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Educational facilities across the UK face the daily challenge of protecting their students. It’s a harsh reality that every organisation has to cope with the possibility (and often reality) of acts of violence, break-ins, and other sensitive events disrupting the overall purpose of giving young people the right education. 

The ongoing predicaments faced by education leaders often points them in the direction of safe and effective two-way communication as a means to combat oncoming safety issues.

But, a lot of organisations are not using the right communication device in respect to truly being able to ensure unnecessary safeguarding risks aren’t able to rear their ugly head. 

This blog looks at what the statistics show for how many schools, colleges, and universities are using licenced two-way radios to keep people safe and productive at all times. 

What the statistics show

From the approximate 32,667 educational facilities in the UK, only 1,207 have active OFCOM radio licences. 

That’s roughly 4 percent of organisations within the education sector that are using licenced radios as a means of safe and secure two-way communication. 

Data Source: OFCOM. Data is accurate as of November 2022. 

As a business that specialises in two-way radios for the education sector, we know that a lot of facilities opt for using licence-free devices over licenced ones. 

Why? Mainly because they are cheaper as a one-off purchase than their licenced counterparts. Plus, they work straight out of the box and come with basic features – so there’s no need for programming in respect to smart software and features. 

So, what’s the problem? 

Whilst schools, colleges, and universities are under no obligation to use licenced radios, or two-way radios in general, it’s important to know what the associated risks are with using an unsuitable product. 

The seriousness of safeguarding

The safeguarding of young people is priority number one in any educational facility. Protecting them at all times is something that can’t be taken lightly. 

And whilst using licence-free radios may help schools be more proactive with what’s going on from the first bell to last, the use of them is potentially creating safeguarding issues without people realising. 

This is because licence-free radios operate on open frequencies. So anyone who purchases a licence-free radio, can use the available 16 frequencies (channels) and communicate with others on the same channel. 

The issue here is that licence-free radios are so popular that channels become congested between people who don’t necessarily know each other. 

So, picture a scenario where an educational facility is discussing a young person over the airwaves, and someone outside of the organisation has stumbled across the conversation. They, in theory, can use the information to create a threat to the safety of the students and the staff. 

If you consider how careful schools must be in respect to intruders entering their property, then you can’t take for granted how sensitive the information is that is being communicated by staff member to staff member. 

Does it pay to be mobile?

The use of mobile phones within schools (in particular) is always a hot topic. There’s been previous calls from the government to have smartphones banned from school – as they are seen as a deterrent for a safe, thriving learning environment. 

The rise of social media platforms, such as TikTok, is seen as a major factor behind the behavioural traits of young people. This is particularly pertinent in respect to acts of verbal and physical abuse towards each other and staff members. 

Some schools operate a ‘no mobile phone policy’, with staff themselves using two-way radio devices during the day. This helps to set an example for younger people, who may be tempted to try and sneak their device into school grounds, particularly if they see teachers using one themselves. 

From a practical point of view, mobile phones do not offer the same level of instant communication as a two-way radio. With a mobile device, you are reliant on the other person picking up the call before being able to communicate. 

With a two-way radio, receiving radio calls is instant, with no need to wait for the other person to pick the device up to accept the call. 

This can have a profound impact on response time. Especially in emergency situations where they may be an ongoing safety threat. 

Choose a business with over 36 years of experience

We believe that more and more schools, colleges, and universities should use two-way radios to protect young people and staff. 

For the reasons referenced in this blog post, we will never recommend licence-free radios to educational facilities. We always work with organisations to find them a licenced product that suits their budget and needs. 

We’ve put together a short video that explains some of the points raised in this blog – in order to help education leaders understand more about the differences between licenced and licence-free radios. 

Speak to us today via either our live chat facility or get in touch via our contact us form. Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 328 0100 between 8:30am and 5:15pm Monday to Friday.