Ecclesiastical Offers Data on Schools Crime and Vandalism

Now that the schools are opening again and the summer holidays are over, crime levels at centres of education will naturally fall; fewer bored teenagers means a reduction in fires, break-ins and casual vandalism. But for brokers in this sector, it’s worth noting this new research from Ecclesiastical, because advice is always welcome when it comes to security.

New research commissioned by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical has revealed two in five schools (41%) believe they would benefit from more crime and security risk guidance from their insurer or insurance broker, presenting an opportunity for brokers. Schools are an attractive target for criminals, as two thirds of schools in the UK (64%) have experienced a crime in the last 12 months.

Schools have suffered an increase in criminal behaviour since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when previous research from Ecclesiastical found a third (35%) of schools had experienced a crime.

The survey of 500 teachers discovered schools have suffered anti-social behaviour (28%), trespassing (24%), graffiti (23%) and criminal damage (22%) during the past year, representing a steep increase since the height of the pandemic.

On average, crime over the past 12 months has cost schools more than £13,000.

Schools are being proactive about crime prevention, three quarters (72%) have introduced new measures to protect the school and deter criminals during the past 12 months. The top investments are CCTV (49%), alarms (27%), security fencing (21%) and security lighting (19%).

Faith Kitchen, customer segment director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Amidst the cost of living crisis, schools can be an attractive target for criminals. Brokers play an important role in helping education clients understand the risks they are facing and in ensuring they have the right cover in place. There are a number of measures schools can take to better secure school property and assets, which would ideally be a combination of both physical and electronic protection. Fencing around the perimeter can often offer a good first line of defence against unwanted visitors, while CCTV can act as a visual deterrent for those not wanting to be caught on camera.”

Ecclesiastical Insurance offers a range of risk management support and guidance to help schools manage the risks they face. For more information, visit the Hub for Education.