Schools sit at the heart of their communities, and a serious fire on a school site does far more than damage a building — it disrupts the education of hundreds or even thousands of children, often for months. While education premises account for a relatively small share of all UK fires, the consequences are disproportionately costly and disruptive. This guide brings together the latest verified data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) on the scale of school fire risk, the main causes, sprinkler provision, the legal duties on schools and what the law requires for fire drills.
Key facts and figures
- 417 fires were recorded in education premises in England in 2024/25 — around 6.3% of all UK workplace fires.
- 1,400–1,800 fires are estimated to occur in UK schools each year once smaller, contained incidents are included.
- 480 schools suffered fire damage in 2019, disrupting the education of roughly 20,000 children.
- 15,000m² of classroom space was damaged by fire in 2019.
- Only 2% of fire-affected schools had a sprinkler system installed.
- 58% of fire safety audits across English premises in 2024/25 were judged satisfactory.
The scale of school fire risk
Fire and rescue services recorded 417 fires in education premises in England in 2024/25, equivalent to around 6.3% of all UK workplace fires. That headline figure counts only the larger incidents attended and reported as fires in non-residential education buildings. Once smaller, contained incidents are taken into account, estimates suggest that somewhere between 1,400 and 1,800 fires occur in UK schools each year.
The disruption a single serious fire causes is significant. In 2019, around 480 schools experienced fire damage, affecting the education of approximately 20,000 children and damaging an estimated 15,000m² of classroom space. Rebuilding and refurbishment can take many months, during which pupils may be taught in temporary accommodation or split across other sites.
Causes of school fires
School fires fall into three principal categories, each with its own risk profile.
Arson. Deliberate fire-setting is consistently a leading cause of school fires. Arson attacks are frequently set in high-damage locations such as roof spaces, storerooms and assembly halls, and often occur outside school hours when the building is empty and detection is slower. The result is disproportionately large, destructive fires.
Electrical faults. Older school buildings with ageing infrastructure are especially vulnerable to electrical fires. Science laboratories, design and technology workshops and ICT suites all combine higher electrical loads with ignition sources, raising the risk where wiring and equipment are not well maintained.
Kitchen fires. On-site catering operations bring the same hazards found in any commercial kitchen — cooking fat fires and the build-up of grease in extraction systems are common ignition points. Regular cleaning of ductwork and filters, together with the right extinguishing equipment, is essential.
Why only 2% of schools have sprinklers
Despite the scale of damage school fires can cause, only around 2% of fire-affected schools had a sprinkler system installed. Sprinklers are highly effective at containing a fire to its area of origin, limiting both damage and disruption, yet they remain the exception rather than the rule across the existing school estate.
Analysis of fires in education premises has found that a high proportion of badly affected schools also had weaker fire protection measures more generally — not just an absence of sprinklers, but gaps in compartmentation, detection and passive fire protection. Where protection is poor, a fire that might otherwise be contained can spread to engulf large parts of a building.
Legal requirements for school fire safety
Schools are workplaces, and the people responsible for them carry clear legal duties. The main pieces of legislation that apply are:
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — the central fire safety duty, requiring a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and adequate fire precautions.
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — the overarching duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and others on site.
- The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 — duties to maintain electrical systems and prevent danger, relevant given the role of electrical faults in school fires.
- Ofsted oversight — while not a fire authority, inspection indirectly considers whether pupils are kept safe.
Under the Fire Safety Order, the responsible person — typically the head teacher, governing body or local authority — must carry out a fire risk assessment, keep it up to date and appoint enough trained, competent staff to assist with fire prevention and evacuation. Trained fire wardens are central to meeting that duty.
Fire drills: what the law requires
Practising evacuation is one of the most important things a school can do to protect pupils and staff. In most settings, the expectation is a minimum of one fire drill per term — three a year — with more frequent drills where the fire risk assessment indicates they are needed. Drills should involve all staff and pupils so that evacuation routines become second nature.
Records matter. Each drill should be logged with the date and time, the number of occupants, the time taken to evacuate and any issues identified, so that problems can be acted on and improvements demonstrated. A short, well-documented termly drill is far cheaper than the alternative.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Fires in education premises (England, 2024/25) | 417 |
| Share of all UK workplace fires | ~6.3% |
| Estimated school fires per year (all incidents) | 1,400–1,800 |
| Schools fire-damaged in 2019 | ~480 |
| Children affected (2019) | ~20,000 |
| Classroom space damaged (2019) | 15,000m² |
| Fire-affected schools with sprinklers | ~2% |
| Satisfactory fire safety audits (2024/25) | 58% |
Sources & references
- Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) — Detailed analysis of fires attended by fire and rescue services, England
- MHCLG — Fire incidents in education premises, England (2010–2024)
- MHCLG — Fire prevention and protection statistics, England (year ending March 2025)
- Summit Environmental — “Back to School Should Mean Back to Safety”
- MHCLG – Detailed Analysis of Fires
- MHCLG – Fire Incidents in Education Premises
- MHCLG – Fire Prevention and Protection Statistics
- Summit Environmental – Back to School Should Mean Back to Safety
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Mark writes about workplace fire safety, compliance and accredited training for Fire Marshal Training, part of Online CPD Academy.