The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August 2026 issue. - Magazine - Page 66
3 Practical Ways to
Make Your School
Safer in 2026
UK schools find themselves in a difficult situation. Government
guidance and regulations on safeguarding children in
education are extensive, but implementing a cohesive strategy
that addresses the physical safety and mental well-being of
staff and pupils remains challenging.
Many UK schools enhance their safety strategy with video
security cameras. Research suggests that around 85% of British
secondary schools use CCTV or similar systems to support
intervention efforts and enhance reviews. Cameras alone do not
make a site safer, unless they are implemented with purpose.
A 2024 survey by the Department for Education found that 69%
of headteachers and senior staff reported their school was safe
every day, while only 39% of students reported feeling safe
every day during the previous week. This disparity highlights a
disconnect between teachers and pupils.
Modern video security cameras can enhance school safety by
providing high-quality coverage, intelligent monitoring, and
integration with access controls. They also support compliance
with the UK GDPR and the 2018 Data Protection Act through
controlled access, retention policies and audit trails.
Creating safer schools in 2026 requires proactive, practical
measures that go beyond compliance guidelines and build trust
with staff, pupils, and parents.
These systems use advanced analytics to highlight unusual
activity or predefined events, enabling faster responses and
more efficient use of time by eliminating routine observation.
Schools must take an integrated approach to safety that
addresses both real and perceived risks. The following strategies
outline achievable and actionable steps schools can take to
reduce incidents and rebuild confidence with their communities.
Safety audits and risk assessments
Before implementing any technologies or interventions, schools
need a clear, concise view of their existing risks. A comprehensive assessment is the first step in any security overhaul and
provides a holistic view of how safety is experienced day-to-day
by students and staff alike.
CCTV is most effective when it informs strategy and complements human presence and supervision. With automatic
tagging and logs, footage can be easily reviewed to allocate
resources and refine the broader school safety strategy.
Strengthen the perception of safety through
school culture
A school may meet safeguarding requirements in theory, but
if students don’t feel secure, then the effectiveness of those
measures is limited.
Schools can improve how students experience safety by:
A meaningful adult should review physical spaces, such as:
• Increasing staff presence
• Classrooms
• Common areas and playgrounds
Station staff in corridors and common areas during high-traffic
periods to provide reassurance, deter unsafe behaviour, and
intervene in the event it occurs.
• Entrances and exits
• Creating clear expectations
• Routines and supervision levels
Another discrepancy noted in the DfE report was the extent to
which students felt consequences applied to poor behaviour.
Consistent application of rules and penalties helps maintain
clear boundaries and assures students that issues will be
addressed with consistency.
• Toilets
• Transition areas, like corridors, where many instances of
bullying and harassment occur
Many of these locations can be blind spots for senior leaders,
who have a firm overview of policy but lack the experiential
understanding of where and how threats present. Anonymous
surveys, focus groups, and feedback sessions allow assessment
practitioners to gather multiple perspectives.
• Encouraging reporting
Post-pandemic disruptions, increased mental health needs
and community issues can all affect safety within educational environments, and are well worth considering in any risk
assessment. When conducted regularly and reviewed each term,
safety audits highlight pressing risks and lead to actionable,
prioritised outcomes.
• Balancing sanctions with support
Improve physical safety through site design and
technology
Physical safety is a central pillar of school safeguarding.
Access controls and a well-maintained perimeter help deter
unauthorised entry, while clear signage guides visitors and
scheduled guests to reception areas, ensuring those with
permission can navigate the school without friction.
Pupils are more likely to speak up if they feel their concerns
will be taken seriously. Implementing an anonymous reporting
option can encourage students who fear the repercussions of
reporting bullying.
Schools should build relationships with local police and youth
support services to address behavioural issues appropriately.
Coordination and early intervention can ensure vulnerable
students feel safe and that concerns are addressed through
restorative practices that reduce the likelihood of repeated
incidents.
Creating safer schools through proactive security
School safety relies on more than individual interventions and
reactive measures. As we prepare for 2026, those who take a
proactive, integrated approach will be better placed to reduce
incidents and support early intervention, creating environments
where pupils and staff feel supported, secure and able to focus
on learning.
