MORRISTON Comprehensive School has scooped a prestigious award because its new building has crime prevention built into key aspects of its design.
The £22million rebuild of the city secondary has been awarded a national Police Secured by Design certificate for measures from modern fencing and layout to state-of-the-art CCTV on site.
Inspector Phil Thomas of South Wales Police, a former pupil at the school, presented the award.
He said: “Morriston Comprehensive is where I went to school so I’m especially pleased to have come home to present a Secured by Design Certificate to staff and pupils there.
“Our objective as a police force is to reduce burglary and crime, and designing out crime through physical security and processes in the first place is the way ahead.
“The police cannot prevent and solve crime on their own and working in partnership on projects such as this is vital.
“I would like to praise Swansea Council as well as the architects, planners, developers and the school for working in partnership with the police. This development is now a fantastic facility and really sets Morriston Comprehensive School apart from many schools in this area.”
Cllr Jen Raynor, Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Education, said: “The security of our buildings and the safety of staff, pupils and others who use our schools is a vital consideration in our QEd programme to improve teaching accommodation and pupil attainment.
“The award to Morriston follows awards for our Cefn Hengoed and Penyrheol Comprehensive School rebuilds and we are also working alongside the police on on-going and future projects too.”
Secured by Design focuses on crime prevention of many types of premises including homes, commercial premises, universities, hospitals and schools. It promotes the use of security standards and design principles.
The principles have been proven to achieve a reduction of crime risk by up to 75%, through combining minimum standards of physical security and well-tested principles of natural surveillance and defensible space.
The £22m Morriston Comprehensive School rebuild was funded by the Welsh Government and Swansea Council. The work was completed earlier this year and the school was officially opened last week.
More than 1,000 pupils attend the school, which has also seen Swansea Council collect a Constructing Excellence Wales ‘Client of the Year’ award.
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