Fire safety at school

[Jammamma123]

If your child's school had an actual fire with fire brigade attending would you expect to be notified? Not a big fire. Also how concerned would you be if a child was left in the toilet? (Not your own child)

A) not unless I had to go and pick them up.
B) very concerned

A) no
B) very

1.not unless I had to collect child early.

2.Very worried indeed.

A no
B wouldn't necessarily unless school confirmed the rumour.

School fire protocols involve checking of areas if it is safe to do so, and once you have left the building you are not to re enter. You are to tell the fire brigade of any unchecked areas and any children unaccounted for. (This is our school procedure anyway).

Staff more than likely will go back in to get a child out if it is a small fire but staff are not ‘supposed’ to put themselves at risk by going back into a building with a fire. They are meant to wait for the fire service to arrive.

a) no

b) staff couldn't leave the children in class to find the child in the toilet. Unfortunate but they followed correct procedures.

A) no
B) would need circumstances investigated. If a mistake and didn't realise then very concerned, of following procedure of not entering building then I'd accept it (although human nature is to think it's wrong)

If you're the only member if staff with your class, your job is to get the class out to the assembly point.

I had designated sensible pupils to either lead the way or bring up the rear. I also insisted that anyone going to the toilet during a lesson put a peg by their name on a list by the door (same for those out reading, in a music lesson, etc). If the fire alarm went, I grabbed the sheet with pegs... but I was NOT expected to go to get any one not in class at the time. I had 30 others to manage.

Some classroom / toilet layouts would permit a quick check before exiting, but many don't.

bringonthescience what a great idea, I’m going to magpie this!

🙈 I’m talking about the peg idea

As BringOn says it’s the class teachers responsibility to get everyone in the class to the assembly point as quickly as possible. The head (and other senior staff depending on size and layout of school) will then check the whole building including toilets for stragglers to ensure no one is left inside the building. If this hasn’t hasn’t happened then I’d be very concerned.

(a) No, not necessarily. If it was a larger fire and potential injuries and smoke inhalation issues then yes, or if I needed to go and collect. A small fire with no issues, no - though suspect it would be mentioned at pick up by the children and could be clarified with a teacher

(b) Level of concern would depend on if procedures were followed correctly, and why the child was left. Our procedure is to stop, line up quietly and make our way to the fire assembly point asap. W have a time target to meet. Immediately outside we are given a register to take - if all children who are in school are present we had up a green card; if not a red card. This alerts the staff in charge of fire safety to find out who it is and where they are likely to be. Then depending on the fires severity they may go and get them or the fire service will d in the case of a bigger fire.

Should also add that by this time of the academic year the children should have had at least one drill, and children new to the school more, so should have an idea of what to do if they find themselves in an area without a teacher and the fire alarm is going off. Ours ought to know that they should leave the building as soon as possibly, staying calm if possible, and walk towards where they can see any member of school staff, if safe to do so.