Telford College of Arts and Technology is a further education college located on the outskirts of Wellington in Telford, Shropshire, United Kingdom. With 2000 full-time students and more than 15,000 part-time students, the college offers a wide range of vocational courses to prepare students 16 years and older for employment and higher education.Telford College deployed the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system to create a positive, safe, and stimulating learning environment across the entire campus.
Founded in 1892, Telford College of Arts and Technology is a further education college located on the outskirts of Wellington in Telford, Shropshire, United Kingdom. With 2000 full-time students and more than 15,000 part-time students, the college offers a wide range of vocational courses to prepare students 16 years and older for employment and higher education. As an open campus that sits on 12 hectares of land including 27,000 square meters of building space, two outdoor football pitches, and a 550-space parking lot, Telford College is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of its community.Telford College deployed the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system to create a positive, safe, and stimulating learning environment across the entire campus.
Top Marks in Student Safeguarding
Like all educational facilities across the United Kingdom, Telford College is regulated by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED,) which is mandated to ensure the highest standards in care and education for children, young people, and students. A key OFSTED criteria is a college's ability to effectively safeguard its students, a requirement that must be met to achieve an overall strong rating. “We received an outstanding grade in safeguarding in 2010 – particularly impressive because we are an open campus – and we are very motivated to demonstrate our continuing commitment to the highest safeguarding standards,” explained Andy Wilkinson, Estates Manager at Telford College.
From Analog to High-Definition
Determined to maintain a safe and secure campus environment, Telford College felt it was time to upgrade its old analog-based surveillance system to better monitor student behavior and deter unauthorized individuals from accessing the campus and causing mischief. “Well passed its sell-by date, our analog system was unreliable, difficult to manage, and delivered distorted images, making it difficult for us to achieve our security goals,” said Wilkinson. Following a tender exercise, the college opted to work with Technical Services (Shropshire), a local provider of surveillance system design, installation, and service, and install the Avigilon system.
Avigilon across Campus
Wilkinson and his four-person security team manage the Avigilon high-definition surveillance solution using the Avigilon control center network video management software (NVMS) with High-Definition Stream Management (HDSM) technology. The college installed Avigilon HD cameras ranging from 2 MP to 8 MP in key areas across the campus including student social areas, the cafeteria, library, 3G football pitch, the delivery entrance, and the Construction Centre. Telford College also installed an Avigilon 8MP 360 degrees panoramic dome camera in its shop to achieve maximum coverage with just one camera. The college relies on several Avigilon analog video encoders to improve the performance of its existing cameras. The college also installed an Avigilon NVR to store up to 14 days of continuous surveillance footage.
Simplified Search Enhances Security
According to Wilkinson, one of the key features of the Avigilon system is the ability to cluster groups of views by themes, making it simple to call up specific areas efficiently to further expedite investigations. “I have grouped all social areas together and all external views together, so I can pull up a view in a second and have full coverage in front of me,” noted Wilkinson. The superior image quality and zooming capabilities of the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system also enhance investigation success. “The ability to zoom, particularly in crowded social areas, allows me to identify students quickly and accurately if necessary.”
With its superior usability, the Avigilon system is a big hit with the security team. “Our security guards would tell you that the difference in system manageability is immeasurable compared to our old system, which required hours to search without guaranteeing results,” said Wilkinson. “The Avigilon system frees up our security personnel to patrol the grounds, reassuring the college community that the campus is safe and secure.” If needed, the college can also monitor potential issues live and dispatch personnel to assist on the ground as needed.
An Effective Deterrent
Although the college has not publicized the new Avigilon high-definition surveillance system to its students, the college has noticed a marked decline in security incidents since its implementation. “While the new CCTV system is not the only factor behind this decline – the addition of new social spaces has also contributed – there is no doubt that word gets around the college community and disruptive behavior decreases.”
Securing an Open Campus
The Avigilon high-definition surveillance system plays a critical role at Telford College, which prides itself on being an open campus where students may come and go as required. “With access to reliable, clear images that deliver indisputable evidence, we are confident we can provide valuable footage to college stakeholders and external agencies to help resolve incidents as quickly and effectively as possible,” concluded Wilkinson. “As a result, we can ensure the safety and security of our college community.”