Emergency or critical incident plan: guidance and examples

Last reviewed on 6 October 2022
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School types: All · School phases: All
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Prepare for emergencies by making sure your school has an emergency plan detailing how you'll respond to various significant incidents, including an outbreak of acute respiratory disease.

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Contents

  1. All schools should have an emergency plan
  2. You're no longer required to have a separate COVID-19 management plan
  3. What to include in your emergency plan
  4. What a good plan looks like
  5. Planning for significant public health incidents
  6. See a template and guidance
  7. See school examples

All schools should have an emergency plan

Your focus in creating this plan (also called a critical incident plan) should be on:

  • Minimising disruption to pupils’ education
  • Maximising the number of pupils receiving face-to-face provision
  • Helping staff respond effectively to an emergency on site or during an educational visit

This is explained on page 5 of the DfE’s non-statutory emergency planning and response guidance.

You must also comply with legal requirements, including health and safety law, and statutory requirements.

You're no longer required to have a separate COVID-19 management plan

The updated guidance links to the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) guidance on health protection in education and childcare settings, which

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