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School, Security, A&R Security Services, Security Measures

How to improve your school’s security

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Within today’s society there are people out there looking to damage, vandalise or even destroy school property. With increased incidents regarding these types of anti-social behaviour, it is important that schools keep their pupils, staff and property safe.

The highest threat that schools face is criminals breaking down or jumping fences to damage school property or even harm pupils. Creating a safe place for children should be a high priority for schools and so should look at ways to improve their current security measures.

To improve your school’s security there are numerous ways of implementing effective security measures. To help protect your school here are some effective measures that we provide:

Key Holding and Alarm Response:

Many schools will have their own caretake to open and close their school and respond to any alarm alerts during unsociable hours. Outsourcing your keyholding and alarm response services will ensure that someone is guaranteed to check that all areas of your school is secure during the evening and quickly respond and report and alarm alerts.

Access control:

Schools will have a reception area that is often closed off to the rest of the school. However, some schools don’t have this and often see criminals walk into a school without the need for permission. Manned guards can be stationed in reception areas, asking visitors to sign in and out when visiting and who they are there to see.

Patrols:

Night-time is usually when criminals will strike a school. Having mobile patrols walk around your school can ensure that all areas of your school is secure and can check for any signs of disturbance. They can also be an effective deterrent by conducting regular or irregular patrols around your schools, making them less predictable and potentially putting criminals off.

Having these security measures in place is mainly to protect and keep pupils safe from harm. There are many laws surrounding security for schools, so it’s important that they get their measures exact. However, there are problems that can arise, such as:

  • Before, during and after school, pupils can roam across school premises meaning that there are opportunities for unauthorised personnel to get into your school and steal assets.
  • With technology becoming a regular site within schools, many have restricted access online. However, there are criminals that are able to ‘Break in’ and steal valuable information, causing damage to your school.
  • Assets such as computers, laptops, monitors, tablets and projectors are the most valuable within a school and present criminals with a tempting target. To ensure that they are safe, lock them away within secure cupboards or have anti-theft cables and locks if they cannot be moved.
  • Fire alarms are a very easy way to cause a distraction to steal or cause large amounts of damage to a school.

If you are wanting to improve your school’s security through the use of professional security services then take a look at our website or give us a call on 01656 713950

Trealaw Primary School, Keyholding and alarm response, keyholding, alarm response, Security Services

Trealaw Primary School – Keyholding and alarm response Case Study

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With schools becoming increasing targets for theft and vandalism, it is important for them to be vigilant and have the right security measures in place such keyholding services and alarm response.

So, when an alarm is sounded, it important to have a security provider that can quickly respond and deal with the situation (even if it’s a false alarm).

One school in Rhondda Cynon Taff were having their keyholding services provided by the local authority. Although Trealaw Primary was being provided with keyholding and alarm response services from the local authority, they wanted to see if they could find a security provider that could provide them with an even better service.

As Trealaw primary school were already being provided professional cleaning services from our sister company A&R Cleaning Services, they approached A&R Security Services for a quotation and to find out what other services we provided.

They found our security services to be competitive, but Trealaw Primary also loved the incident reports that they would receive and having the ability to access the client part of our systems.

Within the first week of us taking over the keyholding services, the alarm was sounded, and we attended the site within 30 minutes to find that a pigeon had gotten into the school and had set off the security alarm.

We were able to safely remove the pigeon from the building and provide the school with a full incident report and secured the window in which the pigeon had gotten in. After the incident, Trealaw primary were very impressed with our response time and how we dealt with the incident and look forward to working with us going forward in both cleaning and security.

To find out more about our professional Keyholding and alarm response services take a look at our website or to arrange a free quotation call us on 01656 713950

 

School Security, Security, A&R Security Services, Summer Holidays, ARSS

Do you have school security for the summer holidays?

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Summer has arrived and school is nearly out! However, there are some people out there that ruin your summer plans, risking personal safety and property loss.

School summer holiday security should be on the top of the list for teachers and parents. According to statistics, the highest percentage of burglaries, thefts and vandalism occur during the summer holidays.

With technology becoming an integral part of teaching, property such as tablets, laptops/computers, projectors and smart boards can become potential targets for theft.  Tablets and laptops are the easiest of targets to steal as they can be easily taken and concealed within bags and jackets. Tablets and laptops are often protected with passcodes and encryption which can dissuade most criminals but there are more persistent criminals that are able to crack encryptions and quickly sell them on, becoming untraceable by the school or police authorities.

When securing tech such as tablets and laptops, it’s good practice to store them out of sight inside secure cupboards that have either a key lock or passcode system, with the cupboard being securely fixed to the floor.

Without completely dismantling a computer apart, it can be difficult to put them out of sight or in a secure location. Securing computer monitors and towers with anti-theft cables and locks to the desk can prevent thieves from quickly grabbing them and making a quick getaway. Projectors can be secured in a very similar way, where they are secured with anti-theft cables and locks to their cradle.

So that’s the tech secured, what about the rest of the school?

CCTV

Installing CCTV in inconspicuous areas and near access points allow you to monitor any activity in different areas of your school premises.  CCTV is an effective way of visually monitoring any suspicious activity which you can immediately respond to. If you do have a break-in, CCTV can be watched back allowing you to identify any perpetrators that have entered your premises and have stolen or damaged property. It can also be used as evidence in legal cases such as convictions for theft or vandalism.

Security Lighting

Criminals often look for access points or areas of a premises that aren’t well lit so installing motion-activated security lighting outside can help deter criminals. Using security lighting is not only effective at lighting certain areas(when triggered by movement) they can activate and make a trespasser feel like they have been caught in the act but also feel exposed, effectively deterring them from accessing your school further. Security lights are also good to use alongside CCTV camera’s to clearly identify any criminals on your school premises.

Alarm System

Installing an alarm system is seen as the most basic of security measures but they are the most effective. Whenever a security alarm is triggered, it can alert the right people to respond. Alarm systems come in a range of systems so it is important to find the right one that would be effective at protecting your school from criminals.

Manned and Mobile guarding

Looking to have manned or mobile security can be a bit of a drastic security strategy plan but it can effectively send a message to any criminals that your school is professionally protected. Having professional security guards that are SIA licensed can guard certain areas or patrol the school premises and look out for any suspicious activity, detaining anyone who is entering your schools’ premises without permission. Security guards can also monitor CCTV and alarm systems, responding to any activity in your school premises.  If your school is having work carried out over the summer holidays, security guards can check anyone coming in and be a point of contact if anything were to happen.

Internal Security Door Systems

If you’re worried about unauthorised personnel entering your school during building work or holiday clubs, you can employ security guards to monitor activity in and out of the school or you can employ internal door security systems. Having internal security door systems such as a passcode or key card/fob system gives you the ability to track who is coming in and out of the building at what time. It can also prevent anyone who is not staff from entering your school or certain areas inside. Use of the incorrect passcode/key card/ fob can deny access to the school but if used too many times, can alert the right authorities that someone is trying to gain access to an area that is restricted.

If you are considering upping your school’s security for the summer holidays, then get in touch with A&R Security Services. We at A&R Security Services know the importance of protecting your property and can offer a range of services including:

Manned Guarding

Mobile Patrol

Alarm installation

Secure key holding and alarm monitoring

If you would like to know more about these services or would like a quote, then get in touch with us on 01656 713950 or visit our website.