Monitoring access within an educational building can be challenging as the initial reception is often the only point of access control. However, being able to see through a door opens up the environment, allowing teaching staff extra vigilance over the foot traffic in the building through natural surveillance. Being able to observe any situation from behind a closed door offers a physical barrier and therefore protection. Anyone wishing to gain entry to a classroom can be visually identified by opening the vision panel before access is granted. Security within the educational environment also needs to cater for students within it, who may be of an age where rules are not necessarily there to be adhered to. Secure vision panels enable teaching staff to keep an eye on any situation passively, without having to open the door. Their decision whether to enter a room and intervene in any situation is based on what they see through the door therefore avoiding unnecessary interruptions.
Interrupting studies can waste time and students can sometimes be difficult to re - engage. Closing a secure vision panel while a lesson is in progress ensures the bustling corridor outside and the learning environment inside remain separate, enabling studies to take place in private. This creates a calmer environment, more conducive to learning. The panels also enable privacy in the room in any sensitive situation. If a student needs to speak to a member of staff in private or vice versa, the panel can be closed to help achieve this.
But it isn’t just teaching rooms that can benefit from secure vision panels: other areas within educational environments such as the student health centre also benefit from this privacy control. Once such example is at Caterham School’s new health centre. Vistamatic® secure vision panels were specified for the health centre to provide discreet observation without disturbance into the boys’ and girls’ wards and the treatment room. The secure vision panels allow the nurses to regularly check on students without opening the door, which in turn creates a much more private environment. Not opening the door to check on students also greatly reduces the risk of spreading germs.
Secure vision panels can integrate seamlessly into an environment and are being seen more often within buildings in the education sector. Vistamatic® vision panels were recently specified for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences department at Edinburgh Napier University. Over 40 vision panels have been installed to bring privacy to the specialist treatment rooms on the new Sighthill campus.
Constant investment, research and development have enabled Vistamatic® to supply a wide range of vision panels of both to standard and bespoke specifications. Vision panels are available in different sizes, finishes and even in a variety of shapes, allowing them to blend effortlessly into their installed environment. The working mechanism is supported with a Lifetime Warranty which eliminates maintenance and is a testament to the quality of every product. More and more architects and specifiers are realizing the potential that has made Vistamatic® a world leader in secure vision panels. Thanks to its versatility, the secure vision panels’ integration into the educational environment is sure to continue.
