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.
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.
Creating safer schools in 2026 requires proactive, practical measures that go beyond compliance guidelines and build trust with staff, pupils, and parents.
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.
A meaningful adult should review physical spaces, such as:
- Classrooms
- Common areas and playgrounds
- Entrances and exits
- Routines and supervision levels
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
- Increasing staff presence
Station staff in corridors and common areas during high-traffic periods to provide reassurance, deter unsafe behaviour, and intervene in the event it occurs.
- Creating clear expectations
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.
- Encouraging reporting
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.
- Balancing sanctions with support
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.
