Whanganui's Churton School has been taken out of lockdown, after police searches failed to find a man believed to be carrying a firearm.
A police spokesperson said a member of the public called them to the school just before 1pm.
The Armed Offenders Squad and a large number of police officers went to the scene and put the school into lockdown.
However, no sign of the man had been found, and the cordons had been lifted, the spokesperson said.