Waitara High School’s eCLIQ solution makes sharing spaces safe and simple

Customer

‘For the last five years, we’ve been searching for a solution to manage our community access more effectively,’ says principal Daryl Warbarton. ‘Like many small schools, we wanted to support community use of our facilities, but it became challenging to keep track of who had which keys.’

The traditional master ‘gold’ key system relied on unstructured, ad hoc processes, often leading to uncertainty and uncomfortable conversations when keys were shared or misplaced. ‘We needed a smarter, more reliable way to manage access and ensure responsible use of our facilities, especially high-demand spaces like the gym, hall, and our new commercial kitchen, which community groups use regularly.’

The school’s priorities were to welcome the community while safeguarding its valuable facilities.

‘We have a duty of care when managing government-owned buildings. The eCLIQ system means we know who is in charge of spaces after hours, and when they use them, leading to reduced damage and wear. It also means we can meet both our health and safety requirements and our insurance protocols. Before we changed over, untracked keys left us exposed to unnecessary risk.’

Challenge

For Daryl, the costs of a comprehensive electronic locking system had previously seemed out of reach.

‘Five years ago, there weren’t many affordable options for a site-wide solution, but when I came across eCLIQ, it immediately caught my attention. We were already using ASSA ABLOY products, and the idea of a simple barrel swap that could integrate easily with our current system was exactly what we needed.’

Daryl approached ASSA ABLOY consultant Shane Berryman to help replace their outdated, traditional master key system with a solution that would allow them to better manage access across the school.

‘The challenge with the old system was that it just didn’t give the school the visibility they needed,’ says Shane. ‘They relied on a simple spreadsheet showing who held which key, but there was no way to see when or how those keys were being used. If a key went missing, tracking it was difficult, and the process could easily lead to mistakes, like when someone left the school and accidentally took a key with them.’

Solution

The eCLIQ system promised a solution that would not only provide better control but also offer the convenience of tracking keys, managing lost keys, and ensuring accountability for every user.

‘eCLIQ makes managing access simple and reassuring’, Shane explains. Teachers can easily update their keys at the wall programmer – they just plug in the key and wait a few seconds. Everything happens automatically, with changes and audit trails securely sent to the cloud.

‘This means administrators always know who’s accessing which areas and when, creating a sense of trust and security across the school. For community users, keys can be set to work only on scheduled days and times, so everyone feels supported and safe. It’s a smart, cloud-based system that offers visibility and control far beyond what traditional mechanical systems can provide.’

A scalable, wireless solution that’s simple and cost-effective

With the same access control advantages as a fully wired system, Waitara High School also benefited from eCLIQ’s simple, modular installation. With battery-powered keys and no door wiring, cylinder replacements and setup typically take one to two days.

‘We started with a modest programme,’ says Shane, ‘covering 39 doors and 60 keys. But the beauty of the eCLIQ system is that it’s scalable. Once the initial system was up and running, the school could expand it as needed, which for them was one of its main attractions.’

Now, community access to facilities can be easily controlled and monitored. Community keys are scheduled to the day and hour, with access auto-expiring after the booking, giving administrators visibility over who is using the facilities and ensuring there are no surprises.

‘Looking back, we’re really glad we made the switch,’ says Daryl. ‘One of the things I really appreciate about this solution is its subtlety. Unlike bulky, hardwired electromagnetic lock access systems, the eCLIQ system was minimally intrusive. The kids wouldn’t even have noticed anything different, and that’s exactly what we wanted – something efficient but unobtrusive.’