Emergency Procedures

Emergency Procedures at Inverkip Primary & Nursery

At Inverkip Primary & Nursery, the safety and wellbeing of our pupils, staff and families is always our highest priority. Our emergency procedures are designed to ensure a calm, coordinated response to any incident while keeping families fully informed as soon as it is safe and practicable to do so.

Evacuation Procedures

If the school or nursery needs to be evacuated, pupils and staff will move safely to one of our designated evacuation locations:

  • Primary Evacuation Point: The Inverkip Hub (Inverkip Community Centre)
  • Secondary Location (if required): Inverkip Parish Church Hall

These sites are approved as evacuation premises for short-term relocation and ensure pupils can be safely supervised away from the school site

Lockdown Procedures

In situations where it is safer to keep pupils inside the building, we may activate a partial or full lockdown:

  • A partial lockdown keeps everyone inside with external doors secured.
  • A full lockdown is used when there is an immediate threat and rooms must be secured and appear empty.

Staff are trained to follow the procedures outlined in our Emergency Management Procedure, including the use of internal alert codes.

During any lockdown, pupils will not be released until emergency services or the Senior Leadership Team declare it safe.

Communication with Parents & Carers

During an emergency, we will contact parents as soon as it is practical and safe to do so. Parents will be given clear information to help them understand the situation and what to expect next. To support a calm and safe response, we kindly ask that parents:

  • Do not phone the school, as this may block essential communication with emergency services.
  • Do not come to the school unless specifically instructed, as this can hinder emergency access and place others at risk.
  • Wait for instructions about when and where it is safe to collect children.

Updates will be issued through our usual channels once the situation allows.

School Closure and Disruption (Heating, Water, Power or Weather)

In some cases, the school may need to close or partially close due to an unexpected loss of heating, water supply, or power or due to adverse weather conditions. These situations are covered within our Business Continuity Plan and may affect our ability to operate safely.

In the event of severe weather, decisions take into account:

  • Road and pavement safety for children and families
  • Staff ability to travel safely (many staff commute from outwith Inverclyde)
  • Conditions around the school site and access points

Parents should always check official channels before sending children to school or nursery during severe weather.
Please monitor:

  • Inverclyde Council Website – for local authority updates on school closures
  • Inverkip Primary Twitter/X Account – for real-time school-specific information

If the school must close, early notifications will be issued through our school messaging email system and social media.