Fire Procedure – Forster Park School

Reviewed by:	Suzanne Deadman, 30 06 2025
Ratified by:	Resources Committee, nxt metg: Autumn 2025
Next Review:	Autumn 2026

INTRODUCTION

The objectives of this policy are:

To ensure that Forster Park School complies with relevant fire legislation and standards – including The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
To ensure that staff, pupils, contractors and visitors to Forster Park are safeguarded from injury or death in the event of a fire.
To ensure the safe evacuation of all persons on site including visitors and contractors.
To have arrangements in place for systems and procedures to minimise the risk of a fire starting and fire spreading.
To reduce the potential for fire to disrupt school business, damage premises or harm the environment.

POLICY

The Executive Headteacher acknowledges their responsibility under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and will ensure that risk assessments are carried out of the school to determine the “general fire precautions / preventative and protective measures“ needed to comply with the requirements under the order.

It is the responsibility of Executive Business Manager to ensure that a risk assessment is undertaken (minimum of annually) or sooner if there are any changes that could impact fire safety.

The Executive Headteacher will appoint a competent person to assist with the requirements of the order including Fire Risk Assessments.

The Executive Headteacher will implement fire precautions and will ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety of all the employees, pupil, contractors and visitors on site.

These general fire precautions will be implemented on the basis of the following principles

Avoiding risks
Controlling and evaluating the risks that cannot be avoided
Giving appropriate training and instruction to staff
General precautions will include:
- Measures to reduce the risk and spread of fire on the school premises
- Measures to ensure safe egress from the building at all times
- Measures to ensure that suitable firefighting equipment is available
- Measures to ensure there is the means for detecting fire and giving warning of fire on the premises.
- Measures to ensure arrangements for the action to be taken in the event of a fire – including training and instruction of employees
- Measures to mitigate the effects of a fire on the school site.

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

A suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment will be in place
The fire risk assessment will follow the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and will be carried out by a competent person appointed by the Executive Head Teacher. The person undertaking the fire risk assessment will be competent and suitably qualified.
The risk assessment will be reviewed annually or sooner if there are any changes to the building, layout, persons on site, systems etc that may have a impact on fire safety and evacuation.
An action plan will be developed from the risk assessment as required
A copy of the fire risk assessment will be held in the H & S folder in the premises office.

PROCEDURE

In the event of a fire alarm activation the following responses and duties will be undertaken:

Premises manager / Premises Assistant

PO/PA will attend the fire alarm panel immediately to determine where the activation has occurred and why.
If necessary, they will go to the area to see if there is real fire
Use their radios to communicate will SLT and Fire Marshalls of their findings

Fire Controller (Senior Leadership Team)

Stand in the main playground at the steps – outside of the School Office
Have the Evacuation Checklist at hand
Receive communication from all the marshalls to confirm “areas cleared” and update checklist
Communicate with Premises staff (alarm system, fire, when safe to return, any other issues)
Have access to a charged iPad to access Inventry. Confirm all visitors and contractors are accounted for.

School Staff and Pupils

All staff and pupils to evacuate the school using their nearest exit (unless it is obstructed)
All staff and pupils go to their dedicates assembly points
- Main playground
- Main entrance
Pupils all line up at their dedicated area and remain silent
The teacher or responsible adult will take a register of all their pupils and a head count using the class iPad which should be fully charged in their classroom at all times.
The teacher or responsible adult to confirm to the Fire Controller (Head of school) that all pupils and staff are accounted for.

Fire Marshall

All fire marshalls will always have a 2-way radio on their person during their working day
The fire marshall will when the fire alarm is activated, put on their hi viz clothing
Close windows and doors if safe to do so
Sweep their dedicated areas including any toilets and storerooms
Report to the Fire Controller on their radio that their dedicated areas or clear
Report to the Fire Controller any persons with a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) that have evacuated the building or are inside (in an agreed safe area – ONLY IN A PLANNED DRILL).

Office Staff

Office staff will collect the hard copies of the class registers
Pick up the Emergency Grab Bag and take to assembly point
One member of office staff to go straight to the Vehicle Gates (to be ready to open to the Emergency Services if needed). All members of SLT, Premises Staff and Fire Marshalls, have a fire brigade key to open the gates if required.

