Independent Schools Risk Barometer 2024
Safeguarding the future: independent schools push ahead despite financial challenges.
New Ecclesiastical research shows a leap in crime targeted at schools and rocketing costs for those affected.
Schools are being advised to review their crime protection strategies after new research from Ecclesiastical found a worrying increase in anti-social behaviour, graffiti, trespass and damage.
The survey of 500 UK teachers reveals that four out of five of the schools polled experienced criminal activity in the last 12 months, a 15% rise on the previous year.
The impact of crime on schools and school life is also increasing. On average, crime over the past 12 months has cost schools more than £26,000, double the figure for the previous year.
That’s a considerable sum of money in tough economic conditions, and the consequences of crime are more than just financial. Over a third (36%) of teachers reported that pupil anxiety has increased as a result of education crime, up from a quarter (25%) in 2022.
Schools that are targeted repeatedly run the risk of reputational damage and a loss of trust on the part of parents, teachers and the wider community.
What are the causes of education crime? Schools are not immune from wider societal trends, and incidents of petty crime and anti-social behaviour are rising more generally. This may be a response to the reopening of society after Covid and the current cost of living crisis.
It’s also true that schools can be seen as a soft target and are often located in their own grounds away from bustling streets and traffic. They offer a familiar yet secluded environment for children and young adults to gather.
Our research found that, of those who had experienced a crime, two in five (43%) said the crime had been committed by pupils and three in ten (31%) by ex-pupils.
In the face of rising education crime, doing nothing is not an option. Schools that have been targeted once are likely to be targeted again. If left unaddressed criminal activity can quickly escalate, and questions might be asked about a school’s commitment to staff and student safety.
“Schools are far from defenceless,” says Kevin Thomas, Principal Risk Management Surveyor for Ecclesiastical. “A combination of measures can make your school a far less appealing prospect to opportunist criminals and those intent on anti-social behaviour. When you present them with physical obstacles and a clear risk of detection, most will move on.”
In other words, make your school a harder target. Here are ten ways to do that: