Fire Risk Assessments for Schools
Keeping schools fire safe for children and staff alike
The importance of fire risk assessments in schools
Evacuating a school safely is a different challenge to evacuating an office: large numbers of children, some too young to self-evacuate, and staff responsible for far more people than themselves. A generic fire risk assessment isn’t built for that. If you’re ready to book one that is, you can get a free fire risk assessment quote from our team.
Why schools carry distinct fire risk
Schools combine several risk factors that don’t appear together in most other premises: high occupancy, a large proportion of occupants who can’t evacuate unassisted, specialist rooms with their own hazards (science labs, design and technology workshops, art studios), and an occupancy pattern that swings between completely full during term time and empty over holidays.
That last point matters more than it might seem. A fire safety system that’s well managed during term time still needs to account for the building sitting unoccupied for weeks, and for out-of-hours use, such as a hall let out for evening clubs or community events, where an entirely different group of people is on site. .
Why choose us for your school
We hold BAFE SP205 certification, which demonstrates the competency of our assessors, and we’re rated on Trustpilot by over 750 customers across the UK. We don’t sell or service fire safety equipment, so any recommendations in your report are genuine requirements, not an upsell.
What we look at in a school fire risk assessment
- Evacuation procedures for children. Age-appropriate evacuation planning, including how younger pupils who can’t self-evacuate are accounted for, and how staff:pupil ratios hold up during an evacuation, not just during normal supervision.
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs). Where pupils have additional needs or disabilities that affect how they’d evacuate, this needs to be planned for individually, not assumed to be covered by the general evacuation plan. See our guide on how to help people with disabilities in a fire emergency for more detail.
- Occupancy patterns. How the building is used and by whom, across term time, holidays, and any out-of-hours or community lettings.
- Specialist rooms. Science labs, D&T workshops, art rooms and kitchens, each with their own specific fire hazards beyond what a standard classroom presents.
- Fire doors and escape routes. Kept clear and functioning, including in older buildings where layouts weren’t originally designed with modern fire safety guidance in mind. Our guide to planning your means of escape covers this in more depth.
- Fire safety management. Staff training, drills, and how consistently records are kept, including for supply staff and anyone new to the site. See our guide to developing and implementing fire procedures for a fuller walkthrough.
For the wider process, from first contact through to your final report, see our fire risk assessment process guide.
What to have ready before your assessment
- Records of staff fire safety training and any fire drills carried out, including for supply or temporary staff
- Existing PEEPs for any pupils with additional needs or disabilities
- Details of any out-of-hours or community use of the building
- Any existing fire risk assessment, if this is a renewal rather than a first assessment
Pricing
We work on fixed prices with no hidden costs. The exact price depends on the size and complexity of your site, including how many buildings are covered. Visit our fire risk assessment cost page for a full breakdown of what affects your price.
Your legal duty as a school
Schools are subject to the same duty as any other non-domestic premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, with a Responsible Person required to have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place, kept up to date and reviewed regularly. Who that is varies by school type: in a maintained school it’s typically the local authority or governing body, and in an academy it’s typically the academy trust, though day-to-day management is often delegated to the headteacher or site team.
Frequently asked questions
Do schools need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. Schools, nurseries, academies and colleges are all non-domestic premises under the Fire Safety Order, and the Responsible Person must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place. Our guide answers who needs a fire risk assessment in full.
How often should a school's fire risk assessment be reviewed?
Does this cover out-of-hours community use of the building?
What about PEEPs for pupils with additional needs?
Yes, for any pupil who wouldn’t be able to evacuate safely under the general arrangements. The Fire Safety Order doesn’t specifically mandate PEEPs, but government guidance confirms they’re the recognised way for schools to demonstrate they’re meeting their evacuation duties, and they’re usually developed with input from the pupil’s family and any relevant specialists rather than by the fire risk assessor alone.
Get your school fire risk assessment
We work on fixed prices with no hidden costs, and we don’t sell or service fire safety equipment, so any recommendations in your report are genuine requirements, not a sales pitch. Whether you’re a single school or managing sites across a multi-academy trust, we can tailor scheduling to suit you.
Get a free, fixed price quote for your school today.
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