My sons school secruity is a joke.

mpython

The school will have a written H&S policy as well as a written assessment of H&S risks, their likelihood and mitigating action. if you go down the route of contacting the governors, you might like to ask to see both documents.

Its most likely that on balance, the school & children are safer with the gate unlocked. Whilst locking it might slow down an abduction (you're very unlikely to stop a determined individual, and despite the media image the likelihood of abduction from schools is very low), the consequences of slowing down evacuation of a entire school in an emergency would be very bad. On a practical level as well, imagine how long it would take to get all the kids into & out of school if there was a strictly controlled locked gate system for access. How would anyone deliver things to the school or parents take kids out for doctor or dentist appointments.

asea

surfcat wrote: »

My schools were never the locked, secure fenced prisons that they have now. The world has gone mad.

mine was! i had security guards, cctv & the rest of it! which is a good thing, i think schools need better security can't see a single reason not to - no security would be madness!

wishiwasarichgirl

OMG, I can't believe that there are schools which DO actually lock the kids in???
At my primary school the dinnerladies and caretaker used to patrol the playground at breaktimes to make sure everyone was alright, at high school we could easily leave the school premises but everyone knew what was "out-of-bounds" and dear help you if you got caught :eek:

LittleVoice

We are just instilling fear in our children by suggesting that they need to be protected from anyone who might happen to come onto school property.

wiggly

agree littlevoice

it's creating a fear of the unknown, which is so unhealthy its not true

wiggly

asea wrote: »

mine was! i had security guards, cctv & the rest of it! which is a good thing, i think schools need better security can't see a single reason not to - no security would be madness!

would it? madness? what are you using the security to do?

ethansmum

Our school gates are closed but never locked. I'm happy with this, because the school doors are locked.

SaraSeahorse

schools are not prisons, gates will not keep out idiots / lunatics

mechanisms are needed though on gates so that they cannot be opened by little children

mioliere

My DGS's school keeps the gates locked - I thought they were legally obliged to nowadays? Might be worth phoning the police to ask for their advice - if they agree that the gates should be locked they could visit the school themselves! The safety of the children is paramount - I would definitely make a fuss - can you get some of the other parents on board with this? A few letters of concern could make the school see sense. Good Luck!

SaraSeahorse

schools are expected to carry out risk assessments, consider security as part of health and safety etc.

I do not believe there is legal requirement to turn school into a fortress


schools are part of a community not secure accomodation