School safety and security best practice

From the fencing around its perimeter to the main entrance gates, a visitor gets a clear impression of a schools' commitment to safety and security well before entering its grounds.

From the fencing around its perimeter to the mainentrance gates, a visitor gets a clear impression of aschools' commitment to safety and security well beforeentering its grounds.

In addition to defining its boundary and making avisual distinction between public and private property,the fencing and gates that surround and secure aschool will typically meet a wide variety of otherimportant criteria - from preventing unauthorised entryto the grounds, protecting pupils, staff and visitors fromaccidents and injury, deterring theft, anti-socialbehaviour and reducing the risk of malicious damage.

The type and condition of the fencing and gates alongwith its aesthetics also project the image of the schooland its values to students, staff, visitors and itscommunity.

Matching your boundary protection to the risksyou face

In some cases, such as areas with higher crime levels orwhere local circumstances dictate, there may be a needfor perimeter fencing and gates which offer a higherlevel of security.

Secured by Design provide an excellent overview andguidance in their Schools guidance document andinteractive guide on securing a school against acomprehensive range of risks including where highersecurity boundary protection is required. We aredelighted to have made a contribution to theirguidance on timber and steel fencing and gates andthoroughly commend its initiative.

But don’t be too concerned, there’s no need to projecta fortress like image as there are fencing and gateoptions which are Secured by Design approved andLPS1175 certified which can be ‘dressed’ to look lessimposing and even of architectural merit beyond theirpurpose.

www.jacksons-security.co.uk

The starting point:

It’s relatively quick, easy and inexpensive to change thewall colours, light fittings or furniture in a school, butyour choice of boundary protection and access pointsare a more permanent fixture of your site, so whetherrenewing, refurbishing or building from new, the fence,entrance gates and access control should be carefullyconsidered in order to provide a realistic andappropriate level of physical security, commensuratewith the risks it could face while either making a bolddesign statement in its own right or blending into itsenvironment.It’s the first thing pupils, staff and visitors see and thelast thing you’ll want to replace.

Fitness for purpose, low maintenance, sustainabilityand image projection are the basic requirements youshould look for.

Security Audit

The starting point in designing a perimeter is always tocarry out a security audit which will take a number ofsite specific factors into consideration.

It is really important for the bulk of the audit to takeplace walking around the site and viewing it from anintruders’ perspective rather than looking at it througha window from a desk; after all, in most cases, theprimary function of your boundary protection will be toprevent unauthorised access to the school grounds.

You will find it useful to take photographs and makenotes and drawings to remind you of the layout of thesite, its access points and the position of existingbuildings, structures, elevated ground, trees etc whichwill help in informing your selection of the rightcombination of fencing and gates to meet your needs.

General guidelines:

It is preferable that the perimeter fencing allows clearviews over the buildings and grounds from surroundingland and buildings to deter unauthorised entry and exitfrom the school, bullying and anti-social behaviour.

In some cases there might be a requirement to shieldstudents from unwanted attention from outside theboundary or control the projection of noise into or fromthe school; these areas need to be identified as part ofthe risk assessment.

The height of the fence will ultimately be determinedby your needs, your site, local circumstances, thefunction of the fencing required and the risk you aremanaging.

Demarcation and controlling the flow of people andvehicles:

- Steel or timber fencing of between 1.2m and 1.6m in height.

- Security: Steel or timber fencing of between 1.8m and 2.4m in height.

- Whether of timber or steel construction, pales should be securely fixed to the frame/rails.

- Ensure all fixings employed in the panel or pale to rail construction are either welded or of galvanized steel or stainless steel with a design life to match the fence or gate.

Fencing and gates for schools with lower andstandard risks:

Fence panels of a pale/slat design in timber or steelshould be oriented vertically to avoid step-up points forclimbing and able to resist being pried off/away. If oftimber construction, pales should be no less than25mm thick or in the case of steel, a wall thickness ofno less than 1.5mm. Whether of timber or steelconstruction, pales should be securely fixed to theframe/rails.

Fence panels of welded mesh design should featuresmall gaps between the horizontal and vertical meshstrands to resist climbing. The method of fixingbetween the panel and rails and posts should create asecure mechanical bond so that panels/slats cannot beeasily removed and in addition should provide a linkingeffect where each panel and post acts with the next toresist attack by pushing and pulling.

Ensure all fixings employed in the panel or pale to railconstruction are either welded or of galvanized steel orstainless steel with a design life to match the fence orgate.

Fence heights should be a minimum of 1.8m overalland be capable of raking or stepping to maintain itsheight over different ground levels without resulting ingaps underneath.

The tops of timber fences should finish flush with theirneighbouring posts and a securely fixed capping railemployed to run across the fence and posts to affect acontinuous chain.

The tops/top rail/capping of fencing and gates shouldbe of a design able to accommodate a security toppingwhere necessary to deter attempts to scale over intothe school grounds.

Posts should allow the construction of an unbrokenpanel to post chain and be of a non-brittle material.The dimensions of the timber or steel post should bematched not only to the fence height and type but alsoto loading factors the fence will be subject to includingwind and pushing. Consider whether the posts will beused to mount other security measures such as CCTVcameras or lighting as these will need to be specifiedat the design stage.

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Gates

Wherever practical, separate access points should beprovided for people and vehicles to ensure the safeflow of both to and from the boundary.

