Fire safety in schools and education
Students attending school or university deserve to feel safe, making it essential that their learning environments are properly safeguarded against fire risks. Many children and students spend most of their time in school, often considering it a second home. That’s why fire safety in schools is so important.
At Fire Consultancy Specialists, we have extensive experience in this field, working with a wide range of school buildings and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).
Whether it’s a primary school or a university seeking support with fire strategy implementation, fire safety inspections, or independent scrutiny during construction, our detailed surveys, inspections, and planned maintenance solutions ensure school buildings are safe and fully compliant with government regulations.
Get in touch today to find out how our experts can help your school or educational building meet fire safety requirements.
Our school and education fire safety services:
From classrooms and lecture halls to common areas and laboratories, we collaborate with industry experts to deliver a comprehensive range of fire safety solutions for educational buildings—from nurseries to universities.
Our services include:
- Fire risk assessments – We conduct detailed risk assessments to identify fire safety issues and determine the necessary measures for developing a robust fire safety plan for schools.
- Compartmentation surveys – These surveys are critical in preventing fire spread. Special attention is given to nurseries, daycare centres, and primary and middle schools, where occupants may be less able to respond effectively in an emergency.
- Fire door installation and surveys – We supply and install fire doors in educational buildings, ensuring they can withstand heavy use. Our data-driven approach also guarantees regular inspections and proper maintenance to keep them compliant with safety standards
- Fire damper testing surveys – Fire dampers, installed in heating, ventilation and air conditioning HVAC ducts, prevent fire from spreading through ventilation systems. Regular inspections are essential for maintaining fire safety in schools and other educational settings.
Types of educational buildings
Educational buildings come in various forms, each with its own fire safety considerations:
- Heritage buildings – Many educational institutions operate within historic buildings. We ensure fire safety compliance while preserving the building’s architectural integrity.
- Modern buildings – Contemporary educational facilities often feature large open spaces and glazed partitions, requiring enhanced fire-resistant walls to prevent rapid fire spread.
- Temporary structures – Some temporary educational buildings remain in use longer than originally intended due to budget constraints. We help reinforce these structures with effective passive fire protection (PFP) measures.
Regardless of the type of building, our full suite of fire safety services ensures compliance and protection for students and staff.
Frequently asked questions
Do schools need a fire safety plan?
Yes, all schools are legally required to have a Fire Safety Risk Assessment (FSRA) outlining their fire safety plan. This includes regular fire drills, named fire wardens, and maintaining fire detection and alarm systems to ensure staff and students know evacuation procedures. Schools must also keep fire assessments up to date and review precautions when significant building changes occur, following guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Do schools need a fire safety manager?
Yes. Every school should appoint a responsible individual to oversee fire safety compliance. This role is often filled by the headteacher or property manager, but other qualified personnel can also take on the responsibility.
Why choose us for your school fire safety requirements?
FCS has worked on numerous schools and educational buildings across the UK, providing expert fire safety guidance from the initial design phase. This ensures that installations are carried out correctly and that the building remains fully compliant throughout the development process.
Our data-driven approach enables us to deliver comprehensive photographic reports, giving clients clear evidence that their fire safety strategies meet compliance standards. We continuously assess advancements in technology and software to enhance the efficiency and usability of our fire door inspections.
We document our work using PlanRadar, a specialist construction and real estate management platform that streamlines digital checklists. This software allows us to mark precise fire door locations on site drawings, attach relevant details and photographs and generate a detailed report following our inspection.
Clients can then share our reports with installing contractors for cost assessments. At FCS, we firmly believe that maintaining an independent inspection process – separate from the installing contractor – ensures an impartial and accurate survey for fire safety in schools.
Our accreditations
Affiliation Of Fire Door Inspectors:
Fire Consultancy Specialists is a proud member of the AFDI, a not-for-profit organisation promoting best practices among professional fire door inspectors.
BM Trada fire door maintenance and installations:
Fire Consultancy Specialists is approved under the BM Trada Q Mark scheme which is UKAS 3rd party accredited to complete fire door condition surveys under the BM Trada certification scheme. This involves an assessment of the company’s processes and procedures, as well as the skills and qualifications of its personnel. The assessment covers areas such as fire door inspections, repair and maintenance, installations and documentation and record-keeping.
Contact us today to discuss our school and education fire safety services:
We are committed to providing expert fire safety solutions for schools and educational buildings. Get in touch to discuss your requirements – we look forward to working with you.