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Active Communications
School building security — safeguarding CCTV and access control for education
Safeguarding & Education

Safeguarding Security Systems for Schools & Colleges

CCTV, access control and visitor management systems designed to support your safeguarding policy — installed by a Paxton Platinum Partner across Coventry, Warwickshire and the Midlands.

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Designed around:
KCSIE
Ofsted
NDAA §889
ICO
GDPR
DfE

Security systems that support your duty of care

Schools and colleges have a legal duty to keep children safe. A properly designed CCTV and access control system is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate compliance with your safeguarding policy — providing controlled, documented access to your site and a clear audit trail that your designated safeguarding lead (DSL), governors and Ofsted can rely on.

Active Communications designs and installs safeguarding security systems for primary schools, secondary schools, academies, sixth form colleges and multi-site academy trusts across Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands. As a Paxton Platinum Partner and Hikvision VASP, we install the same market-leading systems used by local authorities and established academy groups. For trusts and schools with NDAA-compliant procurement requirements, we specify camera systems from approved manufacturers as standard.

Every installation begins with a free site survey involving your DSL and business manager. We design the system around your specific safeguarding requirements — not a generic template — and provide full documentation, staff training and an optional ongoing maintenance contract.

What's included in a safeguarding security system

Controlled Site Access

Paxton access control restricts entry to authorised staff. A single supervised entrance with video door entry means every visitor is verified before being admitted — satisfying Ofsted's expectation of controlled visitor access.

Full-Site CCTV Coverage

HD IP cameras covering entrances, perimeters, corridors and car parks. Remote access for DSLs and senior leaders. Footage retained in line with your data retention policy.

Audit Trails & Reporting

Every door access event is time-stamped and logged by user. Your DSL can produce access reports for safeguarding reviews, incident investigations and Ofsted inspections — instantly.

Visitor Management

Video intercom systems at entrances let reception staff verify and admit visitors remotely. No more paper signing-in books that fail to control who actually enters the building.

GDPR-Compliant Systems

We advise on CCTV signage, data retention periods and access permissions in line with ICO guidance — ensuring your system supports your data protection obligations, not complicates them.

DSL & Staff Training

Full hands-on training for your designated safeguarding lead, business manager and system administrators. We don't just install and leave — we make sure your team can use the system confidently.

Multi-site Academy Trusts

We work with academy trusts to deliver consistent, centrally-managed security across multiple school sites. Trust administrators can monitor access control and CCTV across all sites from a single interface — with individual school DSLs retaining access to their own site data.

Discuss your trust's requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

What security systems does a school need to meet its safeguarding duty?
At minimum, schools should have a controlled single point of entry with video door entry, access control to restrict unauthorised access to sensitive areas, CCTV covering entrances and perimeters, and a visitor management process. All of this should be documented in your safeguarding and child protection policy and aligned with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance.
What is KCSIE and how does it relate to CCTV and access control?
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is the statutory guidance schools and colleges in England must follow. It requires governing bodies and proprietors to ensure the site is physically secure and that access is controlled and logged. CCTV and access control systems provide the documented evidence of controlled access that satisfies this requirement.
Do you install Paxton access control in schools?
Yes. We are a Paxton Platinum Partner — the highest tier of Paxton accreditation. We install Paxton Net2 and Paxton10 systems in schools of all sizes, from single-site primary schools to multi-site academy trusts. Systems are configured to log all access events for safeguarding audit purposes.
How long does school CCTV footage need to be retained?
The ICO recommends that schools retain CCTV footage for no longer than 31 days unless footage is being used as part of an investigation. Your data retention policy should specify this. We advise on compliant storage configurations and can help you document your CCTV policy as part of the installation.
Can you work with our designated safeguarding lead (DSL)?
Yes — we always recommend involving your DSL and business manager in the site survey so the system is designed around your specific safeguarding requirements. We provide full training to your DSL, business manager and nominated system administrators after installation.
Do you cover multi-site academy trusts?
Yes. We have experience delivering security systems across multi-site academy trusts, with centralised management allowing trust-level oversight of access control and CCTV across all sites from a single interface.
Do you supply NDAA-compliant cameras for schools?
Yes. NDAA Section 889 compliance is increasingly required by local authorities, multi-academy trusts and schools with central government or US-connected funding streams. We can specify and install CCTV systems using cameras from NDAA-compliant manufacturers, ensuring your procurement meets public sector requirements without compromising on image quality or system capability.
Can CCTV be used as evidence in a safeguarding investigation?
Yes, provided it is collected and retained in line with your GDPR and data protection obligations. We design systems with appropriate access controls so only designated safeguarding leads and senior leaders can access footage, and we advise on your legal obligations around data subject access requests.

Ready to strengthen your school's safeguarding?

Free site survey across Coventry, Warwickshire and the Midlands. We work with your DSL, governors and business manager to design the right system for your school.