Mike Crosby, Sales Director, SLS sums it up well: “The business of providing technology to educational establishments for all ages has evolved over the last few years with increased focus on security and access control - understanding and logging who is in the buildings and when is more important now than ever before. Many secondary schools let out facilities during evenings and weekends and biometric access can allow guest access to be managed easily as well as contractor access for maintenance. This can be done without the administrative overhead of providing and recovering keys. Biometric access control systems can interface to other building management systems such as lighting and heating as well as CCTV.
“Biometric fingerprint readers have a number of other uses including control of the use of technical facilities such as stage lighting and audio visual systems thereby maintaining only authorised and appropriate operation.”
Matt Thomas, Managing Director of ASSA ABLOY Access Control, adds: “School buildings should always provide a warm and inviting environment that stimulates learning and development. However, with school safety concerns intensifying nationwide, architects and school managers are concluding that while schools should not operate as secure fortresses, security features must be integrated into remodelling and refurbishment plans.
“When specifying security systems, all aspects of school buildings should be considered, from the outside perimeter systems through to internal classroom security, whilst complying with current industry standards and Building Regulations.
ASSA ABLOY Access Control has developed a wide range of integrated solutions to protect people and equipment in education environments, combining locking products, Access Control, security and automated doors.
One such integrated solution is the Aperio system – a smart technology that enables mechanical locks to be wirelessly linked to an existing Access Control system, with very minimal need to modify the door.
Aperio offers cost effective expansion of almost any current system and is a versatile security solution to better meet the needs of remodelled or refurbished education facilities. This can help with threats, including theft, vandalism and trespass and safeguards wellbeing of pupils, staff and property, which is paramount.
“In conclusion, by taking a journey through a typical school building, it is clear that as the demands on operational efficiency and expectations for high levels of staff and pupil care increase, the requirement for intelligent, discreet and effective security and access control solutions is stronger than ever,” said Matt.
Cashless payments
SQuid was established in 2005 with a simple focus: to create a low cost payments network, independent of the banks, that utilizes the power of the internet (IP protocols) to enable secure transactions between consumers and merchants. The first two schools to go live with the sQuid cashless catering smart card were Sheldon School and St Augustines College in Wiltshire in early 2009.
Squid’s Bede Feltham told Education Today: “There are numerous key benefits to introducing cashless payments in to schools and educational campuses including: the stigma free administration of free school meals (FSM); no more need to send cash or cheques to school as parents can top up their child’s account online; sQuid can be extended in to other school functions including, ID, access control and other payments, e.g. print and photocopying; it can also be extended into other school related payments such as online payments for school trips, uniform and other school related activities; also to other areas of the community outside the school gate, including transit, retail, loyalty and leisure. For example, children could pay for entry and a snack at their local leisure centre, using the same card. It provides the convenience of cashless payments with no need to handle cash; and reduces cash handling costs at the school including secure cash collection.”
The sQuid network from the outset was designed with the very highest level of bank type security in mind. The underlying schema has been inspected by Industry audited security experts and is hosted in a secure data centre.
A huge amount of progress has been made, says Bede: “The product has evolved quite considerably in its implementation since the initial launch in mid-2008. Although at its heart the core system remains the same there have been significant developments and enhancements in that time with more in development, for example ‘auto top up’. Payments can now also be made using biometric authentication and there are plans for an NFC mobile payments application later in the year.”
Banbury School teamed up with sQuidcard and Sodexo, its contract caterers, to develop a new cashless catering system as one of the first schools in the country to use the technology. Students use biometric identification to pay for transactions, linked to an online sQuid account.
Bolton College also worked with sQuid to introduce the very latest in smart card technology designed to make student’s life and time at College that much easier.
Card holders can now use sQuid eMoney on their College card to pay for items such as food and drink on the College campus. It’s convenient, safe and secure, and can be topped up with money online so they don’t have to bring cash to college.
Each registered sQuid account is created using a unique Username and Password. If parents would like to register more than one child at a school, they simply need to register each child separately with a different Username and Password.
Alliance in Partnership (AiP), education catering contractors provide nutritious hot and cold meal provision for private and public schools across England. They work in partnership with their school contracts and have found significant speed and cost proficiency in introducing biometric cashless systems.
“We have systems installed in 20 schools and feedback has been excellent across the board,” said David Weller, AiP Managing Director. “We have seen a 15-25% increase in sales since implementation and the systems provide cost savings across personnel and paper reporting.”
“It is one of the many infrastructure changes we are instigating in partnership with the schools to drive down costs and improve efficiency levels.”
When considering cashless systems schools and caterers need to be aware of maintenance requirements, personnel training and a phase-in procedure for pupils, staff and parents.
“There can be some negative responses surrounding pupil privacy when using the cashless systems,” said David. “Parents minds are quickly put at ease when it is explained that a unique pin number is used and no individual details are logged.”
There are many benefits to be gained from biometric systems he says, including smoother admin processes, reduced personnel costs, improved time management, replacement cards being eliminated therefore saving parents the cost of the new card and human error reduction. Caterers benefit from pupil buying behaviour analytical reporting for help with trend research and increased meal uptake. Pupils benefit from not having to carry cash, reduction in potential bullying and quick and efficient food ordering. And parents also benefit from money being held in an account to, dare we say it, prevent pupils from spending cash on phone cards or sweets while allowing them to limit the daily spend on food.
John Docherty, Senior Administration Manager of John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre, whose catering contract is managed by AiP had a biometric system installed in July last year. “The advantages [of] the new system provide anonymity to students in receipt of free school meals and dietary control,” explains John, “The vast majority of parents and pupils welcomed the cashless system offering the confidence that their money is being spent on nutritious and wholesome food.”
AiP use the Trust-e Cashless System, an E-Government national awards winner 2008, supplied by Nationwide Retail Systems Limited (NRS), which has improved their catering provision immensely.
“We have formed an excellent relationship over the last few years with AiP” explains David Paylor Head of Trust-e Cashless Systems, NRS.
“Together we can provide the schools with an excellent ‘Total Solution’, being able to monitor the choices students make for their lunch, ensuring the best possible catering service within the school.
“The system also reduces queuing times ensuring all students requiring a lunch are able to move through the service. With multiple options for identification and anonymous Free School Meals the ‘Total Solution’ gives schools optimal proficiency and results.
“There is much debate in the media and amongst schools, parents and governors about the price of school meals and Free School Meals often being labeled as controversial in some way or another. Cashless systems only benefit and overcome these issues by reducing costs after initial implementation. When AiP can offer hot beverages and fresh fruit from as little as 25p, sandwiches from £1.25 and hot fresh meals between £1.80 and £2.50 school meals offer some of the healthiest and cost effective available.”
Since the coalition government came to power AiP has seen a substantial increase in the number of schools seeking to put their catering contracts out to tender and move away from local authority caterers. This move, along with the choice to establish an Academy status, allows schools to manage budgets more effectively and make decisions solely on the good of the school culture and needs said David:“Enquiries are at record level for us due to our reputation as a specialist school caterer who provides high quality at the right cost”.