Contractors/ Cleaners

All contractors are required to sign in on the Inventry System
The Premises manager will cover with contractors, fire safety on their health and safety induction briefing – including where they should assemble
In addition to the above and in the event that the premises manager is unavailable, the Inventry system notifies the contractor that safety instructions can be picked up from the school office and will also be emailed after the contractor signs in.

Visitors

All visitors on arrival must sign in on the Inventry System
The person that the visitor is meeting with will be responsible for their evacuation
All visitors are required to make it known to office staff, if they require assistance to evacuate in an emergency
The Inventry system notifies the visitor that safety instructions can be picked up from the school office and will also be emailed after the visitor signs in.

PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan)

Any pupil or staff member that may need assistance to evacuate in an Emergency will have a PEEP in place. The PEEP will detail the procedure / equipment / training / adjustments needed to safely evacuate them.

Pupil PEEPs will be signed and agreed by the parents/carers. The PEEP will be shared with relevant persons in the school including SENCo/SBM/premises staff/ SLT

PUPILS THAT ARE LATE OR LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY- Wraparound care

All pupils will be signed in or out if they do not arrive or leave at the beginning and end of school on the Inventry system.

Wrap Around care:

All staff and pupils will evacuate to the KS1 Playground where a register will be taken.

PO/PA will attend the fire alarm panel immediately to determine where the activation has occurred and why.
If necessary, they will go to the area to see if there is real fire
Use their radios to communicate will WA Care manager

LUNCHTIMES

In the event of a fire at lunchtime midday supervisors will:

Lead all children from the dining hall to the assembly points in the main playground
Ensure all children in the playground go to their assembly points
Take the registers once the office staff have brought them out
Teaching or non-teaching staff who are taking a club in another part of the school will lead the children in their charge to the closest assembly point
Any teachers on site will assist with these procedures
Fire Marshalls will check their area on the way out.

REAL FIRE SITUATION

If someone discovers a fire or the fire alarm is activated, and it is clear there is a real fire emergency:

Everyone on site should begin to evacuate according to the procedure above
The premises staff will attend the fire alarm panel to determine where the fire is located
All fire marshalls will be updated by the premises staff to inform them of the area the fire is located. They may not be able to continue the sweep of their area if it is affected.

The fire alarm at Forster Park School is monitored by FIRST ACE. They will contact the Premises staff and or other persons on their emergency contact list to confirm the current situation.

The monitoring company will call the Emergency Services. The member of office staff will go straight to the vehicle gates to open them for the Emergency Servcies.

If safety is compromised or SLT feel it is safer to move the pupils, contact will be made with Greenvale School, Waters Road to request that the pupils and staff begin to make their way there.

Emergency contact telephone numbers will be available from Scholarpack.

FIRE ROUTINES & EQUIPMENT

FIRE DRILLS:

These will take place regularly (at least once a term)
The school will ensure that the first drill of the academic year is done after pupils are briefed about the procedures. Teachers will consider how this is best done, taking into consideration age and SEN needs
Subsequent drills during the year will be done with only the staff knowing beforehand
Further drills will be done practicing exiting the building via other routes, simulating fire blocking the usual exit
A further drill will be carried out at lunchtime (as this is the most likely time for a fire to occur with cooking taking place in the kitchens)
Midday supervisors would assume the role of the class teacher in this instance. (see above)
All fire drills will be recorded and a debrief undertaken by SLT / Premises / Office Staff / Fire Marshalls as soon as possible after each drill to discuss any issues.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

The fire alarm system will be inspected by a competent contractor (FIRST ACE) on a regular basis. The panel will be inspected daily by premises staff.

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

Emergency lighting units will be serviced by a competent contractor (FIRST ACE) on a six monthly basis. Premises staff on a weekly basis will inspect the unit and recrod findings. A member of the premises staff will complete every month flick tests every month.

FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT

Fire fighting equipment will be visually inspected by premises staff and annually serviced by FIRST ACE.

MEANS OF ESCAPE

Fire exits and routes will be checked regularly to ensure that persons using the premises can evacuate safely.

POLICY REVIEW

This policy will be reviewed every two years or sooner if required by the resources committee.