School Security Award

Recognising the UK school that has made outstanding efforts to increase security through a combination of increased awareness in staff and pupils and the procurement and installation of additional security measures such as CCTV, fencing, manned guarding etc.

2009 Winner: Stockwell Park High School, South London

Stockwell Park High School, a Business & Enterprise College, is a mixed state secondary school with over 900 pupils, in an area considered to have a high level of deprivation. Over the past five years, the school has achieved a remarkable turnaround, and is judged by Ofsted to be outstanding.

CCTV at Stockwell Park started with cameras at the entrances and exits to the schools because intruders were coming on to school grounds and harassing and robbing pupils. As these were successful, the board of governors took the decision to install Classwatch, an audio visual system that uses specialist surveillance software and is capable of producing sound and vision permissible in a court of law. This uses a total of 40 cameras located around the school grounds to allow video recording throughout the school day. Cameras are also used in 28 classrooms, and can be used to film lessons to monitor staff technique.   

Recorded footage from classrooms and school grounds at Stockwell Park is stored for one calendar month before being destroyed, while access to images and footage is strictly controlled and monitored by a member of the school’s board of governors, in line with the Data Protection Act, 1998. Anyone who wants to use the footage has to apply in writing to the principal, and only the facilities manager can hand it over.

When the rest of the building is complete, it is envisaged that over 100 cameras will be used throughout the site. The installation has attracted a huge amount of national media attention, and although considered by some to be obtrusive, the reaction from pupils, teachers and parents has been positive. It could prove useful in settling cases in which a student disputes the teacher's account of events, and can help to combat bullying and aggressive behaviour, and in investigating and discouraging truancy.

Commended:

St. David's School, Pembrokeshire
Bede Academy, Northumberland