Fire risk assessments
for primary schools.
Properly assessed, from £295.
A primary school has to evacuate hundreds of young children, often from older buildings that were never designed for it, led by teachers who also have to keep their classes calm. We carry out fire risk assessments for primary schools, infant and junior schools across the North West, built around how young children actually behave in an emergency rather than how adults would.
Who is the Responsible Person?
It depends on the type of primary school, and the duty is often shared in a way that creates gaps.
The academy trust is the Responsible Person and employer. Day-to-day management is usually delegated to the headteacher or site manager, but the legal duty rests with the trust.
Responsibility is shared between the local authority as building owner and the governing body as employer. In practice each can assume the other has dealt with fire safety. A current, site-specific assessment held by the school is the clearest evidence of compliance.
In a voluntary aided school the governing body, often with the diocese or trust as the body responsible for the building, holds the duty. The split between building and employer responsibilities needs to be clear.
Many primaries include a nursery or pre-school class. Those early years rooms bring additional duties and need to be reflected explicitly in the assessment.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a primary is often inherited by whoever has the capacity, a business manager, the head, or a site supervisor juggling it alongside everything else. These are the gaps we find most regularly.
"Our assessment was done years ago by the previous caretaker. He has left, and nobody knows if it is still valid or where the file is."
Fire safety documentation in a primary often lives in one person's head or one filing cabinet, and walks out of the door when that person leaves. We carry out a fresh assessment that gives you a clean, documented baseline and clear recommendations for ongoing management, whoever holds it next year.
"We have added a modular classroom, or had building work done, and nobody has reviewed the fire safety assessment to reflect it."
Primary sites change with every cohort, a new modular unit, a refurbished hall, a reorganised early years area. Each material change should trigger a review. An assessment written for the school as it was five years ago is not adequate for the school as it is today, and we assess the site as it actually exists.
"Ofsted is coming and we want our fire safety documentation to be in order before they arrive."
Ofsted routinely checks that fire safety arrangements are in place and documented. A fire risk assessment from a qualified, competent assessor, with a clear action log and evidence of staff training, is the standard that satisfies an inspector. We can produce documentation that is both legally compliant and inspection-ready, quickly.
What makes primaries
different to assess
A primary school is not an office and not a secondary. Young children, older buildings, and out-of-hours clubs all shape what a suitable assessment has to cover.
Evacuation led by teachers
Primary-age children depend entirely on staff to evacuate them in an orderly way, by class, with registers. The assessment has to reflect how young children actually respond under stress, and whether your procedures and staffing can move every class safely, including the youngest in reception and nursery.
Victorian & post-war stock
A great many primaries occupy Victorian or post-war buildings where compartmentation, escape routes, and services were never designed to current standards. The age and construction of the building is a material factor that needs assessing directly rather than assuming modern provision.
Shared and out-of-hours use
The school hall is often used for assemblies, lunches, after-school clubs, and community lettings, sometimes all in one day. Each use changes the occupancy and the evacuation picture, and out-of-hours use by people unfamiliar with the building needs to be covered, not just the school day.
Before and after school
Breakfast clubs, after-school provision, and holiday clubs mean children are on site outside normal hours, often with different staff and reduced numbers. The assessment has to account for these periods specifically rather than treating the school day as the whole picture.
Display and clutter
Primary corridors and classrooms are full of paper displays, soft furnishings, and stored materials. These add fire loading to escape routes in particular, and the assessment looks at how that is managed so corridors stay safe to evacuate through.
On-site catering
Most primaries have a kitchen producing hot meals daily. Cooking is a leading cause of fire in this type of premises, and the kitchen, its equipment, and its separation from escape routes need proper attention within the assessment.
Fire drills — what the law actually requires
Schools are expected to hold at least one fire drill per term, and each drill must be recorded, including the date, time, number of occupants, and time taken to evacuate. Where a drill reveals a problem, that problem must be documented and addressed. For a primary, the drill is also where you find out whether young classes can actually be moved in the time available. We review your drill records and evacuation procedures as part of the assessment and advise on whether your approach is adequate for your site and your pupils.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one consultant who understands the specific demands of a primary school.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough, site-specific assessment of your school, built around young pupils, your buildings, and your out-of-hours use. Clear written report, prioritised action list, and documentation suitable for Ofsted, the fire authority, and your trust or LA.
- Whole site assessed, including modular and temporary units
- Evacuation strategy reviewed for young pupils and reception
- Hall, kitchen, and lettings use considered
- Breakfast, after-school, and holiday clubs covered
- Older-building compartmentation and escape routes assessed
- Written report suitable for Ofsted and fire authority
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorPrimary schools rely on fire doors to protect corridors and escape routes used by young children. We inspect every component and give you a clear, photographed condition record for each door.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Corridor, classroom, and hall doors
- Photographic evidence per door
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical, on-site training for teaching and support staff, tailored to a primary environment and the challenge of evacuating young classes calmly.
- Fire marshal training for staff
- Evacuating young classes and reception
- Roll-call and register procedures
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
primary schools work within
A primary school answers to the fire authority and to Ofsted, and the assessment needs to satisfy both, on a building that is often decades old.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including primary schools. The Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, implement the measures it identifies, and keep a written record. For a primary, suitable and sufficient means an assessment that reflects young pupils, the actual building, and out-of-hours use, not a generic template.
The DfE's Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) provides specific guidance on fire safety design and management for schools, and is the reference document most commonly used by fire authorities when assessing school compliance. An assessment that aligns with BB100 carries significantly more weight with an inspector than one that does not reference it.
Ofsted does not carry out fire safety inspections directly, but fire safety arrangements, including a current fire risk assessment, evidence of staff training, and drill records, are routinely reviewed during inspection. Gaps in fire safety documentation can contribute to a safeguarding judgement, so getting the paperwork right matters beyond fire safety alone.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for all non-domestic premises including primary schools. Failure to comply can result in unlimited fines or prohibition of the building.
DfE Building Bulletin 100 (BB100)
Schools guidanceGuidance from the Department for Education on fire safety in schools. The primary reference document for fire authorities when assessing school fire safety compliance.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
From January 2023Requires Responsible Persons to record fire safety measures, provide fire safety information to relevant persons, and maintain records of all checks and actions. Applies to primary schools.
Ofsted inspection framework
Inspection riskFire risk assessment records, staff training evidence, and drill logs are reviewed during inspection. Gaps can contribute to a safeguarding judgement.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management to bring genuine expertise and personal accountability to fire safety consultancy in the North West. With more than 30 years in the fire industry, he has assessed primary, infant, and junior schools across the region, from Victorian buildings to new academy builds. He understands the particular challenge of evacuating very young children from buildings that were rarely designed for it. When you book with Fletcher Risk, Tim carries out the work.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and handles the coordination and documentation that keeps things running efficiently, so you have one point of contact and a consistent standard of reporting from first visit to final action log. For trusts and federations running several primaries, that means consistent documentation and a single point of contact across your schools.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. The work produced exceeded our expectations by far. I would definitely recommend using this company." — Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building."
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites. I would never hesitate to send Tim — always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
Book an assessment
built for your school.
Whether you need a fresh assessment, a review of existing documentation, or training for your staff ahead of an Ofsted inspection, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.