School cops flak from parents after lockdown

A Dunedin high school criticised by parents for not keeping them updated about a threat which led to an armed callout says the lockdown meant it could not access its normal communication system.

Police say they are "following positive lines of inquiry" and treating yesterday's incident at Bayfield High School seriously.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police surrounded the school to provide reassurance based on the information available to them.

Armed police yesterday surrounded the Andersons Bay school which was placed in lockdown following a threat sent by email at 8.45am.

Concerned parents gathered outside the police cordons as pupils were kept under lockdown until about 10.30am.

Armed officers were stationed at every entrance to the school and warnings were played over loudspeakers.

Linn Hoffmann, the mother of a year 9 girl at the school, was on her way to work and saw police heading to the school.

She said it did not feel right going to work or going home, so instead she went to the cordon and waited alongside police.

"It’s scary not knowing what is going on".

Another mother, of a year 10 pupil, was waiting tearfully in her car.

She said she had heard from her son through Facebook Messenger.

"It would be nice if the school had notified parents."

Other parents took to the school’s Facebook page to criticise the lack of communication.

Bayfield High School principal Mark Jones said the lockdown meant its administration staff were locked away from their desks, computers and access to its pupil management system.

"Consequently, our main portal for communication was mobile phones.

"We were able to get messages out via Facebook and could monitor what was appearing in the media."

The lockdown coincided with the year 11 NCEA science exam and year 12 chemistry exam.

Mr Jones said there were ongoing discussions with the NZQA during the incident.

"Students were given the option of being able to start their exam late at 10.35am, which would go through to 1.30pm.

"Alternatively, students if they felt that the incident had had an impact on them could apply for a derived grade based on their work during the year."

Afternoon exams went ahead as normal.

A police spokeswoman said they needed to take threats seriously until they had evidence to prove otherwise.

"Officers subsequently confirmed that there was no risk to staff or students."

Some officers remained in the area after the lockdown was over "to provide reassurance to the school and local community".