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Education Fire Risk Assessment for Schools, Nurseries and Colleges
Ensuring effective fire safety for schools, nurseries, and colleges is not only a legal requirement, it’s essential for protecting the lives of students, staff, and visitors.
At Hoyles Fire & Safety, we provide thorough, fully compliant fire risk assessments for educational premises, tailored to meet the unique challenges of learning environments.
Whether you’re a local authority, academy trust, nursery provider, or university estate manager, we’ll help you stay compliant, minimise risk, and create a safer environment for all.
Why educational premises need a fire risk assessment
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all non-domestic premises – including schools, colleges, and nurseries – must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place. This applies to all types of educational settings, whether state-funded or independent.
A school fire risk assessment ensures that:
- Fire hazards are identified and mitigated
- Safe evacuation routes are planned and maintained
- Fire detection and alarm systems are appropriate for the building layout
- Staff and pupils are protected in line with current fire safety legislation
- Responsibilities are clearly defined under the role of the ‘Responsible Person’
Routine reviews and updates are essential, especially after changes to building use, layout, occupancy levels, or staffing.
What’s included in a school fire risk assessment?
Our assessments follow recognised best practices and are conducted by qualified fire safety professionals. Our fire risk assessment for schools includes:
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- Inspection of all rooms, corridors, stairwells, and escape routes
- Identification of ignition sources, combustible materials, and storage risks
- Review of fire detection and alarm systems
- Evaluation of fire doors, extinguishers, signage, and emergency lighting
- Review of fire evacuation plans, drills, and assembly points
- Assessment of accessibility and safe egress for all users
- Staff awareness, training, and responsibilities
- Full written report with risk ratings and prioritised recommendations
We tailor each assessment to reflect the age range of occupants, the level of supervision required, and the specific fire strategy of the building.
Additional fire safety considerations for primary schools and nurseries
Primary school fire risk assessments and nursery fire risk assessments require special attention due to the vulnerability of younger children and the supervision they require during an evacuation.
Key considerations include:
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- Increased staff-to-pupil ratios during evacuations
- Clear, visual fire signage appropriate for early years learners
- Secured exits that balance safeguarding with emergency access
- Safe egress plans for non-ambulant children or those with additional needs
- Frequent fire drills tailored to the age and behaviour of occupants
We work closely with school and nursery leaders to ensure fire safety measures are both compliant and practical for the setting.
Fire risk assessments for colleges and universities
Larger, more complex campuses bring different challenges. Our fire risk assessments for colleges and universities take into account:
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- Multiple buildings with varied usage (teaching, labs, residential, admin)
- High volumes of foot traffic and unsupervised movement
- Lecture theatres, halls of residence, and specialist facilities
- Out-of-hours use, events, and third-party access
- Integration with site-wide fire strategies and centralised alarm systems
We help estate and facilities teams manage fire safety across all areas of campus life, with clear reporting and prioritised action plans.
How we support fire safety for schools
At Hoyles Fire & Safety, we’ve been supporting the education sector for decades. From single-site primaries to multi-academy trusts and further education colleges, we deliver expert guidance and reliable compliance support across all aspects of fire safety for schools.
We can provide:
- Fully qualified fire risk assessors with education sector experience
- Reports tailored for Ofsted, local authority, or board-level review
- Support with implementing fire safety actions post-assessment
- Ongoing partnerships for training, maintenance, and policy support
- Nationwide coverage and expertise thanks to the backing of the LS Fire Group
Book a fire risk assessment for your school or educational premises
Whether you need an initial fire risk assessment for your school, or it’s time to review an existing one, we’re here to help.
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- We work with:
- State and independent schools
- Nurseries and early years providers
- Colleges and sixth form centres
- Universities and academies
- Local education authorities and MATs
Get in touch today to arrange a site visit or speak to one of our fire safety specialists.
Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fires, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.
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Education Fire Risk Assessment FAQs
- Do schools legally need a fire risk assessment?
- Yes. Every educational premises – including nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools, academies, colleges, and universities – must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This applies across all areas we cover including Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Sheffield, York, and the wider Yorkshire region. A fire risk assessment ensures that evacuation procedures, building layouts, and fire safety provisions protect pupils, staff, and visitors.
- How often should a school fire risk assessment be reviewed?
- A school fire risk assessment should be reviewed annually or sooner if anything important changes, such as building works, new classrooms, increased pupil intake, or updated fire safety systems. For nurseries, primary schools, and SEND environments, more frequent reviews may be recommended due to higher vulnerability levels and changing room layouts.
- What does a fire risk assessment for a primary school include?
- A primary school fire risk assessment examines escape routes, classroom layouts, fire doors, detection and alarm systems, electrical equipment, storage areas, and the needs of young pupils. It also considers playground access, hall spaces, PE areas, and after-school club use. The final report provides clear, practical actions to reduce risk and support safe evacuation.
- Are nurseries required to have a specific type of fire risk assessment?
- Yes. A nursery fire risk assessment must consider the unique needs of babies and young children, including limited mobility, staff-to-child ratios, prams or evacuation cribs, and supervised evacuation procedures. Nurseries in Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, and surrounding areas often require tailored evacuation planning and enhanced protective measures due to vulnerability and building layout.
- Who is responsible for arranging a fire risk assessment for a school?
- Responsibility typically sits with the Responsible Person, which may be the headteacher, governing body, academy trust, local authority, facilities manager, or estate team. In multi-site MATs (Multi-Academy Trusts) in regions like Leeds or Wakefield, responsibility may be shared across central estates teams who manage compliance across several schools.
- What are the biggest fire risks in schools and educational premises?
- Common risks include overloaded electrical equipment, science labs, technology workshops, kitchen areas, older buildings with legacy fire doors, storage of art or sports materials, and blocked escape routes. A fire risk assessment for schools identifies these hazards and outline ways to minimise them without disrupting learning environments.
- Do universities and colleges need different fire risk assessments compared to schools?
- Universities and colleges often require more complex assessments due to larger buildings, mixed teaching spaces, laboratories, accommodation blocks, and high daily footfall. Campuses in areas such as Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, and York benefit from assessments tailored to the size and use of each building, ensuring fire safety remains consistent across the estate.
- Can Hoyles provide fire risk assessments for schools across different parts of Yorkshire?
- Yes. We deliver school fire risk assessments, nursery fire risk assessments, and university fire risk assessments across Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Harrogate, Wakefield, York, and the surrounding areas. Our team specialises in educational premises and provides clear, compliant guidance tailored to the age group, building layout, and occupancy profile.
