Security should support the educational mission, not hinder it, writes Mike Gillespie of the information security awareness consultancy Advent IM.
Education has always been about opening doors – to knowledge, opportunity and growth. But in the literal sense, the question of who we allow through the doors of our schools, colleges and universities has never been more pressing. Physical security is not only about locks and barriers; it’s about creating learning environments that are safe, welcoming and resilient in the face of modern risks. For UK education providers, the challenge is striking the right balance between accessibility, privacy and robust protection.
Understanding the threat landscape
Our educational institutions are, by design, places of openness. They are community hubs where pupils, staff, parents, contractors and visitors come and go daily. But this openness can be exploited. We have seen incidents of unauthorised entry, theft, vandalism and, more worryingly, safeguarding breaches where individuals with no legitimate reason to be on-site have managed to gain access.
While the most severe scenarios are thankfully rare, complacency is dangerous. Even minor breaches – someone wandering unchallenged into a school building or sensitive areas like labs or IT suites left unsecured – can have outsized consequences. Beyond the immediate risks to safety, reputational damage and loss of trust in the institution can be significant.
Smart access
Traditional locks and keys have long served us, but they have clear limitations. Keys can be lost, copied or fall into the wrong hands. Managing them across a large estate is cumbersome, and re-securing a site after a breach is costly.
Smart access systems, by contrast, offer schools and universities more dynamic control. Access cards, fobs, or even mobile credentials can be issued, revoked or updated instantly. Permissions can be tailored: a student may have access only to classroom areas during school hours, while staff and contractors have wider but still defined entry rights. Integration with attendance and visitor management systems adds another layer of visibility and control.
Crucially, smart access can also support safeguarding. A lost card can be deactivated in seconds; an individual lingering where they shouldn’t be can trigger alerts; and real-time data can provide valuable audit trails if an incident does occur.
Balancing openness with protection
However, while technology offers clear benefits, the answer is not to turn schools into fortresses. Education settings must remain accessible, welcoming places. Students should not feel that they are entering a high-security facility each morning. Parents and legitimate visitors should be able to engage with the institution without unnecessary barriers.
This is where the balance comes in. Smart access, done well, should be largely invisible to those who belong. Doors open seamlessly, credentials work intuitively, and the overall effect is one of smooth operation rather than restriction. Security should support the educational mission, not hinder it.
Privacy considerations
With smarter systems come legitimate questions around data protection and privacy. Access logs, facial recognition, or mobile-based credentials all involve personal information. Schools and universities must be particularly mindful, given their duty of care towards young people and vulnerable groups.
The principles of data minimisation, transparency and proportionality are critical here. Only collect the data you need to deliver the security outcome. Be clear with staff, students and parents about how information is used. Ensure that systems are compliant with UK GDPR and are regularly reviewed for risks. Security must never be achieved at the expense of privacy.
Practical
For many institutions, budget is a central concern. The good news is that smart access is scalable. Small steps – such as securing key entry points or staff-only areas – can be implemented without huge upheaval. Over time, systems can be expanded as funding allows. Importantly, no technology should be deployed in isolation. Physical access measures should be complemented by staff training, a culture of vigilance, and clear safeguarding protocols.
A door control system is only as strong as the people managing it. Staff need to feel empowered to challenge unauthorised individuals and to respond to alerts appropriately. Involving the whole school community in discussions about security helps build a culture where everyone understands their role.
Smart access has the potential to transform security in education – not by shutting doors, but by ensuring the right ones are opened for the right people at the right time. The task before us is to balance safety with accessibility, and security with privacy.
For UK schools, colleges and universities, that balance is achievable. By embracing intelligent, proportionate access control, supported by good governance and staff awareness, we can keep our institutions open, welcoming and above all, safe.
Photo from the September edition of Professional Security Magazine: Leeds University.
