School Risk Assessment (UK)

A school has to keep pupils, staff and visitors safe across a busy site, varied activities and off site trips. This guide covers how schools approach risk assessment and the areas that need the most attention.

Who is responsible

The employer, which is the local authority, the trust or the governing body depending on the type of school, holds the health and safety duty. In practice the head and site staff carry out and manage the assessments, with support from the employer.

The main areas to assess

1. Premises, including slips and trips, stairs, legionella in water systems, asbestos in older buildings and fire.
2. Curriculum activities, especially science, design and technology, PE and art, which have their own recognised guidance.
3. Educational visits and trips, assessed before each trip for the specific destination and activity.
4. Site security and safeguarding as it overlaps with physical safety.
5. Contractors working on site during the day.

School trips

Off site visits need their own assessment covering transport, the venue, the activity, ratios, and what happens in an emergency. Higher risk adventurous activities carry extra requirements.

Keep it proportionate

The HSE is clear that school risk assessment should be sensible and proportionate, focused on real risks, not paperwork that stops normal activities and learning.

Record it

Record the premises and activity assessments, and a fresh assessment for each trip. Our risk assessment template gives you the form, and our risk assessment examples show the level of detail.