Similar experience in the UK. I'd never even heard of a "lockdown" until I read about them on the American internet. Though apparrently they do exist here now.

Similar experience in the UK. I'd never even heard of a "lockdown" until I read about them on the American internet. Though apparrently they do exist here now. Our gates were also usually wide open, and you could then enter the building by numerous doors (apparently there was no gate or fence at all until a few years before I started). And definitely no security personnel There is of course the notable exception of the Dunblane massacre in 1996, which effectively lead to a ban on handguns. AFAIK we haven't had any school shootings since then