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Every school day in Western Australia last year, at least six public schools went into lockdown.
New figures show that the number of school lockdowns more than doubled over an eight-year period with 1,327 lockdowns reported in 2025 compared to 578 in 2017.
Of those, 1,103 lockdowns were as a result of threats to violence compared to 484 in 2017.
During a school lockdown, students will stay inside a classroom with the doors locked, blinds closed and lights turned off. Teachers direct their students where to find a safe space – typically under a desk or on the floor – where they will remain quiet until the lockdown ends.
Planning and Lands minister John Carey said despite the increase in threats to violence numbers, lockdowns could occur for various reasons.
“The advice to me is [there are] a couple of issues. First of all, this does not necessarily relate to violence matters. It can also relate to medical hazards or other incidents where there may be a need for, say, emergency services to come on site,” he said at a press conference on Sunday morning.
“So, it’s not necessarily the case that it is always related to violence in schools. Secondly, it is a precautionary approach taken by schools. And thirdly, there has been, and I’m advised, a more intensive approach by the Department of Education with face-to-face training.
“There has been a manual introduced about how to use this. And so there has been an increased use of lockdowns. But as you would be aware, our government takes antisocial behaviour and violence in schools very seriously.”
Carey said the state government has also “empowered principals” to automatically suspend or exclude students immediately if there are threats of violence risks.
“We want our schools to be safe, and we have strengthened our principals in relation to the powers they have, including immediate suspension,” he said.
“We never want to see violence. It is completely and absolutely unacceptable.”
Shadow education minister Liam Staltari said the figures should concern every parent, teacher and school community.
“These figures show the number of serious incidents forcing schools into lockdown has risen dramatically,” he said.
“A lockdown is not a routine response. It is an emergency measure used when a school believes students or staff may be at risk.
“The education minister needs to explain why lockdowns have more than doubled since 2017, and why more than 1,100 were triggered by threats of violence, such as physical assault and threatening behaviour, in just one year.”
Staltari said a firm approach backed by meaningful intervention and diversion programs is needed for disengaged students before their behaviour escalates.
“Students and staff deserve to feel safe at school. These figures, alongside rising teacher resignations and mounting concerns about violence, stress and burnout, are further evidence of the enormous pressure facing WA’s public school system,” he said.
The Department of Education launched an Incident Management Manual in 2020 which aims to manage incidents to reduce the likelihood of occurrence; minimise the impact on students, staff and site activities; and facilitate the return of the site to normal operations as soon as possible.
Education minister Sabine Winton said since its rollout, the department has seen an increase in schools reporting lockdowns.
“Any incident that prompts a school to go into a lockdown as a precautionary measure is taken seriously, and the safety of students and staff will always come first,” Winton said.
“Not every lockdown is related to threats of violence, but where there is a perceived safety risk, it is important schools have the tools and procedures they need to act decisively until it is determined there is no threat.
“Threats of violence at school, or anywhere in the community, are unacceptable.”
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