When school’s out, spirits are high – and premises are largely empty. Schools are at risk of vandalism, and the sheer size of many campuses, with multiple entrances and exits both to the site and the building, can mean it is difficult to effectively combat. Here are a few tips for keeping school sites secure.
Assess your premises
It’s essential to keep on top of the general state of the school’s grounds. Are walls, fences or gates broken, leading to easier entry? Is something as simple as a tree, drainpipe or bin placement creating an opportunity to climb? It’s also important to understand the areas of the school that are at greatest risk, such as stores of high-value equipment.
Security doors
Steel security doors feature a wide range of features to keep unwanted visitors at bay, such as anti-pick and anti-snap locks, while also remaining safe. While steel doors may not be the best look for those regularly in use by students during school time, coloured finishes and vision windows can make highly secure doors look much more welcoming. At NGF we also provide a range of steel doors for sports halls which are bespoke-built to protect the door from damage from impacts, and feature non-protruding mechanisms to avoid injuries.
Window gates
No school wants to look like a prison, which may lead to an avoidance of security grilles and gates. However, these security features can be essential for ground-floor windows and large double doors – when school is in session, they fold away and can’t be seen, but provide excellent security when no one’s around.
CCTV in schools – yes or no?
Although it’s an excellent tool in deterring – and apprehending – vandals, CCTV is something of a contentious issue in schools, and is often unpopular with parents and staff, let alone with pupils.
There are quite strict requirements when it comes to installing CCTV in a school, as you may expect – the National Education Union has shared some guidance over on their website, and it’s well worth a read.
Internal security
For high-value areas within the school, such as equipment stores or IT rooms, more security may be required – internal roller shutter doors provide a substantial barrier that can be raised and lowered with ease at the beginning and end of each school day, all while folding inconspicuously out of sight.
If you have any questions about security grates or doors for a school property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the NGF team – we’ll be happy to help.
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