The 5 best school security systems

School security in the United Kingdom has become a growing concern in recent years. Campuses across the country are reporting more incidents of bullying, break-ins, theft and vandalism in and outside of school hours.

High-profile incidents, such as a £200,000 vandalism case in two North London schools, prompt the public to question whether their children are safe in educational institutions. As concerns rise, school administrators are turning to advanced, comprehensive solutions to help improve security and mitigate risks and threats.

Where administrators seek to build the best learning environment possible, they look for the best school security systems to help achieve that goal.

What makes an effective school security system?

The purpose of school security systems is to protect students and staff from any threats to their safety and keep the institution’s daily activities running smoothly. They help procure a safe learning environment, designed to deter antisocial behaviour, intrusions and any scenarios that could compromise school safety and integrity.

Effective school security systems help maintain the safest possible learning environment. They constitute a series of equipment and software that address the varied security needs of the premises, focusing on safeguarding students and staff.

Here are the main elements that help build an effective school security system:

• Access control: Preventing unauthorised access is an imperative part of student and staff safety, helping to mitigate the risk of damage, disruption and harm to people and property. Security teams can deploy access control in sensitive school areas to regulate entry, with remote management to manage access in case of an incident.
• Video security cameras: Maintaining comprehensive visual oversight of school facilities can help determine safety risks and facilitate faster action from security personnel. Cameras and video management systems with advanced video analytics can help alert security officers to suspicious behaviour and objects, further improving student protection.
• Detection sensors: Internet of things (IoT) detection sensors can help improve perimeter security for windows and doors, and identify security concerns where camera access is limited such as in restrooms or offices. These devices include motion, sound and smoke detection, transmitting real-time alerts to staff whenever triggered.
• Visitor management systems: Platforms that maintain activity logs of temporary visitors and contractors who enter and exit the school can support access control systems, keeping a database of campus authorisation.
• Integrated communication: School security systems that integrate communication channels, such as real-time notifications for activity, help security teams verify and respond to incidents more swiftly.
• Data analytics: Many devices in school security systems can feed activity data into a central analytics platform. School administrators and security personnel can use the processed information to help make more informed decisions on improving security on premises.

How to choose the right security system for schools

Choosing the right security system for schools means integrating components that can effectively mitigate the safety risks and threats to the campus. Students, staff and visitors should feel safe attending the facilities while being able to conduct daily activities without disruption.

Each school has unique safety needs, which means its security system requirements can vary. Those can range from preventing vandalism in changing rooms to maintaining safety during class science experiments.

Below are a few tips to help administrators decide on the right security system for their school. Find a system that:

• Is scalable and flexible to campus needs
• Promotes better student and staff safety
• Includes devices that comply with privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR)
• Is remotely accessible on various devices
• Combines devices into a unified security solution
• Compatible with any existing security infrastructure

What are the best school security systems?

Considering the factors that make an effective school security system and how to choose the right one, there are a few that stand out. These solutions cover many of the current concerns of administrators in improving campus safety.

Here are the best and most reputable systems that can help meet school security objectives:

1. Avigilon

Avigilon’s school security systems have a glowing reputation as one of the most comprehensive solutions for campuses. Trusted by many global institutions, their service range covers every factor of what makes a school security system effective.

From cameras with video analytics and visitor management to smart sensors, the scalable, flexible and wide range of applications make the brand preferred by many education institutions due to its successes in enhancing security. The use cases highlight how Avigilon’s systems have offered affordable solutions that have positively impacted security circumstances on campus.

2. Uniview

Uniview is another school security system that provides a unified approach to address education safety challenges and bring peace of mind to parents. The brand offers comprehensive solutions for video security cameras, access control, vehicle and attendance management and intelligent analytics, all designed to enhance campus safety consistently.

3. Hanwha Vision

Hanwha Vision’s educational mantra is that better security can help better academic achievement. Aside from their modern cameras, the supporting software analyses audio and visual data in real-time to enable faster, more detailed responses to any security incidents, keeping students and staff in an ideal learning environment.

4. Pelco

Pelco delivers enhanced awareness in educational institutions with its advanced school security system, incorporating a complete range of robust camera hardware to vape detection sensors. It’s another brand that focuses on enhancing campus security strategies, improving awareness, adapting to new threats and scaling to meet demand.

5. Rhombus

Rhombus dedicates its solutions to eliminating security silos in educational institutions, helping to ensure a unified safety overview that enhances observation and response capabilities. Their devices and platforms combine to link authorities responsible for campus security, facilitating better communication to prevent and respond to incidents appropriately.

Build a better learning environment with school security systems

Every school administrator wants their school to have a reputation as safe and successful, where students can learn and teachers can conduct their lessons without disruption. Where UK schools continue to struggle with security, a new system can help improve circumstances.

Choosing the right school security system can help achieve security objectives, setting up infrastructure that scales and adapts to constantly evolving campus safety threats. Implementing the best can ease concerns of parents and guardians, building the thriving learning environment they desire.