Security solutions are key in Education as you are caring for the younger generation. When you install the right security solution, it goes a long way to help ensure the feeling of safety because with the right features, you can identify incidents as they are happening, send notification and restrict access to authorised people whilst protecting the site as a whole and deterring any opportunists.
A good security system should:
Notify you of any breaches – Record evidence of unsolicited activities – Allow quick access to the footage – Restrict access to authorised persons
Discover more about your Security options for your School, College or University
CCTV in Schools, Colleges and Universities
IP CCTV systems are the new standard as they convert video footage and images that they capture into data, which is then transmitted to either a central PC held within the office or to any location of your choosing.
It enables your school, college or university the flexibility and speed in which to retrieve any footage whilst retaining high-quality visuals, making it a cost-effective solution.
IP CCTV systems we install all have the following;
- Mobile app – You may not always be on site, so you may need to be able to access your CCTV footage, remotely. You are able to view your CCTV footage live or in playback mode. All of the systems we install have a mobile app in which you are able to view, live what is occurring on your site(s).
- Analytics / Notifications – You will be able to analyse how many visitors you have to your site; identifying busy times that you may need to accommodate e.g. extra security
- Smart Search – You are able to “draw a line” around a certain area and watch the activity for that specific area. It enables quick searching for any incidents; health and safety issues, break-ins, criminal damage or even bullying. For instance, if you have a break-in and you identify the entry point, you can then select the area on the camera where the door/window is, select a time-frame and it will highlight ‘events’ which will show you when that entry point was accessed. You will then have the evidence needed to send on to the police and it takes roughly 15 minutes.
The best type of IP CCTV system for a school, college or university depends on a variety of factors, so please get in touch for a free security site audit.
Intruder Alarms in Schools, Colleges and Universities
You are likely to have a fair bit of equipment on site, if thieves get in and steal it, how much would that cost you? Would you have the budget to replace it? How would that impact your students, their projects and their grades?
When you start to look at it from that angle, it’s well worth putting in an Intruder detection system.
The best type of Intruder Alarm for a School, College or University
There are three main types of intruder alarms:
- Bells only Intruder Alarm will go off and it will make a lot of noise but it will not notify you. You are relying on sound to deter the burglar from acting any further.
- Dialler Intruder Alarm when activated will automatically call a pre-specified phone number. You can choose anyone; perhaps an out-of-hours point of contact or you directly.
- Smart Intruder Alarm, like the Dialler intruder alarm, it will contact you, or other specified contacts via your app.
A Dialler intruder alarm is the best option for your school, college, or university as it will notify your security company and key holders of an intrusion. Ensure that your intruder alarm has the following features:
- Motion detectors – detect movement within the area it can monitor
- Shock sensors – for any entry via windows
- Alarm – which alerts through sound and lights
- Panic buttons – if you are within the building and notice a break-in you can act on it
- App – this is ideal for keyholders and managers within the organisation who want to keep an eye on the site when they are not present.
Best Access Control systems for Schools, Colleges and Universities
By controlling the flow of access to certain areas reduces the risk of an unauthorised person attempting to access any sensitive information, vulnerable student or valuable assets that your school, college or university needs to protect. You can do this by implementing an access control system.
Pin Code
A device is attached which is programmed with a PIN code which your staff memorise and it will only allow them to areas where they are permitted entry. A device could be programmed so each individual has their own PIN code rather than a universal code.
In Schools, Colleges and Universities, they tend to use PIN code access control on storage cupboards with a reasonable value of goods inside, entrance to staff-only areas or places where they store personal information.
It’s more cost-effective than the pass or fob but it does rely on people’s memory. One of the other flaws is that people can easily share their code.
Access Pass or Fob
Similar to the PIN Code access control, except the device associated with it is programmed to accept a pass or fob. It allows quick access but can be programmed so it still restricts access to certain locations for different individuals however the physical pass can be standardised so that everyone’s pass looks the same.
Like PIN Code access control, access passes and fobs are used in Schools, Colleges and Universities when they want to manage access to storage cupboards with a reasonable value of goods inside, entrance to staff-only areas or places where they store personal information. They are also used by students to only allow them access to buildings they are permitted entry or the car park.
