Schools in Glasgow have been told to urgently improve their security arrangements, it has emerged.

Officials carrying out unannounced audits were able to walk in the front doors and past receptions in some establishments without being challenged or asked for identification.

It also found visitors were not properly escorted through some schools, doors for some offices were not locked overnight and some members of staff did not properly display ID cards.

Five recommendations have been made as a result of the audit, which management have been told to address immediately, with some requiring "urgent attention".

The auditors visited 11 establishments in total, including an education hub, family learning centres, primary schools and secondary schools in an effort to "gain assurances" there are appropriate security arrangements in place.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "We welcome the broad findings of the report and the importance of school security is reiterated throughout the school year to staff and pupils.

"The safety of our young people and staff is paramount and the reason for audits like these is to learn and share good practice."

Of the 11 schools visited, eight did not ask for ID on arrival when the officials turned up.

They were not asked to provide a signature at one school, with the auditors also stating in their report to the council that in "two cases we gained access to the establishment without being stopped or challenged".

Visitors were not "appropriately escorted" throughout the building at two establishments and in one case the auditors were allowed to go to the main office from reception without an escort.

In another case, they watched a contractor being given a map to the premises who was not escorted by any member of staff when checking fire exits.

At a further three establishments, some staff were not displaying ID passes.

The Glasgow City Council audit report said: "Failing to challenge visitors before permitting them access to the premises increases the risk of unauthorised access, and staff failing to display ID increases the risk that unauthorised persons are not easily identifiable."

Management have been told to immediately remind staff of the need to display their identification badges at all times and to "challenge visitors for identification before granting access to secure areas".

The report also said arrangements for access to secure areas at five of the schools and learning centres could be improved, including "the storage arrangements for keys to secure areas and the storage of personal information".

It added: "We also identified that the internal doors for individual offices were not being locked overnight.

"This increases the risk of unauthorised access to information.

"We identified that key controls were in place and operating effectively at some establishments.

"For example, at eight of the establishments in the sample, the main reception was manned and prevented access to the building.

"At one establishment, although reception did not prevent access to the building, when inside the establishment another member of staff challenged the auditors.

"However, we also identified non-compliances, including two cases where the auditors gained access to the building without being challenged.

"The arrangements for asking visitors to provide identification on arrival could also be improved."

It added: "At three establishments, identification passes were not visibly displayed for all members of staff.

"At one of these establishments, the external door keypad code had not been changed despite a member of staff having recently left the establishment.

"Arrangements for the access to secure areas including areas where personal and sensitive information is stored and where keys are held could also be improved at five establishments visited.

"At the time of the fieldwork, two of the establishments had recently been broken into.

"In one case, access to the head teacher's office was gained as it was unlocked at the time of the break-in.

"We identified at the time of the visit that the arrangements for locking individual offices when not in use could be improved.

"An action plan is provided at section four outlining our observations, risks and recommendations. We have made five recommendations for improvement."

One of the recommendations stated: "Management at establishments should ensure that all personal and sensitive documentation is stored securely, for example, in a locked filing cabinet.

"Management should also remind all relevant staff that they should ensure individual offices are securely locked overnight.

"Management at establishments should ensure that all access points to the building are restricted at all times to prevent unauthorised personnel gaining entrance."

The auditors said in the report that management "should be reminded to ensure that keypad door codes are changed regularly".

It added: "As a minimum codes should be changed when there is a leaver, or when a visitor has been given temporary access to the code."