Customer: Arden Academy
Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Requirement: To upgrade the school’s CCTV system
Solution: Avigilon HD CCTV Cameras, Avigilon Control Center, Avigilon HD Network Video Recorder, Avigilon Encoders
Services: Design, Installation, Ongoing Support & Maintenance
Customer’s View: “Our existing CCTV equipment wasn’t fit for purpose.” Andy Hinsley, Business Manager “The new system has made a massive difference.” Youssef Hennous, IT Network Manager
School’s investment in Avigilon HD CCTV cameras helps reassure and protect
Arden Academy is a High Performing Specialist Academy for 11 – 18 year olds in Knowle, Solihull. The school prides itself on doing the very best for every pupil, helping them achieve their full educational potential as they develop into happy, well-rounded young adults.
The school had an analogue CCTV system, but, as Andy Hinsley, Arden’s Business Manager said, “It wasn’t fit for purpose and needed to be replaced.” Youssef Hennous, Arden’s IT Network Manager added: “We couldn’t guarantee playback of images. It meant that if we needed to watch footage of an incident that had occurred, we couldn’t.”
One of the biggest reasons for upgrading the system was an unusual concern in relation to the school’s grounds. The school has a public footpath running through it. It is closed during school hours to protect students but is open out of hours, something that presents an obvious security risk. The school also wanted to provide a better level of overall safety and security, as well as safeguard students more effectively and improve behaviour between lessons.
Youssef was responsible for appointing a company for the supply and installation of the new CCTV system. He’d come across Ecl-ips the year before and had a free CCTV trial at the time, so he had no hesitation in appointing them when the decision to upgrade the system was given the go-ahead. He commented: “The great thing about Ecl-ips is their technical expertise and their experience in working with schools – it means they know what they’re talking about. Their whole approach was just what we needed. They also offer a range of solutions rather than just one so they were able to recommend the solution that was best for us in terms of both price and functionality.”
Ecl-ips’ CCTV solution for Arden Academy
Ecl-ips recommended that Arden Academy use HD CCTV equipment from Avigilon. Its products are used in thousands of sites around the world and it is a particularly popular choice for schools because its components can be customised to provide a cost-effective camera solution. The system would give Arden the quality and reliability of images they needed and make it easy for them to retrieve images to review incidents on school grounds.
Ecl-ips installed various cameras inside and outside the school buildings. The cameras give complete coverage and peace of mind. All the cameras have infra-red emitters so the school has complete coverage even in darkness and all offer HD detail for exceptional image quality. Some of th e external cameras include analytics software which make it particularly easy for staff to analyse a scene and identify suspicious people and vehicles.
Ecl-ips installed the new system in the school summer holidays to avoid any disruption to everyday school life. Both Andy Hinsley and Youssef Hennous were impressed with the installation process. Andy commented: “It was a very good, efficient installation,” while Youssef said: “The engineers were very good and very professional. Like everyone at Ecl-ips, they’re happy to go the extra mile.”
The school has a one year support and maintenance contract with Ecl-ips together with remote support if needed. “Everything is working as we’d expect at the moment, but having the service contract in place gives us peace of mind if anything does go wrong,” said Youssef.
A camera installation that has made a massive difference
Youssef is clear the difference that the new system has made: “It’s massive,” he said. “Shortly after the installation there was a misbehaviour incident in the corridor and we were able to review the footage and take the necessary action. We couldn’t have done that before.”
In conclusion
Both Andy Hinsley and Youssef Hennous were impressed with the installation process. Andy commented: “It was a very good, efficient installation,” while Youssef said: “The engineers were very good and very professional. Like everyone at Ecl-ips, they’re happy to go the extra mile.”
Download the Arden Academy Case Study PDF