How Often Does a School Need a Fire Risk Assessment?

It's one of the most common questions we're asked by site managers and business managers: how often does our fire risk assessment actually need to be redone? The honest answer is that there's no fixed statutory number written into law — but that doesn't mean "whenever we get round to it" is an acceptable answer either.

What the law actually says

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the "responsible person" for a school — typically the headteacher, governing body or trust, depending on how responsibility is delegated — must keep the fire risk assessment "under review". There's no fixed annual deadline written into the Order itself. Instead, the duty is ongoing: the assessment has to stay accurate and relevant to how the building is actually used.

What "in practice" looks like

In practice, most fire safety guidance and insurers recommend a full review at least annually, with an earlier review triggered by any of the following:

• A significant change to the building — a new extension, refurbishment, or change of use for a space
• A change in how many people occupy the building, or a new activity (an after-school club, community lettings, holiday use)
• Any fire, near-miss, or fire safety enforcement action
• A change to escape routes, fire doors, alarm systems or other fire safety provisions
• New information suggesting the current assessment is no longer suitable

For most schools, that means: a full formal review once a year is sensible as a baseline, with a "living document" mindset the rest of the time — if something changes on site, the assessment should be revisited there and then, not left until the next scheduled review.

Who's responsible for making sure it happens

Responsibility can't simply be assumed to sit with the site manager by default. For maintained schools this typically sits with the headteacher or governing body; for academies, with the trust. Whoever holds it needs a clear, dated record of when the assessment was last reviewed, what changed, and who signed it off — this is exactly what an inspector or insurer will ask to see first.

Getting it right

A fire risk assessment that's technically "in date" but was clearly done as a box-ticking exercise won't hold up to scrutiny. The best assessments come from someone who actually walks the site, talks to staff about how spaces are used day-to-day, and checks that escape routes, signage and alarm testing records match what's happening in reality — not just what's on the floor plan.

If it's been more than a year since your last review, or your site has changed significantly since it was last done, get in touch for a free 30-minute consultation and we'll help you work out where you stand.

This article is general guidance, not legal advice. For a definitive view on your specific site, consult a suitably qualified fire risk assessor or your local fire and rescue service.