester Police also issued a statement saying the “malicious communications” were being investigated.
The DfE has reminded schools that they should have emergency plans in place, which should be generic enough to cover a range of incidents, including online or cybersecurity attacks.
The Ruth Gorse Academy in Leeds issued a letter after reports of lockdowns in the city. The school did not go into lockdown or receive a “direct threat to the school”, but did have additional police present at home time on the day.
Leeds City Council and Bradford Council told the BBC they were working with affected schools and police.
