A student is locked out. How do I let them back in?
Why secure mode locked a student out, how to readmit them, and how to limit it happening again.
In a secure mode task, a student who leaves the task, or leaves full screen, is locked out. Their work is kept, but they can’t carry on until you let them back in. It takes one click from your task page.
Let a student back in
On your task page, the student’s status shows Locked, with a Readmit button on their row. You also see a “Student locked out” message when it happens.
Click Readmit. The dialog shows what locked them out, how many times it has happened on this task, and when.
Click Readmit in the dialog.
The student’s screen changes by itself to “You’ve been readmitted”, or “Your teacher has readmitted you” in a draft. They click Resume (or Resume task), which takes them back into full screen. Their work is kept. If they hadn’t answered the last question, it is swapped for a new one, except in Draft Mode.
In a Defence Mode task, if the tutor had asked a question the student hadn’t answered yet, they come back to a different question. That stops a student leaving to look up an answer.
Several students at once
Tick the students and click Readmit students in the bar that appears. This lets them all back in without opening a dialog for each one. If any of them were stopped for a wellbeing concern, you’re asked to confirm you’ve checked in with them first.
At the end of the lesson
If any students are locked out when you click End-of-lesson instructions, the dialog has a switch such as Readmit 2 locked-out students. Turn it on to let them back in to submit before they go.
Why students get locked out
Secure mode locks a student out when they:
switch to another tab or app, or minimise the window;
click into another window, or something else takes focus, such as a notification or pop-up;
leave full screen, including by pressing Esc or F11;
go back or forward, for example with the Back button, a mouse’s back button or a trackpad swipe;
reload the page;
move the pointer outside the window for more than 5 seconds, on Safari or Firefox;
open a panel that changes the shape of the window, such as developer tools or a browser side panel;
have text appear faster than anyone could type it, or use a browser controlled by automation software.
For the first 3 seconds after a student enters full screen, switching or losing focus doesn’t lock them out. If they are still away when those 3 seconds end, they are locked out. Leaving full screen locks them out at any time.
Copying, pasting and keyboard shortcuts are blocked in secure mode, but they don’t lock a student out. They are recorded in the student’s activity log.
Secure mode applies to tasks with secure mode turned on, to Independent Writing drafts, and to the mini defence at the end of a Scaffolded Writing draft.
Stop it happening again
If the same thing keeps locking out one student, for example Esc presses or a pointer that drifts off the window, you can stop it for them. In the Readmit dialog, turn on the switch that names it, for example Stop Escape locking Amira out of this task, then click Readmit.
It only applies to that student, on that task. Everyone else, and that student on other tasks, is unaffected.
It is still recorded in the student’s activity log, and every other trigger still locks them out.
It is offered for switching tabs, focus loss, leaving full screen, Esc, a change in the window’s shape, and the pointer leaving the window. It isn’t offered for going back, reloading, fast typing or automation.
To undo it, click Overrides on the student’s row and choose Undo, or choose Restore full secure mode from the … menu on their row.
For setting up a class so lockouts don’t happen in the first place, see Tips to avoid students being locked out.
Wellbeing stops are different
A student stopped for a wellbeing concern also shows as Locked, but they see a support screen, not the lock screen. Check in with them before you let them continue. See A student was stopped for a wellbeing concern.
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