Could we see a School Locker Revival in 2020?

Corridors full of school lockers make for a very 1990’s image, conjuring up thoughts of classic American sitcoms and movies like Saved by the Bell or The Breakfast Club. For many, lockers in schools are stuck in an analogue era along with those films and shows.

The new way to implement school lockers

There’s a school of thought that lockers are on their way out as students increasingly move towards digital learning and there is less focus on storing and lugging around textbooks or folders full of coursework and notes.

And even when students do have gear – such as laptop – to carry around, today’s culture is the backpack. Of course, lockers were often also a canvas for student expression, but that has certainly moved from a physical format to digital on student smartphones and in their online persona.

But while lockers are not in the same demand they used to be – that doesn’t mean they have no place. Whether it’s a place to store items temporarily, maybe PE equipment or clothes, students do welcome use of a locker on some days. However, most days, not every student needs his or her own dedicated locker.

The solution is to have a range of lockers that serve your students on an as required basis. One locker for each student is unnecessary and inefficient, but a flexible allocation available on a first come first served basis has its place. How can that be best, and most securely achieved though?

Strong, secure and convenient

School locker systems linked to BioStore’s Identity Management system can simply and securely deliver ad hoc lockers for the digital era. Students can temporarily claim a locker and when they are done, it becomes available to the next student who needs it.

This works because lockers are not unlocked using a key or combination lock. Instead, students use an individual authentication method to secure a free locker once they have filled it. Only that same personal authentication can unlock it when they want to collect the contents. Depending on the ID system being used in the school this could be a fingerprint, a smartcard or an individual PIN or passcode.

It would be the same authentication the students use to record attendance, pay for catering, login to computers, reserve a library book and other solutions around the school. This keeps the use of lockers really simple and easy for students. There is nothing extra to remember. And it’s easier for staff to administer – especially as there are no keys to manage and hand out.

With an identity management system like this, you can make school lockers viable, useful and valuable to students as and when they need them, without having to install corridors full of them. Find out more.