“School Security” (Day Care facilitates can also be included)
School security can vary greatly from school to school. There are many facets to this type of security because there are many areas to cover.
It is said that it can be difficult to make a school secure, and not have it looking like a prison. No one wants to make a school appear to be an unpleasant place to study and visit, and school authorities are naturally unwilling to make potential students and parents uneasy at the prospect of choosing places of learning that look like that.
However, it all comes down to managing the risk. When the correct management plans are implemented, and used as intended, with due diligence and part of a school security management plan, then they can work very well.
The key factor that will throw security plans off course in almost any area of life is our own (in this case the schools’) complacency.
I will suggest a few rules when selecting a school to fit your budget, location and goals in regard to security practices. The more expensive the school fees the greater should be your expectations in relation to security.
The highest risk schools are statistically public schools, (some of these public schools are very well managed). However, if security is not managed correctly, then the highest school on the ladder can also be vulnerable.
Questions and items that you should look for and ask a prospective school:
o Do you have a School Security Management plan? If so, can we please have a look at it? Better still ask for a copy so that we can study it in detail.
The below should be part of this plan:
o Do your teachers have security awareness training in relation to managing the security risks on school grounds? This would embrace basic risk management skills.
o Do you have any security staff on site? If so, are they male or female?
What company do they represent?
o If there are no outside impartial security staff, who is the designated security and emergency contact on school grounds?