How Can Schools Enhance Their Physical Security Ahead Of The New School Year?

Security is now of paramount importance in any public place, but there is nowhere that this should be a higher priority than in our schools. It is vital that schools are in full control of who is able to access their site at any time of the day or night, and so they need to put a variety of physical security measures in place in order to achieve this.

As another school year draws to a close, we look at what security measures your school could put in place now to get you ready for the new term in September. To explain further, Newgate who offer security access solutions to schools across the UK share their insight.

Security Gates

The entrance to your school site is the easiest and most obvious point of entry, so you need to make sure that this is secure, and that you are able to control exactly who can come and go through it. It is therefore vital to ensure that there are automatic security gates in place for your school that are robust, safe and easy to use.

There are swing and sliding gates available which can be determined by the amount of space and clearance that you have available on your site. The gates can be operated from the school office or through an access control system, meaning that only authorised personnel are able to come through them.

These gates should be built to your specific requirements, and many come with added options including capping, rotor spikes, barbed wire, audible alarms and flashing beacons to ensure that they are always used safely and that no-one tries to gain unauthorised access to the school.

Barriers

Barriers can also be put in place at the entrance to a school to control what vehicles are allowed through. Rising arm traffic barriers can lift to allow traffic onto the site, whilst swing barriers will open back and forth, and these can be automatic or manual operations. It can also be possible to install height restriction barriers, which can prevent larger vehicles from accessing the school.

Access control

Access control systems can be very effective at controlling who has access to a school site, especially in a busy area. This can come in a number of different forms, but essentially ensures that only those who are authorised are able to open the gates.

This can be done through a code which needs to be entered into a keypad, or by issuing a card or fob to authorised personnel. It is also possible to install ANPR cameras, which are capable of reading the number plate of a vehicle, and only opening the gate or barrier if it is on an approved list.

Access control not only allows you to control who is allowed on the site, but it can also prove useful in logging the times at which different vehicles came and went, should you ever need to track this or supply it to the authorities.

CCTV

CCTV is everywhere these days, and it is very effective when it comes to keeping us safe, which is why more and more schools are making use of it. Security cameras can be positioned outside of a school to allow staff to monitor who is outside and who might be trying to access the site, allowing them to react accordingly. This can help to minimise break ins, theft and vandalism, which can prove very costly when dealing with tight school budgets.

As schools are now such big places, CCTV can also help staff who are already stretched to keep an eye on the safety of the pupils in multiple different areas at once.

They can monitor activities in playgrounds, car parks and corridors with ease, ensuring that help can be sent to the right areas at the right times. This enables a school to clamp down on incidents of bullying and harassment, but also other unwanted behaviour such as substance dealing or misuse.

A CCTV camera can ensure that people are not just caught in the act and stopped, but the footage can also be saved and used as evidence for parents or the police.

Perimeter fencing

These days, schools can be huge, sprawling sites, and it is therefore impossible to monitor the whole of the perimeter.

In order to prevent this from providing a way onto the site for those wishing to cause harm, it is important to have strong and reliable perimeter fencing in place. This can cover the whole perimeter of the site at a height that can be difficult to breach.

Most fencing will also come with features that ensure it is almost impossible to cut through or climb so that those looking to cause trouble cannot gain entry, and pupils are not able to leave the site unless authorised to do so through the proper channels.

Turnstiles

You might have seen turnstiles at football grounds or concert venues, as they can be very effective in managing a large number of people who are all trying to get into the same place, which is why they are now being used in schools too.

They can help to control the flow of traffic in the school premises, therefore avoiding overcrowding or crushes in doorways and corridors.

Retractable bollards

Retractable bollards can help to prevent damage and provide a clear separation between footpaths and roads or car parks.

These bollards provide a solid and robust protection against unwanted vehicles, and they can be particularly useful where it may not be possible to dig the necessary foundations for heavy duty security options. As they are retractable, they can be removed in order to allow authorised personnel or emergency vehicles through onto the site.

Putting the right security in place for a school can be a huge challenge, but it is one that schools of all sizes and levels now need to consider.

These security measures can help you to prioritise the safety of the children and staff on your site, and can also guard against vandalism and thefts, to ensure that your school is a safer and happier place for everyone.