Schools and academies are legally required to have a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The governing body or academy trust board is the Responsible Person for this duty — and unlike many compliance obligations, it cannot simply be delegated. Governors and trustees carry personal accountability if fire safety failings are found to have contributed to harm.
📜 Governing Body Responsibility
Under the Fire Safety Order 2005, the Responsible Person for a school is typically the governing body, academy trust board or, for local authority schools, the local authority. The Department for Education's guidance is clear: schools must have an up-to-date written Fire Risk Assessment, carried out by a competent person, and must act on its findings. This is also a factor in Ofsted inspections.
Why Schools Need Specialist Fire Risk Assessments
Schools present a distinctive combination of fire safety challenges:
- Large numbers of children — hundreds of pupils, potentially spread across multiple buildings, must be evacuated quickly and safely; drills must be realistic and take into account pupils with mobility or cognitive needs
- Complex layouts — older school buildings frequently have multiple extensions, temporary classrooms, split-level access points and restricted escape routes that require careful assessment
- Laboratories and specialist rooms — science labs, DT workshops and art rooms use flammable materials, gas supplies and chemical substances that significantly increase fire risk
- Catering facilities — school kitchens involve high-temperature equipment, cooking oils and gas — all significant ignition risks requiring specific controls
- Asbestos — many school buildings built before 2000 contain asbestos-containing materials; any fire or remediation work that disturbs the fabric requires asbestos management to be integrated with fire safety planning
- Out-of-hours lets — schools regularly hire out halls and sports facilities to community groups; fire safety information must be shared with hirers and the assessment must reflect after-hours use
What Our School Fire Risk Assessment Covers
- Full assessment of all school buildings including temporary classrooms and sports facilities
- Escape routes and emergency exit assessment — including for pupils with special educational needs or physical disabilities
- Fire detection and alarm system coverage and testing records
- Emergency lighting — corridors, stairwells, exits
- Fire door condition — self-closing mechanisms, propping, glazing integrity
- Specialist rooms — science labs, DT, art, catering kitchen
- Fire drills — frequency, records, realism (including night events where relevant)
- Staff training and fire warden arrangements
- Out-of-hours lets and community use of the building
- Written report with prioritised action plan, suitable for governing body meetings and Ofsted
Termly Fire Drills
Schools are expected to carry out fire evacuation drills at least once per term — ideally at a different time of day each term so that different groups of pupils and staff experience the procedure. Our assessment will review your drill records and flag any gaps or improvements needed in your evacuation approach.
Areas We Cover
We work with primary schools, secondary schools, academies and independent schools across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, North London and Essex.
Get a Free Quote for Your School
We provide detailed, Ofsted-ready fire risk assessment reports for schools of all sizes and types. Get in touch and we'll discuss your premises and provide a fixed price.
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