Tapton School Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust operating a family of schools across Sheffield with almost 6000 pupils from the ages of 2 up to 18. Within the Trust they operate five primary schools and four secondary schools. Their core ethos is to provide a high quality education and experience to all pupils combined with providing positive staff well-being and morale.

Elementary Technology, a leading provide of AV solutions and EdTech, based in Leeds, was approached to source a lockdown solution for all five primary schools and two of the secondary schools within the Trust.

Alertex tapton 1

Elementary Technology wanted to offer a wireless solution with minimal civil works, this being a concern for the Trust as they wanted to keep disruption to a minimum. The Trust also required a Lockdown system that could be utilised both indoors and outdoors, covering the entirety of each academy, with no area on-site unable to hear a lockdown alert. It needed to involve no disruption to the day-to-day activities of the Trust and without altering the infrastructure and fabric of school buildings. Wired systems would have entailed areas being closed off to install cables with delays to the schools’ schedule.

Luminite Electronics provide the only wireless lockdown solution for schools so were a perfect fit for this challenging project. The Alertex range of wireless call points and sounder/beacons forms an interconnecting wireless mesh network between units on the same site code. When one unit is activated, it will trigger all other units on the same site as they act as repeaters. The system is fully standalone with a long battery life of two years.

Alertex tapton 2

In the first instance, Elementary Technology supplied Luminite with plans for each school and a rough idea of placement for lockdown devices was mapped out. Luminite assisted Elementary Technology in visiting a number of the schools to carry out site surveys to check transmission ranges prior to finalising the number of devices required. Elementary Technology work closely with Midwich who specialise in providing the education market with the latest technology. Over 200 Alertex devices were required across the seven schools with each school provided with an IP Bridge to monitor the system.

Tim Kent from Elementary Technology commented 'The wireless nature of the Alertex system meant that we could fulfil Tapton Trust's brief for minimal disruption during the installation process. Once the units were wall-mounted and batteries installed, it's onto the next unit.'

Lewis Askin, the Tapton Trust IT Director said 'Through our work with Elementary Technology, we believe we have procured a system that fully meets our needs. It is simple to use and gives us the confidence that, if we were ever in the situation where we needed to trigger a lockdown, our school community is safeguarded. Elementary Technology took time to consider our exact requirements and, through their knowledge and expertise, ensured the Alertex solution would provide what we needed. They paid special attention to any potential pinch-points and that informed the final solution.'

Laura Grainger from Luminite commented 'Carrying out site surveys is a must for companies tasked with installing our lockdown system and we were happy to attend site with Elementary Technology. Walking the premises with the school's Estate Manager enabled us to understand the issues facing this particular Trust and the potential pinch-points that required special attention. Following the successful installation of the Alertex lockdown system we are delighted to welcome Elementary Technology as one of our official Approved Installers.'

Alertex Lockdown System diagram