A couple of flaws of the access pass are that they are used continuously so they can be subject to wear and tear and they can be cloned, lost, stolen or shared.
Intercom
The video intercom is building in popularity to add an extra layer of protection to a school, college or university because you are able to identify the person, visually without having to open the door. These are commonly used at reception areas in schools, colleges and universities.
Fingerprint
Fingerprints are truly unique as no two fingerprints are the same. A fingerprint scanner is a small device with a finger shaped indent where you place your finger to be scanned before being permitted entry.
They are used in colleges and universities in place of access passes/fobs for staff and students.
Fire Alarms in Schools, Colleges and Universities
UK Fire Alarm regulations don’t specify the exact type of fire alarm you should have, it should just be ‘appropriate’ for your school, college or university.
With that in mind, there are three main types of fire alarms:
- Conventional Fire Alarms work on zones, so it divides your business area into different areas. When a fire happens, the fire alarm panel will show you the zone but not the exact location.
- Addressable Fire Alarm tells you exactly where the fire is, whether there is smoke, heat or even if there is a fault. Each device has its own unique electronic address which then displays on the fire alarm panel. These Fire Alarms can be integrated to activate a selection of fire safety features such as shutting down equipment or deactivating elevators.
- Wireless Fire Alarms operate like the addressable fire alarm system, just without the wires. It uses a wireless link between the fire alarm control panel and its sensors. Wireless Fire Alarms are quicker to install and provide just as much protection as wired fire alarm systems; they tend to be used in historical buildings.
A School, College and University would need an addressable fire alarm so that each device can be addressed with a location so you can go straight to the area where there is an issue. A wireless fire alarm is a suitable option, too but it’s mainly if you don’t want a lot of cabling used or in a historical building.
Security Barriers for Schools, Colleges and Universities
When Schools, Colleges and Universities look at site security, they tend to think about the physical building’s security rather than the overall site. The security that you put in place should make it difficult for opportunists to access as much of your site as possible, putting every obstacle in their way so they deem it too risky to attempt a break-in.
There is no hard and fast rule to security gates for the education sector as it tends to depend on the size of the site and the entrance points. Universities tend to be larger sites so tend to adopt more security measures than smaller sites. Below are the typical security barriers chosen by Schools, Colleges and Universities.
These are the types of security gates and barriers that are used in schools, colleges and universities:
Drop Arm Barrier
Schools, colleges, and universities typically have a drop arm barrier at the entrance to any separate car parks. They are also usually automated when integrated with access control. The barrier arm is down until access is granted and then it is automatically raised.
Traffic Control Spikes
Traffic spikes control traffic by only allowing entrance via one direction. Should someone drive the wrong way across the traffic spikes, the spikes will pierce and deflate the tyres.
When driving in the correct direction, the traffic spikes simply retract. Traffic spikes are for direction control and anti-theft control, rather than final denial access. These are more common in universities, specifically in the car park areas or roads around the campus to help reduce the chance of an accident.
Palisade Fencing
Palisade fencing protects the boundaries of your school's site whilst maintaining a view of whether access is being attempted. Schools, colleges, and universities aren’t always a regular shaped area and with palisade fencing, it doesn’t matter if it’s regular in shape or not.
Palisade fencing acts naturally as a deterrent because of the height, lack of footholds to climb, and the points at the top. It is easy to maintain and extremely durable; long life span and can be protected from rusting.
Palisade fencing can also be used in conjunction with other technology such as an intruder alarm and line beam detection technology.
Bollards
Bollards are useful for traffic management, pedestrian safety, and preventing accidental and intentional damage to a building. On school, colleges, and university sites they are mainly useful around drop-off points and near key entrances such as reception.
There are a variety of different types from collapsible, fixed, and temporary bollards yet they all offer protection from low- and high-speed crashes.
Helpful Blogs:
Top 10 security measures that all schools should take
Why is Access Control in Education Facilities Important?
CCTV: How quickly should you be able to access your CCTV recordings?