July and August consistently represent the peak season for installers working within the education sector. With schools closed to students, access is easier, disruption is minimal, and large-scale upgrades can be delivered efficiently. But Summer 2026 isn't just another installation window—it is shaping up to be a critical turning point for school security planning across the UK.
With Martyn's Law progressing through its implementation phase ahead of enforcement in April 2027, schools are now actively reviewing their emergency preparedness strategies. At the same time, safeguarding challenges such as vaping continue to escalate, with 84% of schools reporting issues related to student vape use.
For installers working with schools, Multi-Academy Trusts and local authorities, this creates a clear opportunity: deliver scalable, future-proof systems that support compliance, safeguarding and rapid emergency communication.
Martyn's Law
What Schools & Installers Need to Know
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly referred to as Martyn's Law, was introduced to improve public safety and ensure venues are better prepared for a terrorist incident. The legislation is currently in its implementation phase and is expected to become enforceable in April 2027.
The Act focuses on four key public protection procedures:
- Evacuation – moving people out of a building
- Invacuation – moving people to a safer area within the building
- Lockdown – securing a building to prevent people from entering or leaving
- Communication – delivering unambiguous instructions
All schools will fall under the Standard Tier regardless of their capacity. While the legislation does not specifically require schools to install a lockdown system, they will be expected to review their emergency procedures, nominate a responsible person who must be registered with the Security Industry Authority (SIA), and demonstrate how they will communicate effectively during an incident.
Importantly, schools are already expected to ensure lockdown alerts are clearly distinguishable from fire alarms. This helps avoid confusion during an emergency and ensures staff and students can respond appropriately to different types of incidents.
As awareness of Martyn's Law grows, schools are increasingly looking at how technology can support their lockdown and communication procedures. This presents a significant opportunity for installers already working within the education sector.
Find Out More about Martyn's Law
The Installer Opportunity
While Martyn's Law is driving important conversations around preparedness and communication, budget pressures remain a reality for most schools. Many do not have the resources to invest in large-scale infrastructure projects all at once.
As a result, schools are looking for solutions that can be deployed quickly, deliver immediate benefits and be expanded over time as funding becomes available. Traditional wired lockdown systems can often require significant upfront investment, lengthy installation periods and extensive disruption to school buildings.
Wireless solutions offer a far more practical alternative, allowing schools to begin their compliance journey today and develop their systems gradually over the coming years.
Read Our Full Safeguarding Schools Guide
Alertex Lockdown: Flexible, Wireless & Ready for the Future
The Alertex Lockdown range from Luminite has been designed specifically to help schools and public buildings deliver clear, rapid and unambiguous lockdown alerts.
Unlike traditional wired solutions, Alertex creates a wireless mesh network using sounders, beacons and voice annunciators. When one device is activated via a call point, key fob or remotely through the Alertex Portal and IP Bridge, all connected devices across the site are triggered instantly.
The system offers several advantages for both installers and end users. Installation can often be completed in hours rather than days as there is no cabling required. Schools can mix and match sounder beacons and voice annunciators to suit different environments, while unlimited devices can be added across a site as requirements evolve.
Additional features include:
- 32 selectable alert tones that can be differentiated from fire alarms
- Custom-recorded voice announcements
- Mobile panic alerts for key staff
- Integration with third-party access control systems
- Battery-powered operation with up to two years' battery life
- Long-range wireless communication between devices
- Unlimited scalability across a site
One of the biggest benefits for schools is flexibility. Rather than investing in a complete system from day one, they can begin with a smaller deployment and expand as budgets allow. This makes Alertex particularly attractive for schools seeking practical ways to strengthen their preparedness ahead of 2027.
View Alertex Lockdown Factsheet
Desktop-Based Alerts
Luminite has recently enhanced the Alertex platform with a powerful new desktop alert feature.
Using the upgraded IP Bridge, any laptop, classroom computer or staff workstation connected to the school's network can instantly display a customisable lockdown notification when the system is activated. Alerts can be visual, audible or both, ensuring critical information reaches staff quickly and effectively.
The system also allows staff to identify which device triggered the alert and access the Alertex portal for further response actions.
Available for a one-off licence fee of just £200, the software can be deployed across an unlimited number of screens with no ongoing subscription charges.
Graham Creek, Managing Director of Luminite Electronics, commented:
The addition of desktop alerts further strengthens one of the key pillars of Martyn's Law: communication. By delivering information simultaneously through audible alerts, visual beacons, voice announcements and on-screen messaging, schools can ensure critical instructions are communicated quickly and unambiguously during an emergency.
Vaping | A Major School Challenge
Alongside emergency preparedness, schools continue to face increasing safeguarding concerns around student vaping.
Research shows that 84% of schools report vaping-related issues, with many incidents taking place in toilets, changing rooms and other areas where CCTV cannot be installed due to privacy considerations.
For installers already supplying CCTV, access control or safeguarding technologies, vape detection presents a natural extension of their offering.
The Alertex Vape Sensor has been designed specifically to detect vape aerosols in real time and provide immediate alerts to staff. Using advanced AI technology, the sensor can help schools identify and address incidents quickly, giving staff greater visibility in areas where traditional surveillance methods cannot be used.
As Luminite explains, one of the biggest challenges schools face is that vaping often occurs in locations beyond camera coverage. The Alertex Vape Sensor provides a practical and cost-effective solution, helping schools monitor privacy-sensitive areas without compromising safeguarding requirements.
Unlike many monitoring technologies, the system does not require ongoing subscription fees, making it an attractive option for schools operating within tight budgets. Combined with straightforward installation and integration options, it provides a valuable tool in the ongoing effort to reduce vaping and improve student wellbeing.
Why Summer 2026 Matters
The current installation window is far more significant than a typical summer maintenance period. Across the education sector, schools, academies and local authorities are beginning to evaluate their preparedness ahead of Martyn's Law coming into force in April 2027. As a result, many are reviewing their lockdown procedures, communication methods and wider safeguarding strategies now, rather than waiting until compliance deadlines are much closer.
For installers already working within the education sector, this presents a valuable opportunity to become trusted advisors rather than simply system providers. Schools are looking for practical, affordable solutions that can be implemented quickly and expanded over time as budgets allow. The growing focus on clear lockdown procedures, the requirement for alerts that are distinguishable from fire alarms, and the continued rise in vaping incidents are all driving conversations around security and safeguarding improvements. Those installers who engage with schools today will be best positioned to support them through the compliance journey over the next 12 months and beyond.
Helping Schools Prepare for 2027 & Beyond
The landscape of school security is evolving. Preparedness, communication and safeguarding are no longer separate considerations but are becoming increasingly interconnected as schools work to meet both regulatory expectations and the day-to-day challenges they face on site.
Solutions such as Alertex Lockdown and Alertex Vape Sensors provide schools with a practical and cost-effective way to address these challenges. Their wireless design, scalability and ease of deployment make them particularly attractive for education environments where budgets are stretched, and disruption must be kept to a minimum. Whether schools are taking their first steps towards strengthening lockdown procedures or looking to tackle the growing issue of vaping, these technologies provide a flexible foundation that can grow alongside their requirements.
As the countdown to Martyn's Law compliance continues, installers have a unique opportunity to help schools create safer, more resilient learning environments. By introducing solutions that improve emergency communication, support safeguarding initiatives and align with future compliance requirements, they can deliver long-term value to schools while opening the door to new project opportunities.
To learn more about the Alertex Lockdown System and Alertex Vape Sensor range, contact the Videcon team today.