Essential features to consider on two-way radios for schools

Secondary schools often have large campuses that include multiple buildings, sports fields, and outdoor areas, so it’s crucial to choose a two-way radio system with extended coverage to maintain clear communication throughout the site. You may also need to use your two-way radios outside of the school premises, e.g. when supervising pupil behaviour at nearby bus stops and shops before and after school. Your radios should be able to perform well in a variety of environments, including through walls and floors, so that a colleague outdoors can communicate seamlessly with someone deep within the school building.

Licensed radios give you extended coverage for larger school campuses and multisite FE Colleges, while unlicensed radios are more suitable for small or single site deployments, such as primary schools with shorter ranges and less potential interference.

In emergency situations, fast and effective communication is vital, so look for radio handsets with easily accessible emergency features that can send alerts to all users instantly, and dedicated emergency channels for swift communication during incidents. GPS is another good feature to look for, as this enables real-time tracking, efficient coordination on the ground, and student safety assurance, and can also be used for post-incident analysis to improve your ongoing emergency readiness.

Two-way radios used in schools should have a battery that lasts throughout the school day without needing to be recharged, so at least 6 to 8 hours. In some cases, staff will need their radio for longer than this, e.g. during after school events or off-site activities. Opting for a radio with extended battery life will give you all day communication capabilities and peace of mind. You should also look for efficient power management to optimise your recharge time, so that handsets plugged in at the end of the day will be ready for use again in the morning.

Schools can be a fairly physical environment for staff, so you’ll need a radio handset that is capable of withstanding the rigours of daily school use – e.g. resistant to drops, spills, and rough handling. It’s also useful to specify an IP rating for dust resistance and water resistance (minimum IP54, up to IP65), so that the handsets can be used reliably outdoors, on the sports field, and around the swimming pool, without incurring damage.