Shropshire Safer Schools Award

Safer School Initiative

The Safer School initiative is a school security initiative that encompasses personal safety.

It was created by West Mercia Police and with the support of Shropshire Council, virtually all Shropshire schools are following the process.

The initiative is a practical and realistic risk management approach to the security/safety of school staff, pupils, property and the premises. Following the satisfactory completion of the process, schools receive the Safer School accreditation and this accreditation is reviewed every two years.

No two schools are the same and therefore, it is site specific to individual schools.

The process involves a Safer School meeting, with representatives of the school following a comprehensive package.

Safer School meetings are held annually and parents/carers are informed of progress through newsletters.

The essential elements of the package are as follows: -

• Implement basic security measures applicable at all schools i.e. property marking, and visitor passes etc.
• Consider pro-active security/safety measures for the site/building and/or protecting assets.
• Establish a procedure for recording incidents i.e. anti-social behaviour, vandalism etc.   Any recorded information can then be analysed. In addition, the same recording procedure can be used for surveying a problem i.e. an unauthorised thoroughfare.
• If there are any projects to be undertaken, they are prioritised. Following the implementation of a project, the success of it is reviewed.
• PSHE or education of pupils as per the Safer School pack. 

Please talk to a member of the Business Support Team if you wish to know more about the initiative.