Back to School Fire and Security Checklist for North East Schools

School security systems UK education providers rely on should receive a thorough review before pupils return for the new term.

The summer break gives schools, academies and colleges an opportunity to complete essential maintenance. Teams can resolve faults without disrupting lessons or normal school activities.

However, building work, staff changes and altered room layouts can create new risks. A system that worked correctly in July may need adjustment before September.

The following checklist can help education leaders prepare their sites for a safe and organised return.

Review School Security Systems UK Education Sites Depend On

Begin with a complete review of the school’s security policy and emergency plan.

Department for Education guidance recommends that education settings maintain plans covering risk assessment, business continuity, evacuation, lockdown and responses to security incidents. Staff and pupils should also understand the procedures relevant to them.

Consider whether anything has changed since the previous term.

Changes could include:

• New entrances or reception arrangements
• Building extensions or refurbishment work
• Temporary classrooms
• New staff or contractors
• Changes to pupil drop off points
• Updated safeguarding procedures
• New out of hours activities

Physical security measures should support the school’s wider safeguarding procedures. Technology cannot replace clear policies, trained staff and effective communication.

Test School Fire Alarm Systems Before Pupils Return

Schools must maintain their fire detection and alarm systems. Staff and pupils must also understand the correct evacuation procedures.

Check the fire alarm control panel for faults or warning messages. Any unresolved issue should receive attention from a competent engineer.

Schools should also confirm that:

• Manual call points remain visible and accessible
• Detectors have not been covered during building work
• Alarm sounders can be heard throughout the site
• Fire doors close correctly
• Escape routes remain clear
• Emergency lighting works correctly
• Fire safety records remain complete
• Zone diagrams are available beside the control panel

Government school estate guidance recommends weekly fire alarm tests. Schools with several call points should use a different point each week. This approach ensures the testing programme eventually covers the entire system.

Summer construction work can affect detection devices, escape routes and fire compartments. Review the fire risk assessment when work has changed the building or its use.

Check CCTV for Schools and Remove Blind Spots

CCTV for schools can help teams monitor entrances, shared areas, car parks and site boundaries.

Before term begins, inspect each camera view. Trees, temporary buildings, new signs or stored equipment may now block important areas.

Check that:

• Every camera produces a clear image
• Recorded footage shows the correct date and time
• Night images remain usable
• Recording equipment has enough storage
• Authorised staff can retrieve footage
• Cameras cover the intended areas
• Privacy settings remain appropriate
• Fault notifications reach the correct person

Schools should place cameras according to identified risks. Adding more cameras without a clear purpose does not always improve security.

The review should focus on whether staff can see and investigate an incident effectively.

Review Access Control for Schools

Access control for schools helps separate public areas from spaces used by pupils and staff.

Test electronic doors, gates, intercoms, entry cards and door release buttons before the first day of term.

Remove access permissions for former employees, temporary workers and contractors who no longer require entry. New employees should only receive access to the areas needed for their roles.

Reception teams should understand the procedure for:

• Confirming visitor identities
• Issuing visitor passes
• Managing deliveries
• Contacting members of staff
• Refusing unauthorised access
• Responding to a forced door
• Securing the site after an incident

Schools are private property, and visitors do not have an automatic right to enter. Clear access rules help schools manage visitors consistently.

Test Lockdown and Communication Systems

A lockdown plan should explain how the school will alert staff and pupils to a threat.

The alert must be easy to recognise and different from the fire alarm. Staff should understand where to move, how to secure rooms and who will contact emergency services.

Check any lockdown alarms, public address systems, radios and internal messaging tools. Staff training should cover both the equipment and the wider procedure.

Schools should also consider what happens when:

• A class is outside
• Pupils are changing lessons
• Visitors are inside the building
• Contractors are working onsite
• The incident happens during lunch
• The main office cannot be reached

An effective plan must work beyond normal classroom conditions.

Include Disabled Refuge and Assisted Evacuation Systems

Fire and security planning must consider pupils, employees and visitors who may need additional support.

Check disabled refuge communication systems, emergency call points and accessible exits. Confirm that personal emergency evacuation plans remain current where required.

Any staff with evacuation responsibilities should understand their roles before the term begins.

Arrange Professional School Security Support

A pre term inspection can identify faults that routine visual checks may miss.

CDS Security & Fire supports schools and education providers across Durham, Newcastle, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Cleveland and North Yorkshire. Its education services include fire alarms, CCTV, access control, emergency communication and induction loop systems.

Completing essential work during August reduces the risk of disruption once pupils return.

Contact CDS Security & Fire on 0191 384 0079 to discuss school fire and security maintenance across the North East.