School security 'a lottery' putting staff and pupils at risk, teachers warn

Security measures at schools are “a lottery” leaving the safety of pupils and school staff to chance, teachers have warned.

The NASUWT Scotland union claims there has been a failure to implement or retain improvements following the Dunblane massacre nearly 30 years ago.

Teachers are concerned that measures to control access to school buildings are no longer strictly applied.

The union is calling for the Scottish Government to provide consistent standards of school safety and security for staff and pupils across Scotland by providing the necessary resources to help protect every school site from intruders or attacks.

Representatives attending the NASUWT Scotland union’s annual conference on Saturday in Glasgow will highlight a failure to maintain security measures in schools implemented

Matt Wrack, NASUWT acting general secretary, said: “We must never forget the horrific events which took place in Dunblane in 1996 in which 16 pupils and their teacher died and 15 others were injured, nor the collective desire to work collaboratively thereafter to ensure that tragedy could never happen again.

“The Cullen Inquiry at the time recognised that those who have the legal responsibility for the health and safety of the teaching staff and pupils in schools should prepare a safety strategy for the protection of the school population against violence, together with an action plan for implementing and monitoring the effectiveness of safety measures appropriate to the particular school.

“Sadly other attacks and attempted attacks on staff and pupils on school sites in the UK have taken place in recent years and teachers report approaches to school security have not been consistently maintained.”

Mr Wrack said guidance should be developed in partnership with industry experts and trade unions to ensure schools are aware of their obligations and responsibilities on safety.

The unions said parents have the right to expect consistent safety and security when they send children to school.

But Mike Corbett, NASUWT Scotland national official, said it varies considerably across the country.

He said this was often due to the age of the school building, the availability of resources for school maintenance and the adherence of employers to safety guidance.

“This is not about turning schools into fortresses, but putting in place proportionate measures to ensure security is not compromised,” he said.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Dunblane atrocity was one of Scotland’s darkest days and we will always remember the 16 children and the teacher who tragically lost their lives.

“Although it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, we expect them to provide safe environments for all school users.”

A COSLA Spokesperson said: “Councils take the health and safety of their workforce and those that access their services very seriously.

“This obviously includes children, young people and school staff. Every effort is made to ensure that learning environments are safe and secure spaces that are also welcoming and nurturing. If any employee feels unsafe, they should raise this with their line manager in the first instance and follow local authority protocols in terms of alerting senior officers.”