Education

Schools, colleges and universities hold hundreds of people who cannot be expected to defend themselves. Forced entry, intruders and vandalism set the threat; rated doors, controlled entrances and glazing answer it, specified to protect pupils and staff without turning a school into a fortress.

• SR2 to SR3Forced entry ratings for school buildings
• PAS 24Baseline for student accommodation
• EI 30 to EI 60Fire ratings for escape routes
• Martyn’s LawTerrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025

The threats education estates face

The primary threat is the intruder during the school day. An unauthorised person entering through a side door left open or tailgating through the main entrance can reach classrooms in seconds. The specification has to control entry at every point while keeping the building open and welcoming for pupils.

Out of hours, the threat changes. Empty schools are burgled for IT equipment, vandalised, and set alight. Windows and doors on the ground floor take the attack, and holiday periods give intruders days of undisturbed time.

Universities add scale and complexity. Campuses hold thousands of people across dozens of buildings, with laboratories, data rooms and high-value equipment. Student accommodation needs residential-grade security at every flat entrance and communal door.

Then there is the legal picture. Under Martyn’s Law, premises where 200 to 799 people may be present sit in the standard tier, and those with 800 or more in the enhanced tier. Most secondary schools fall in the standard tier; many universities fall in the enhanced tier and must consider physical protective measures.

Lockdown and escape must work together. Staff need to secure rooms quickly, but no security measure may trap pupils. Every rated door on an escape route needs the right fire rating and a release that works in panic.

The standards and guidance for education

LPS 1175 is the forced entry reference for school doors and windows. SR2 gives three minutes against hand tools; SR3 gives five minutes against heavier tools including crowbars and drills. Main entrances, IT suites and plant rooms are the usual candidates for these ratings.

Student accommodation starts from PAS 24, the enhanced security standard for residential doors and windows, and steps up to LPS 1175 where the location or the incident record justifies it. Fire performance is tested to EN 1634-1 with E, EW or EI classifications, covered in the fire ratings guide.

Martyn’s Law does not mandate specific products, but it sets the framework. Standard tier premises prepare procedures; enhanced tier premises go further and consider physical measures such as controlled entry and rated doorsets at key points.

Education zone by zone

Design for the school day first, then for the empty building at night and in the holidays.

Specification mistakes to avoid in education

• Bars on windows that block escape. Fixed bars on classroom windows trap pupils in a fire. Use rated windows or internal grilles that release, and never trade the fire strategy for the security specification.
• One key system that slows lockdown. If securing a classroom means finding the right key on a crowded ring, it will not happen in time. Specify locks that staff can operate fast from the inside, with escape always possible.
• Forgetting the holidays. The building is empty for weeks at a time. Out-of-hours ratings on ground-floor openings matter as much as daytime access control, and shutters or grilles should be part of the closing routine.
• An entrance that staff prop open. A controlled entrance that is wedged open for deliveries is uncontrolled. Design the goods and visitor flow so the secure line stays closed, using security portals or intercoms where needed.
• Ignoring the accommodation. Student flats get the residential treatment: rated communal entrances, PAS 24 or better flat doors, and windows to match. Attackers know students leave doors unsecured; the building should not depend on them remembering.

Frequently asked questions