Alright, so I guess I simply never gave them much attention and assumed they were the same. I have heard that severe lockdowns are the real deal, whereas soft lockdowns are only drills.
We define a hard lockdown as occurring when there is a threat to anyone on campus. If that’s the case, we close the doors, switch off the lights, cease instruction, avoid the windows, and keep quiet. A shelter-in-place, or soft lockdown, operates differently. Although there isn’t a direct threat, pupils shouldn’t be outside. Everyone remains in the classroom as the instruction continues. This has happened to us several times as a result of police activities in the area. Other possible causes include a swarm of bees or a broken power line near a route that kids take to get home. Although pupils are kept inside for safety, there is no need for them to hide.
For us, the question is whether something is going on on campus or if there is a disturbance nearby.
Same, a soft lockdown means staying in our current classrooms without recess or switching classes. A hard lockdown, on the other hand, means there is an active threat to the students, so we must stop teaching and carry out the full lockdown drill.
There have been occasions when a student needed medical attention in the corridor while class was in session. We don’t want other children to see it when they change classes or go to the loo. The classroom remains open during a soft lockdown, but no one is allowed to leave. During a severe lockdown, all lights are out, people are kept away from the door, and quiet is enforced.