Security survey and risk assessment

What risks does your school face?

This survey and risk assessment will allow you to determine

• type and scale of risk

• trends or patterns in incidents involving your school

• security measures required

• efficiency of your chosen security measures

Complete the three-part assessment that analyses:

• incidence of crime

• environment and buildings

• effectiveness of security measures

Based on your level of threat, the assessment recommends appropriate security

measures for your school.

Completing the survey should take 3 minutes. You will be asked questions on incidence of
crime in the past 12 months, security measures employed and the school environment
and buildings.

A text version of this survey may be downloaded here

Part 1 Incidence of crime

This section assesses the type, scale, and patterns of incidents that have occurred in the
last 12 months. This part of the risk assessment can be based on a log of reported
incidents. If your school does not yet have a reporting procedure, a more subjective
assessment will have to be made, possibly based on discussion with the local police crime
prevention officer.

Part 2 Environment and buildings

This section of the survey assesses the environmental and building factors that contribute
to school security.
Part 3 Security measures

This section assesses the effectiveness of security measures employed.

The items in parts 2 and 3 can (for the most part) be assessed by a walk-through survey
of the school.

Each item in the assessment is graded from 0 to 5 points. A score of 0 indicates a low
security risk, 5 a high security risk.

Example

In the example below, if your school has had no cases of trespass reported in the last 12
months then the risk would be perceived as low and a score of 0 would be recorded.

Low Risk 0 1 2 3 4 5 High Risk

1. Trespass

No cases of Trespassers
trespassers on commonly on
school grounds school grounds

If, however, your school has no fence or an incomplete fence, resulting in children playing
or people walking their dogs in the school grounds, then the score could be 3 or higher:

Low Risk 0 1 2 3 4 5 High Risk

1. Trespass

No cases of Trespassers
trespassers on commonly on
school grounds school grounds
Part 1 - Incidence of crime in the last 12 months

Low Risk 0 1 2 3 4 5 High Risk

1. Trespass

No cases of
trespassers Trespassers commonly on
on school school grounds
grounds

2. Vandalism

No cases of
trespassers Trespassers commonly on
on school school grounds
grounds

3. Theft/burglary

No cases of
theft or Frequent theft or burglary
burglary

4. Fire

No arson School or other building in

attacks in the locality has suffered a
locality number of arson attacks

5. Attacks on staff or pupils

No attacks or
Attacks inside school or
threats
vicinity of school
reported

6. Drug/solvent abuse

No problems School or locality problem

reported with drug or solvent abuse
Part 2 - Environment and buildings

1. Incidence of crime in surrounding area

Locality has low

Locality has high crime
crime rate (as
rate (as reported to
reported to
police)
police)

2. School overlooked by roads and/or houses

Grounds
overlooked by
Unobserved grounds
busy roads or
housing

3. Boundaries, fences and gates

Boundaries well
defined, with
No fences or gates to
fences and gates
prevent unauthorised
preventing all but
access
determined
intruders

4. Entrances

Clear entrances
Unclear or multiple
with signs
entrances
directing visitors

5. Organisation at entrances and visitor control

Pass system in
operation with No system of recording
badges issued to visitors
all visitors

6. Car parking

No safe place to park,

Car parks well lit car parks unlit and not
and overlooked overlooked (e.g.
surrounded by trees)

7. Condition and appearance of buildings

Buildings well
Buildings in disrepair,
maintained with
graffiti-covered and
no graffiti or
vandalised
vandalism

8. Detached and temporary buildings

No detached Many detached buildings,

buildings apart including temporary
from main block classrooms

9. Recesses and internal courtyards

No places for
Numerous places for
intruders to hide
intruders to hide and
and break in
break in unobserved
unobserved

10. Security of exit doors

Doors secure
against all but
Fire exit doors easily
the most
forced, inadequate locks
determined
intruders

11. Security of windows and roof-lights

Windows and
Windows and roof-lights
roof-lights
provide easy access for
protected against
intruders
intruders

12. Presence of valuable equipment that is easily stolen and

sold on

Few computers,
Many computers,
TVs and video
keyboards, fax machines,
cassette
camcorders, etc.
recorders

13. Fire precautions

Buildings have
adequate fire
Overly large fire
compartmentalis-
compartments and lack
ation and
of fire/smoke barriers
fire/smoke
and doors
barriers and
doors

14. Community ethos and support for school

Strong
community and
Insignificant parent or
parent support
community involvement
for security, e.g.
active PTA

15. Out-of-hours use of school facilities

Many security problems

No reported
due to out-of-hours use.
problems.
Special risks (e.g.
Security benefit
evening classes,
from out-of-
libraries, sports clubs,
hours use
community use, etc.)

Part 3 - Security measures

1. School-watch scheme

Efficient system for reporting No scheme

suspicious incidents in operation

2. Pupil involvement

Pupils have
Pupils diligent about reporting no
strangers on premises involvement
in security

3. Waste bins

Unlocked
Waste and recycling bins mobile bins
locked up every night left around
the school

4. Security lighting

Lighting of all entrances,

No lighting
footpaths and building facades

5. Surveillance

Efficient surveillance, e.g.

CCTV covering perimeter, or No system
security patrols

6. Intruder alarms

System using intruder

detectors on all ground floors,
No system
perimeter and vulnerable
rooms

7. Fire detection system

Automated and linked to

No system
central control room

8. Property marking and storage

All valuable property marked No

and kept in a secure store or markings on
secured locally property

9. Cash handling procedures

Procedures
Secure methods in operation
lacking