School masterkey best practice guide

Best practice guide for schoolsTraditional school systems are too cumbersome

The fundamental difference between a traditional & modern approach to masterkeyed systems is that the keys within a modern system are linked to groups of users who have identical access requirements, rather than linking keys to the geographic location of the door within the building. 

 

  Traditional masterkeyed system for schools

 

Twenty years ago, a masterkey system for a school would normally be hierarchical as the diagram above shows. All of the doors would be operable by a Grand Masterkey.

At the next level, doors would be arranged into area zones and zone sub masterkeys (masterkey for a group of locks) would be allocated to control that particular area of the school. Individual keys that operate an individual cylinder lock would then be allocated.

Major drawbacks of this method are that the system cannot accommodate the requirements of multiple departments requiring access to the same doors/areas.

In a traditional school masterkey system, the deficiency is typically overcome by issuing multiple keys to each individual. In some systems, individuals have been issued with multiple zone sub masterkeys, thus weakening the integrity of the system as the individual has access to an entire zone(s) irrespective of the fact that they should not have access to all doors.

traditional master key system for hospitals jailor key syndromeSummary of drawbacks

  • Individuals carry multiple keys (Jailor Key Syndrome)
  • An immense number of keys are required in the system as individual keys are created for each door. This leads to issues of cost and storage
  • The number of keys in the system soon exhausts the capacity of the cylinder system and thus reduces the capability of future system extensions
  • The system becomes so complex that it is difficult to decide what keys are required and to whom they have been issued
  • If the needs of the school change, if for example a teacher on the first floor is seconded to the second floor additional keys would need to be allocated
  • Difficult to arrange and plan the masterkey system

 

Modern school key control systems

Modern masterkeyed system for schools

The diagram above illustrates part of a typical set-up showing how a number of different keys are allocated in a modern school master keyed system.

As it is possible for doors to be operated by more than one key i.e. a staff room could be operated by both 'teachers' and 'admin' keys it is therefore possible to eliminate most if not all differ keys (keys that operate one lock only).

Modern master key system for hospitals single keyModern key control systems have the following benefits for the system planner and end user:

  • As the electronic system will be installed at the main entrances and/or entrances to zones or departments, the masterkey system can be simplified whilst remaining secure. This is due to the fact that the keyholder must first have a valid access control credential such as a card or fob to enter the building, zone or department
  • Individuals are issued with minimal keys. Usually only 1 is required
  • The total number of keys required is kept to a minimum, so if you have 80 Teachers you need only 80 identical 'Teachers keys'
  • Masterkey planning is significantly easier
  • The system is easy to understand
  • The arrangements are easily communicated to staff
  • Stocks of keys can be held for immediate issue (made possible as there are typically less than 10 - 20 different key types to run the entire system)
  • Flexible to accommodate changing needs. If, for example, a teacher is seconded to a different area there is no need to re-issue additional keys

Planning your school masterkey system

When planning your system it is important to consider:

  • The elimination of the grand master key (the key in a traditional system that controls every door in the school)
  • How the mechanical key and electronic access control system can be harmonised
  • Matching keys to groups of users
  • Differ keys for special rooms
  • How to document the plan of the masterkeyed system
  • The design and supply process

Convenient or secure? - elimination of the grand masterkey

Modern masterkeyed system no grand master key

In traditional systems the grand masterkey (the key that operates every lock in the school) exists. This means that the system is designed to be more convenient than secure.

Whilst these systems are convenient for the grand masterkey holder, the system is made vulnerable in its design. This is due to the effect of a lost grand masterkey being so great.

In the system’s life, we see the issuance of grand masterkeys being disproportionate to what would be considered as normal. Again this proves that either they are replacements for lost keys or that for convenience’s sake, more and more individuals are using the key.

We therefore consider the creation and issuance of the grand master key will result in it being issued beyond what was initially intended, either for convenience or to replace lost keys. With this in mind, we strongly recommend that the grand masterkey does not exist.

Harmonising the mechanical key and electronic access control

eTouch Key & wTouch Fob

Most modern schools use mechanical masterkey systems in conjunction with electronic access control. As the electronic system will be installed at the entrances to zones or departments, the key system remains secure as the keyholder must first have a valid access control credential such as a card or fob to enter the department.

Matching control keys with user groups

The fundamental difference between a modern approach to masterkeyed systems is that the keys within the system are linked to groups of users who have identical access requirements, rather than through their geographic location within the building.

The first step is to consider the users that will use each department/building. The users could be organised into groups such as:

  • Administration Staff
  • Teachers & Teaching Support Staff
  • ICT Staff
  • Kitchen Staff
  • FM - Management
  • FM - Cleaning
  • FM - Maintenance

  eTouch Key & user groups school

 

Matching control keys with doors

Each door within the building is then assessed in relation to which of the control keys should operate.

Matching eTouch Keys with school doors

In this example you can see that each door can be allocated access to different combinations of control keys/user groups.

Differ keys for special rooms

It is recommended that keys to operate one lock only should be kept to a minimum to allow sophisticated control keying as shown above. Differ keys should be limited to 'Special Rooms'. Areas that are candidates for these are typically examination store rooms and chemical stores. These doors are usually issued with a key that operates that door alone (and no other) and the issuing of keys should be limited. These doors are not usually operable by any master key or control keys.

Lockchart

Using a lockchart (your supplier can supply you with a blank spreadsheet that is already populated with each individual door) you can plan which control keys should operate which mechanically controlled doors. Where an X intersects the control key and the door, that key will operate.

Masterkey System for schools Lockchart

Best practice guide for schools

Download this guide

The masterkey best practice guide for schools that contains all of the above can be downloaded here.

 

 

 

 

 

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