Fire safety in schools: requirements and guidance

Understand the statutory requirements for fire safety in schools, including risk assessments, fire alarms and staff training. Find guidance about limiting flammable materials and get expert advice from the London Fire Brigade and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

1. Include fire safety procedures in your premises management policy
2. Your 'responsible person' must create all fire-related documents
3. Carry out risk assessments on all buildings
4. Create a fire evacuation plan
5. Install fire-fighting equipment and alarms
6. Train your staff in fire safety
7. Follow fire safety guidance on flammable materials
8. Consider connecting your fire alarm to a monitoring service

Include fire safety procedures in your premises management policy

All maintained schools and academy trusts must have up-to-date premises management policies.

This is set out in the list of statutory policies in the governance guides for maintained schools and for academy trusts.

The DfE's guidance on good estate management outlines your legal responsibilities relating to fire safety.

Independent schools, non-maintained special schools and PRUs

In March 2024, the DfE withdrew its guidance on statutory policies that covered independent, non-maintained schools and PRUs. There is no replacement guidance.

You're not required to have a premises management policy, but you must still meet the fire safety requirements set out in this article.