School Event Risk Assessments
Starter risk assessments for the events teachers end up running: sports day, a fair or fete (with a bouncy castle), a disco or performance, a visitor in class, and animals in school.
Starting points – Check every row against your school's policy and the venue's own risk assessment, and add what is specific to your group.
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This supports, but does not replace, your school's or employer's policy. The visit leader, EVC or head teacher must check and approve it.
Pick your event
- Sports day: heat and sun, races, visitors on site, collection at the end.
- Fair or fete: the bouncy castle (ask the hire company for its current inspection certificate and insurance, and make sure an attendant supervises), food and allergens, lost children, gazebos and cables.
- Disco, concert or performance: capacity and fire exits, staging and cables, strobe lighting and pupils with photosensitive epilepsy, collection.
- Visitor in class: sign-in and safeguarding procedures, what they're bringing, content agreed in advance.
- Animals in school: handwashing with soap and water after contact, allergies, bites and scratches, and the animal's care.
Before
- Agree the date and plan with your senior leader
- Book suppliers; ask for certificates and insurance
- Tell families the plan (times, sun cream, collection)
- Check needs and allergies (by initials)
On the day
- Walk the site first; check exits and cables
- First aid point and lost child point staffed
- Collection from class staff only
Afterwards
- Clear up and check the site
- Record incidents; update the assessment
Keep pupils' details out of it
Write "Pupil A" or initials, and say where the confidential plan is kept ("held by the visit leader"). Names, medical details and contact numbers belong in the school's own system, not in a risk assessment that gets printed, emailed and left on a coach seat. Everything you type here stays in this browser.
Sources and further reading
- HSE: School trips and outdoor learning activities – tackling the health and safety myths
- HSE: risk assessment – steps needed to manage risk
- DfE: Health and safety – responsibilities and duties for schools
We link to these so you can read the original guidance; we haven't copied it. Check for updates, and follow your school's or local authority's own policy where it says more.
Questions teachers ask
Do we need a risk assessment for a bouncy castle at a school fair?
Yes. Use a hire company whose inflatable has a current safety inspection, ask for its certificate and insurance, and make sure there is an attendant supervising numbers and ages at all times.
Does a visiting speaker need a risk assessment?
A short one: the visitor follows the school's sign-in and safeguarding procedures, a member of staff stays in the room, and you agree content and equipment in advance.
Can we bring animals into school?
Yes, with sensible controls: supervised handling, handwashing with soap and water afterwards, allergy checks and a plan for the animal's care. Check your school's policy first.