Why access control for schools is important

Access control is a valuable part of any school’s security strategy, helping you to keep track of who is on the site - and where - at any given time.

An effective access control strategy brings a whole host of benefits to your school, including improving health and safety, preventing theft and anti-social behaviour, and keeping students safe.

Your access points should be:

• Limited in number, to allow school staff to monitor pupil movement patterns and vehicle access
• Located in key areas, such as those around the boundary which experience high traffic and areas where entry needs to be restricted to authorised members of staff
• Separate for pedestrians and vehicle to ensure the safe flow of traffic

Your access control solutions should also meet relevant standards and regulations - this is especially important in the case of vehicular gates. These gates should be inward-opening, of substantial framed construction, and employ galvanised adjustable hinges and fixings mounted behind the attack face to provide the level of security your school site requires. Along with galvanised drop bolts, your vehicular gates need a facility for padlocking and mechanical devices to hold the gate leaves open (in the case of manual gates) or electro-mechanical locking for automated gates.

Automated gates can be an effective access control solution; however, ensure they are CE marked and compliant with EU Directive 2006/42/EC. They should also be installed by Gate Safe Aware installers and maintained regularly for safe, reliable operation. It’s worth noting that since January 2010, eight automated gate accidents involving children have been reported in the UK, two of which were fatalities, demonstrating the importance of gates and fencing which are correctly manufactured and installed.

Learn more about gate automation

Essential gate automation safety information