Lockdown: A lockdown occurs when staff believe an intruder is in the building. During a lockdown, students remain locked in their classrooms (or another safe location) away from doors and windows. Nobody is allowed to enter or exit the school building until the police provide an all clear.
Lockout: A lockout is used when there is police activity near a school campus. During a lockout, any students outside at PE or recess quickly return to the building. All exterior doors are locked and nobody is allowed to exit the building. Depending on the nature of the police activity, some teachers may move their students to another area of their building. Generally, instruction continues during a lockout.
Soft Lockdown: A soft lockdown occurs to limit student movement within the school building to provide privacy for a student or staff member experiencing a medical emergency. A soft lockdown may also be used when an administrator or the police are searching for an item within the building. During a soft lockdown, students remain in their classrooms but can move throughout the building with supervision. Instruction sometimes continues during a soft lockdown.