Practical emergency planning for schools & colleges

Almost all schools and further education colleges fall under the Standard Tier, even if more than 800 people are on site. The government has confirmed that education settings below higher education level are covered by proportionate, procedural requirements only. The focus is on having clear plans and procedures - such as lockdown, evacuation and communication arrangements - rather than introducing new physical security measures. The Enhanced Tier applies where 800 or more members of the public could reasonably be expected at one time, such as large public events or higher education institutions that meet that threshold. If a school or college hosts a large public event organised by a third party, responsibility would generally be shared: the event organiser must meet Enhanced Tier requirements for the event, while the school or trust must cooperate and ensure the site’s security arrangements are appropriate. In short, everyday school and further education operations remain Standard Tier, while higher education settings and large public events may fall under the Enhanced Tier.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, but its requirements are not yet in force. The government has confirmed an implementation period of at least 24 months, meaning organisations will not be expected to meet their obligations under the Act until 3 April 2027 at the earliest.

Before the Act commences, the Home Office needs to publish its Section 27 statutory guidance - the detailed framework that will help organisations understand exactly what is expected of them. That guidance is expected during 2026. Once published, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) will consult on its own regulatory guidance setting out how it will monitor and enforce the requirements.

Whilst organisations are not required to comply until the Act formally commences, the threat is real now. The DfE, Counter Terrorism Policing and ProtectUK all encourage schools and colleges to have preparedness plans in place - not because of a deadline, but because effective procedures protect people today. Those that start now will be refining and strengthening their plans rather than building from scratch when the legislation takes effect.

Section 27 of the Act gives the Secretary of State the power to issue statutory guidance on the duties the legislation imposes. This guidance will set out in practical terms what those responsible for qualifying premises — including schools and colleges — need to do to meet their obligations. It carries real weight: if an organisation's approach is ever questioned, being able to demonstrate that it acted in accordance with the Section 27 guidance is a key way of evidencing it has met the requirements.

That guidance has not been published yet. However, a great deal of best practice is already established. Counter Terrorism Policing, ProtectUK and the DfE have all published preparedness frameworks and resources, including the DfE's Protective Security and Preparedness for Education Settings. The core expectations — evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication procedures — are clear from the Act itself. Organisations that build their planning around this existing best practice will be well placed when the formal guidance arrives.

CTprepare has been designed around this established best practice. As soon as the Section 27 guidance is published, we will update the platform and share practical insights with our schools and colleges to help them understand what it means for them.

While schools and colleges are not typical targets, the UK’s national threat level is “substantial”, meaning a terrorist attack is considered likely. These settings operate to predictable routines - fixed start and finish times, regular deliveries and consistent patterns of movement - which can make them more vulnerable to those looking to exploit familiarity or disrupt daily life. The aim of terrorism is to create fear and destabilise communities, and an incident involving a school or college would have a significant emotional and social impact, even if it were not necessarily the intended target. Improving counter-terrorism preparedness complements Keeping Children Safe in Education and wider safeguarding duties, helping schools and colleges protect pupils, staff and visitors while also strengthening their ability to respond to other emergencies, criminal threats or local incidents.

Yes. Martyn's Law and DfE guidance require schools to have documented, tested plans for all major emergency procedures. CTprepare translates Counter Terrorism Policing best practice and NPSA protective security guidance into school-specific, actionable procedures that meet these requirements.

No. It produces customised procedures based on your school’s size, site layout and staffing. Each plan reflects your setting, not a generic checklist.

DfE guidance recommends an annual review, and CTprepare sends reminders so you never miss it. You can also log drills and lessons learned directly into the system.

No. The platform is simple and step-by-step. It also generates crib sheets that help staff know exactly what to do in a real incident.

Yes. CTprepare stores drill logs, training records and procedures in one place, making it easy to share evidence during audits, inspections or governor meetings.

CTprepare highlights gaps like this and encourages schools to start. It provides the framework for recording drills once you put them in place.

No. It complements it. Schools should still follow advice from local safeguarding teams, police and local authority officers. CTprepare makes sure your internal plans are clear and consistent.

The government has said that Standard Tier premises — including schools and colleges — do not necessarily need to buy a product to meet their Martyn's Law obligations. The same principle applies across other areas of regulation, from fire safety to health and safety to data protection. Organisations can often meet their legal duties without external support — but many choose to use expert tools and services because the result is better, faster and more reliable.

Emergency planning for counter-terrorism is no different. Creating effective procedures means thinking carefully about your specific site, staffing, pupil needs, communication channels and how your organisation actually operates under pressure. Done properly, that takes significant time and expertise.

CTprepare brings together professional security knowledge and a deep understanding of educational settings into a structured process that produces tailored, actionable procedures in hours rather than weeks - with the confidence that comes from knowing the work has been shaped by experts. It keeps everything in one place, prompts you when reviews and drills are due and gives governors, parents, inspectors and regulators clear evidence that your organisation takes security preparedness seriously. Critically, it helps keep children safe in education.

Yes. CTprepare is built with security and data protection at its core. All information is stored securely in line with UK GDPR requirements, and schools remain in control of their own data. Access is role-based so only authorised staff can view or update records.

Yes. CTprepare can be used across Multi Academy Trusts. Each school needs to sign up and will get its own tailored plans and drill logs, while MAT leaders can see procedures and evidence across all their schools.