The Client:
KCS Projects were awarded the contract to install automation gates and fencing at The De Montfort School premises in Evesham.
The De Montfort School originally opened in 1954 as Evesham County Secondary school. It was later renamed the Simon De Montfort Middle School, which subsequently merged with Evesham High School in 2014 to become The De Montfort School co-educational establishment.
Surrounding the school buildings are three separate car parks, an astroturf pitch, sports fields, and a multi-use games area.
The Brief:
In June 2022, we were awarded the contract to install several automation gates and fencing around The De Montfort School premises.
Due to the varying levels of security required for each of the three car parks - and because of the large size of the site - multiple types of automatic gates were needed to secure the grounds. We were also required to install 1500m of fencing and swing gates to secure the school’s perimeter.
As part of the contract, we liaised with the school’s Site Manager and caretakers to reduce the impact on the pupils in attendance. All staff working on the project were required to undergo Enhanced DBS checks, and all works were to be carried out under school policy and the relevant government legislation.
Our Work:
We began the work in June 2022 while the school was open and fully operational. To minimise disruption to staff and pupils, our work was carried out overnight.
In order to ensure that the project was completed on time, and to prevent disturbance to the school’s daily routine, our Contracts Manager liaised with the school’s Site Manager and school staff to understand where students would be - and when - so that the programme of work was designed around the needs of the school.
To prevent interfering with the school’s lesson plans, we began our shifts at 4PM - however, at that time there would still be a number of staff and students on-site attending after-school clubs. As such, we had to be aware of the students' and staff’s whereabouts and work around them accordingly.
Our shifts finished in the early hours of the morning, and to prevent the school’s Site Manager from having to return at that time to lock up, our Site Foreman would meet with the Site Manager at the beginning of each shift to confirm where on the premises we would finish the shift, lock up the site, and set the alarms.
The De Montfort School grounds are a large site that contains 3 separate car parks with varying levels of security requirements. We were required to install multiple types of automatic gates across the premises, including 3 vehicle gates, 2 swing gates, 1 slider gate, and 2 pedestrian gates.
In addition, Paxton access control was installed on all gates to ensure enhanced security. This involved fitting different types of Paxton equipment to the gates depending on the security requirements of each entry point.
For example, for the manual single pedestrian gates, we utilised video intercom technology, whereas for the staff entrance gates, proximity readers were installed.
In order to install the fencing, we were first required to arrange for a large area to be cleared.
This involved commissioning a tree surgeon to remove the surrounding bushes and cut back several trees. We also arranged waste disposal for rubbish that had been thrown onto the school grounds from houses behind the fencing line.
Once the area had been cleared, we replaced the school's old iron fencing with 1500m of anti-climbing mesh fencing. This was a more suitable and up-to-date choice for the school's needs, and one that provided a higher level of security for the pupils.
We also installed swing gates to allow entry to authorised visitors and staff. Due to the sloped terrain, we were required to install large industrial bushes under the gates to prevent trespassers from gaining access to the school site through this space.
Plus, to assist with health and safety precautions, we programmed these gates to automatically open if the school's fire alarm system is triggered.
When the works were complete, we ran a handover session with the school’s Site Manager and his team of caretakers. This consisted of a training day to ensure that the staff understood all aspects of the system.
Following this session, we left our contact details to ensure the school’s staff could contact us should any issues or questions arise after our team had left the site.
The Outcome:
By installing multiple types of security gating with appropriate Paxton security features - alongside the 1500m of anti-climbing mesh fencing - we were able to enhance the safety of the school’s perimeter. This ensured better physical security measures were in place and greatly reduced the school’s vulnerability to potential intruders.
To deliver added value, these gates were programmed to open if the fire alarm system was triggered, in order to assist with health and safety precautions. We also helped to arrange for a large area of the site to be cleared, which removed waste, improved the environmental health of the area, and promoted a more professional image for the school.
So that the impact on the school’s pupils and staff was reduced as much as possible, we liaised with the Site Manager and caretakers to plan our shifts around their needs, and delivered a handover session to ensure that the school’s staff understood all aspects of the security system that we installed.
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