Business continuity or disaster recovery plan: guidance and template

Make sure you have plans in place to deal with any disruption to your normal activities. Find out what your plan should cover and use our template to help you. Also see examples from other schools and trusts.

Last reviewed on 2 November 2023See updates
Ref: 41690
Statutory/mandatory for:
Maintained schools
Academies
Contents
  1. What is it?
  2. Your requirements
  3. What makes a good plan
  4. Download our template plan
  5. Take a look at template examples
  6. See examples from schools

What is it?

A business continuity plan is how your school will maintain 'critical activities' during and after a disruptive event that stops you opening the school as normal.

It should include the actions you will take to make sure pupils continue to receive the same level of education and care they'd normally be entitled to.

These plans are sometimes referred to as:

  • Business contingency plans
  • Disaster recovery plans

How is it different to an emergency plan?

A business continuity plan is not the same as an emergency or critical incident plan, but they are closely related. Some schools combine them, as they are often needed in similar types of situations.

The DfE guidance on emergency planning explains that you should aim to minimise disruption to