to be shocked that a primary school fence is only 4 foot high??

[Sobloodyworried123]

Playground is directly to the front of the school, car park to the left and the entire gate is a metal 4 foot high fence.
Isn't this extremely low?
The road is a quiet residential road but at the end of that small lane is a 50mph fast road.
Entirely put off the whole school based on that ( as well as pretty shit ofsted report ) AIBU?

Our school (quietish, low crime suburb) has the high railings, keypad/intercom entry on the external door to the office, mirrored glass to this door and an internal door with keypad to get to the classrooms.

It doesn't look or feel like a prison at all. It's there to keep our little ones as safe as possible. A crazed gunman obviously could shoot his way in, it's not bulletproof (those days will come, no doubt) but I feel that assured dd is safe.

Dunblane is in my thoughts a lot. If all these 'prison' like measures' save another community going through what they went through, it's worth it.

It wouldn't be an issue for me. are you more concerned about children getting out or strangers getting in? Dc school had a open gates onto the road, lake, public footpaths bordering the land. They were allowed to climb trees within their shoulder height and play out in the snow. Children need to be taught to respect hazards and operate within the rules. Younger children esp fs will have their own fenced off areas within the school site and there will be keypads/buzzer on main entrances to the buildings.

Son is a massive climber, although obviously I would hope not in a school environment although his pre school was incredibly secure so wouldn't have got a chance.
It's more the fact the gate is easily accessed by anyone, it's low and you literally lean over to open it yourself. Very different from the schools I went to visit which have a buzzer system just to get into the playground.

Fence height is a big ofsted tick box round here, South london

And security in general, buzzer system to get in, passes for visitors etc

Ours is three feet high if that. I like it; it feels calm, relaxed and garden-like.

A higher fence wouldn't stop someone randomly shooting at children in a playground anyway.

I went to a state primary school with an unfenced river as a boundary line I never saw a child as much as dangle a toe in it though poohsticks off the bridge were popular when we were little. The nuns weren't particularly ardent nettle cutters though so perhaps that was it.

London makes me sad, I walk past a school in the morning with what must be at least a 12 ft high chainlink fence where there isn't solid wall. The lower ground floor windows are covered with bars and even with a brightly painted playground it all just looks like a victorian prison.

My kids' infant school had low fences - about 4' - it was in a conservation area and that was the highest permitted. Nobody escaped (ds's friend had a good go but went for the gate ) There's another school nearby that has a 3' wall round the school field. Locked doors with security codes though.

In terms of gates etc, you also have to bear in mind that you need to be able to get everyone out quickly in the event of a fire.

Schools in the US have a lot of security and school shootings happen there. It's more to do with intent.

DS' school is totally open with no boundaries but we are in Germany where attitudes are different. The buildings are only locked when empty.

My primary school had a 3ft fence in primary colours, late 90s.

Our primary school gates are always open so they just bypass the wall thing really . Not really sure what you expect its a school it has a boundry fence

All our schools have buzzer entry though

It would put me off a school as well. Higher fences just feel more safe and secure to me.

Infant school fence is about 5 foot high and has safety handles that even adults struggle with

Juniors is probably about 3/4 foot high

Our school has a low wall around part of it but mostly it can be accessed from a field.
There is a buzzer system but it is rarely operational.
there are no visitor passes and you could simply 'walk in' most of the time most days.

Ours is fenced and protected like HMP Belmarsh, I always thought this a bit over the top. Small fences wouldn't put me off, the playgrounds are always supervised.

We have a wall thats high then railings and mesh ontop of that but thats to prevent balls going into gardens mainly

Needs to be higher. We have had a fair few bolters in our school. Usually takes staff half an hour to realise they are gone

PMSL at "It's a school not a zoo".

True though.

I agree with Littlefish.

Our school has those great big 8ft+ high fences. I know of at least two children who have successfully made it over the top.

The other issue is that staff aren't allowed to physically stop them. The policy is to alert the relevant people and then follow the child - only the staff can't get over the fence, so they have to run all the way around and either get a gate unlocked or cut through the school building and then find the child.

No fence at my dc's school. I am perfectly happy with that. They do buzz people in though, which seems sensible.

It just doesn't feel secure to me at all.
It's the only school in the whole place like it, the others can't all be wrong!

Both!

Yes here too. I don't think I've seen a school without a 7ft+ perimeter fence since shortly after the Dunblane tragedy.

We are about 45 minutes drive from Dunblane and our school fence is waist-height.