Health and safety protocols are present in all UK schools to protect the students and staff within those settings. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Health and Safety Executive requires that all educational institutions within the UK take a sensible approach to health and safety regulations. There is no need to eliminate all risks within a school. However, all significant risks must be controlled to allow students to participate in outdoor activities and science experiments.
The employer is primarily responsible for ensuring that health and safety regulations are followed within the school. The local authority or academy trust is the school’s employer. This employer must write a policy regarding the health and safety of the students and staff and appoint a person to manage these health and safety issues. The headteacher is also responsible for health and safety regulations daily. All teachers have a legal duty to ensure the welfare of their students as a parent would want to see.
All staff members are responsible for reporting any health or safety issues that may arise within the school. In a primary school, staff members are responsible for continuously supervising the students. The school site must be secured from unauthorized visitors. Maintenance staff must check the playground equipment daily. Teachers must write a risk assessment plan to be followed for any trips that the students take outside of the school.
Older students complete more complex subjects that require specific health and safety controls. Strict rules must be followed in departments like science and physical education. The management must ensure that all teachers are trained to deal with hazardous materials in the science departments. The technicians in the science departments must follow strict rules about the storage and disposal of chemicals. Staff members must regularly inspect the machinery in the industrial workshops in the college to ensure that it is in good working order.
Finally, the further education colleges have health and safety protocols similar to the workplace. The college is required to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for students in vocational education programs. College students have more independence. The instructors must teach them to assess the risks they will face in their independent science and workshop activities.
Physical safety links directly to student wellbeing. The Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance demands schools protect students from abuse and online harms. Institutions must also support pupils with medical conditions under the Children and Families Act 2014. Schools must arrange specific support plans to allow these students full access to physical education and school trips.
References
Department for Education, 2014. Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions–3 Accessed: 1 June 2026.
Department for Education, 2018. Health and safety on educational visits. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits Accessed: 1 June 2026.
Department for Education, 2022. Health and safety: responsibilities and duties for schools. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-advice-for-schools/responsibilities-and-duties-for-schools Accessed: 1 June 2026.
Department for Education, 2025. Keeping children safe in education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2 Accessed: 1 June 2026.