The last bell rings. The gates close. Staff and students go home. But for local troublemakers or organised thieves, the holidays are when your school becomes a target. At Safeguard Monitoring, we know how to protect schools during the holidays.
Empty classrooms, dark corridors, and unattended grounds offer the perfect cover. And if no one’s watching? Vandalism, copper theft, and costly break-ins often follow.
So, how do you protect your school during the holidays, without draining your budget or relying on neighbours to “keep an eye out”?
Read our article to learn more.
TL;DR: Quick summary
School holidays often result in a spike in trespassing, theft, and property damage. CCTV monitoring offers a fast, affordable way to secure your site when staff are away, catching threats in real time and deterring criminal behaviour before it starts.
During the holidays, sites are left empty for weeks on end. The risk? Easy pickings for experienced criminals.
Why Holidays Pose A Security Risk to Schools
In this section of this guide, we start by looking at the reasons why schools would benefit from remote CCTV monitoring during the holiday periods.
If you’re keen to protect your school during the holidays, you’ll find the next sections eye-opening.
Schools are left empty for weeks
- No staff or students to raise the alarm
- Buildings and outbuildings are often left unoccupied
- Valuable equipment and tools may remain on-site
Criminals know when term time ends
- Most intrusions happen early in the break when they know no one’s around
- Social media posts and school calendars confirm closures
Standard alarms & CCTV cameras may not be enough
- They react after someone gets inside
- If no one hears the alarm or attends quickly, the damage is already done
Related reading: Why CCTV camera footage alone isn’t always enough to catch thieves
What could happen if your school is left unprotected?
These are just a few types of incidents that can occur when a school is left unprotected.
- Windows smashed and classrooms vandalised over the Easter break
- Thousands of pounds worth of lead stolen from a school roof
- IT equipment taken from an unmonitored academy during summer break
- An arson attempt was caught just in time at a primary school thanks to live monitoring
Seems far-fetched?
These links show how schools can fall victim to crime when closed for the holidays, and even at weekends:
Why remotely monitored CCTV is a smart holiday security strategy for schools
Let’s explore why monitored CCTV is an important consideration for those responsible for school security.
1. 24/7 eyes on your school
Operators monitor your school every night, weekend, and holiday, ready to act the second motion is detected.
Intruders are spotted and dealt with immediately.
Trespassers and vandals are warned to leave the site immediately.
Total peace of mind and total site security for your school.
2. Instant response to threats
No waiting for neighbours to hear an alarm. Operators:
- Review the footage instantly
- Issue live audio warnings
- Dispatch security patrols
3. Clear visual & audio deterrents
Live speaker warnings stop most intruders in their tracks.
Coupled with he presence of monitored surveillance cameras, this is a winning, crime-fighting combination.
Extra layers of protection
If you want to go beyond CCTV monitoring:
- Perimeter beams trigger alerts before someone even reaches the building
- Access control keeps doors locked remotely and records who enters
- Lighting automation mimics occupancy during long breaks
- Signage makes it clear the site is actively monitored
These systems work best when integrated, and all of them support a monitored solution.
How much does CCTV monitoring cost?
Not as much as you’d think. The cost of CCTV remote monitoring is a drop in the ocean compared to employing security guards.
- Doesn’t need staff on-site
- Doesn’t need physical patrols
- Runs 24/7 for a fixed monthly fee
Most schools spend far more on fixing broken windows or replacing stolen equipment compared to monthly or yearly monitoring fees.
Factors to consider
Think you’ve got security covered during the holidays?
Here are a few things to consider:
- Holiday schedule: Is your system armed during all breaks, not just summer?
- Threat response: What happens if your site is broken into
- Outbuilding coverage: Sheds, sports halls, and tech suites are often forgotten
- Audio deterrents: Are live voice warnings enabled?
- Camera placement: Are all blind spots covered?
- GDPR and safeguarding: Is your system compliant with data protection laws?
Summary: Protecting schools during the holidays with 24/7 CCTV monitoring
When the school is empty, the threat increases. Monitoring bridges that gap.
Rather than hoping your alarm works or your neighbours notice, you’ll have trained professionals watching every angle. Intruders are warned off, and incidents are dealt with, not just recorded.
Looking to improve school security during the holidays?
If you’re planning ahead for summer or half-term, now’s the time to act.
Book a free consultation and get a tailored, monitored security camera system that works for your school.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this is often the case. Longer breaks give more time for criminals to plan, especially when they know the school is empty. Summer, Christmas, and Easter are all high-risk periods for break-ins, theft, and vandalism. After all, if you’re a criminal seeking to steal a ton of laptops, would you wait until after the school is empty or not?
How does CCTV monitoring work when no one is on-site?
When cameras detect movement, the footage is sent instantly to a remote monitoring team. Operators check the footage, issue a warning, and take further action where necessary, all within seconds. You don’t need anyone on-site for this to work. And especially not the expense of a guard draining tight school budgets.
Can I activate CCTV monitoring just for school holiday periods?
Yes. Some schools choose full-time monitoring, while others opt for term-time during evenings and weekends, with full coverage over holidays. A flexible provider can tailor the service to your schedule. Always look for a partner who offers flexible options. After all, school budgets are tight.
What’s the difference between standard CCTV and monitored CCTV?
Standard CCTV just records. Monitored CCTV actively protects. When movement is detected, a trained operator sees it in real time and can step in to prevent damage, not just capture it. Standard CCTV is a deterrent, but security camera monitoring adds that extra layer of protection.
Will this help with insurance?
In most cases, yes. Insurers see monitored CCTV as a strong deterrent and may offer reduced premiums or require it as part of cover terms, especially if the school has experienced previous incidents. Whilst this isn’t certain, it’s well worth exploring your options.