Pedestrian gates:

Pedestrian gates should be of a framed design andemploy galvanized adjustable hinges and fixingsmounted behind the attack face. On outward openinggates, where the hinges/brace is mounted on theattack face, fixings should be of a galvanized ‘blind’coach bolt design.

All pedestrian gates should be fitted with locks andfixing features should match that of the fence

Vehicular gates:

Vehicular gates should be inward opening, ofsubstantial framed construction and employ galvanizedadjustable hinges and fixings mounted behind theattack face. They should be fitted with a galvanizeddrop bolts and the facility for padlocking (manualgates) or electro-mechanical locking (automated gates)and employ mechanical/electro-mechanical devices asapplicable to hold gate leaves in the open position. Thegate design and fixing features should match that ofthe fence.

Where automated gates are used, ensure they are CEmarked and compliant with EU Directive 2006/42/EC;as important, the gates should be installed by GateSafe Aware installers and maintained regularly for safe,reliable operation. It’s worth noting that since January2010, eight automated gate accidents involvingchildren have been reported in the UK, two of whichwere fatalities while the remainder resulted in childrenbeing trapped by the gates. Two of these incidentsoccurred in schools.

Fencing and gates for schools in higher risks areas:

Schools located in higher crime risk areas shouldemploy fencing and gates designed to deter and resistmore determined forms of attack employing moreadvanced methods.

In these instances, the fence and gates will need to beof a minimum height of 1.8m in a design certified toLPS 1175 Security Rating 1 (SR1).

For higher security applications at the school boundaryor around key assets, fencing and gates certified to LPS1175 Security Rating 2 and 3 should be considered. SR3 is substantially more resistant to penetration thanSR1. If high resistance to penetration through the fenceline is not required, it may be more appropriate andcost effective to employ SR1 rated fences and gatesextended to a height of 2.4m.

Remember, an intruder will take the fastest and leastresisting line to get beyond your boundary whetherthrough, over or under the fencing or gate, so considerwhich is the most likely form of attack in different partsof the perimeter and employ appropriate counter-measures to ensure the boundary is not breached.

In exception cases, higher levels of security rating mayapply and employ systems tested and approved byCPNI (Centre for the Protection of NationalInfrastructure) for use around government property.Where this is the case, you should contact CPNI forfurther guidance.

All gates installed within a higher security fencingsystem must be certificated to the same rating as theadjoining fencing and be of the same height andsimilar style. It should not be possible to lift the gatefrom its hinges or pass under the gate and the hingesand lock cylinder should be protected to prevent theiruse as climbing aids. Gates used for preventing accessinto a ‘fire path’ to the side and rear of an schoolshould be certificated to either LPS 1175 SR 2 or STS202 BR2.

www.jacksons-security.co.uk

If the gate forms part of an emergency escape route,the release mechanism will need to be of a keylessdesign and protected to prevent operation from theoutside of the gate.

Where crime risks dictate that there is a realisticchance of a vehicular borne attack to enter the schoolgrounds or penetrate school buildings, steel securitybollards should be considered. There are many fixedand rising bollards available at different prices andwhile most will look very similar, you should onlyconsider those which have been successfully tested toPAS 68-1:2013.

Advice on best practice

The Crime Prevention Design Advisor or ArchitecturalLiaison Officer at your local police station and Securedby Design’s New Schools Guidance document areexcellent sources of guidance on the design of yourboundary protection while the experts at Jacksonsadditionally can offer a free security audit of your sitealongside the CPDA and provide you with a range ofappropriate options and an indication of the costs,timing and process involved from design to completionof the project.

Safety, Security and Amenity within the SchoolBoundary

Safety:

For safety within the school boundary, Jacksons offer arange of barriers, bollards and parking posts designedto keep pedestrians and vehicles safe from each otherand a wide selection of timber fencing and gates tocontrol the flow of people around the grounds andreduce the areas where students can be hidden fromview.

T: 0800 414343

Junior schools offering play areas should ensure it isdesigned so equipment and activities do not interferewith each other and that safe access for able bodiedand less able is provided. The fencing and gates to beemployed in a play area should at least conform BS EN1176 for play areas and be RoSPA approved. Jacksonsoffer RoSPA approved and BE EN 1176 compliant Anti-trap Bow Top along with timber and steel versions oftheir fencing and gates specifically for play areas.

Security:

For security and the management of noise into and outfrom the school, Jacksons’ Jakoustic barriers provides ahigh performance (noise reduction of up to 32decibels), attractive and extremely secure solution inand around the school.

Jacksons flexible, semi-enclosed or fully enclosed multi-purpose bicycle, waste, recycling, fuel and equipmentstores provide an excellent solution to matchingpractical requirements and security within a matcheddesign theme.

Amenity:

Playgrounds, sports fields and sports courts all requirespecialist fencing and gates. Jacksons offer a widerange of ball court, ball stop and Multi Use GamesAreas fencing and gates designed to minimise the riskof injury, bullying or accidental damage.

In response to the growing trend for schools to provide‘outside learning areas’ within the grounds, Jacksonsoffer a wide variety of timber decking and coveredlearning areas that create safe, comfortable spaces forstudents and teachers.

Resources:

For further information or to arrange for a site visit andsecurity audit, please contact us on 0800 41 43 43 oremail education@jacksons-fencing.co.uk

To post a project enquiry to us, please click here tolaunch an online form.

Jacksons FencingStowting Common Ashford Kent TN25 6BN