No not a good idea to congrigate - but better than staying in a burning building - we are lookint at reduced occpancy in our building(s) and how we can arrange our evacuation points - will have to see what the govenment advice is before we test it (measure the risk against the benifit) - but then most of our people know our prcedures, if you have a new intake of children may be different.

Just read on the Govenment website which is valid upto 31st May that evacuation drill should be completed as normal.  Sounds crazy to asseble large groups together in one place.   I have no immediate need to do a drill and our occupancy numbers will be lower untill the new academic year so will monitor the situation then look at scheduling something in the new academic year and then maybe reviewing the assembly area.

​​​​​​​https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-school-premises-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/managing-school-premises-which-are-partially-open-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#fire-safety

Originally Posted by: andrewjb1

Just read on the Govenment website which is valid upto 31st May that evacuation drill should be completed as normal.  Sounds crazy to asseble large groups together in one place.   I have no immediate need to do a drill and our occupancy numbers will be lower untill the new academic year so will monitor the situation then look at scheduling something in the new academic year and then maybe reviewing the assembly area.

​​​​​​​https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-school-premises-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/managing-school-premises-which-are-partially-open-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#fire-safety

I have to say I strongly disagree with the Govt advice that "Fire drills should carry on as normal'. Firstly, what sort of strategy is that? Seven words?? Its sounds really lazy and/or rushed. What the hell does normal mean????

Its clear that a drill in a village School with a big playground with 30 pupils may present far fewer risks Covid security wise than a 4 storey Victorian building in central London with a small yard and no playground as such. So with the greatest respect to the Civil Servant who wrote that guidance, a simple nod such as 'the the nature and frequency of any fire drill should be subject to a risk assessment' would have been better advice.

In any case, Article 15 of the Fire Safety Order states:

15.—(1) The responsible person must—

(a)establish and, where necessary, give effect to appropriate procedures, including safety drills, to be followed 

I would argue that a timed programme of 'walk throughs' by the teacher of each class (or registration Tutor) to a strict timetable, showing student the escape routes to the assembly point & any other info would be sufficient and be able to maintain social distancing and a mass drill is not required to satisfy the where necessary part above during this emergency.

This would be augmented by teacher training at meeting after school with their own run throughs guided by a head of dept.