Can a school stay open while a fence is installed or replaced?

Creating a school environment with minimal disruption to students is key to successful learning, and the prospect of installing or replacing a fence is something that can immediately raise concerns due to the disturbance it may cause.

But in the majority of cases, the answer to the above question is yes – a school can stay open during the replacement or installation of a fence. It all depends on a number of factors.

Noise levels

In a teaching environment, noise is probably the biggest potential cause of disruption to learning. How much noise is involved and how pervasive it is will vary from school to school.

Location and topography both play important roles. If the installation is taking place on a field, the noise levels will be minimal; installations on concrete will be much louder.

The proximity of the installation to the school buildings is also something that needs to be taken into consideration. Small school sites may want to avoid noisy installations taking place during opening hours due to disruption to lessons, but it may be suitable for larger sites where there’s a good distance between the fence and the buildings.

Time of year

The timing of the installation is another important consideration. During exam times, any sort of noise can be a distraction. The amount of noise would again depend on the type of fencing and the ground type, but even low-noise installations may be unsuitable during these times. Additionally, the disruption to schedules and the presence of additional people onsite may cause distractions.

Seasonal aspects can have an impact too. The summer months might be the optimum time for sports field installations, but this is also the time that these facilities are likely to be in use. It’s important to make sure the installation doesn't clash with planned activities and break times.

The warmer months are also the time when windows are likely to be open, which could lead to more disruption from noise.

Winter presents its own challenges. Poor weather conditions can mean that an installation is likely to take longer to complete. Installations on fields will inevitably cause more damage due to ground being softer and as a result taking longer to recover.

Urgency of installation

Some installations won’t wait for breaks or optimum weather conditions. It may be that fencing has been damaged and is causing a hazard, either through risk of injury or by leaving a gap in the fence.

Sometimes temporary fencing or cordoning off and securing an area can allow an installation to take place after opening hours but in other circumstances, there’s no choice other than to undertake the installation in school hours. This of course means that all of the installers need to be DBS checked.

Size of installation

A small installation such as a gate can usually be completed within a day or two. Depending on whether it is a main gate or an emergency exit, it’s essential to ensure that health and safety needs are met by the provision of alternatives.

Larger installations involving taller or longer fencing runs require correspondingly larger amounts of work, in the forms of the number of installers needed, and heavy machinery onsite. These will also take longer – it may be possible to segment the works into different time periods so that only part of the site is disrupted and activities can be planned around it to avoid them.

If that’s not feasible, these installations are best scheduled to take place in holiday periods. Works of this nature need to be planned and booked well in advance – many companies get quickly booked up for these periods.

Jacksons Fencing has extensive experience in repairing, providing and installing school fencing. All of our installers are DBS certified and we’re ready to help with all your fencing needs.

Contact us today and find out how we can help.