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LCC Schools Emergency Planning

Responding to Emergency Situations

The purpose of a School Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) is to provide a detailed plan on how each specific school will prepare and respond to emergency situations.

The forethought and planning for emergencies is significant to adapt and respond to emergencies which can and do happen within schools and surrounding communities.

Planning for emergencies not only prevents an incident getting worse and saves lives, but also provides the confidence to staff and governors, parents, carers and pupils and enhances school reputation as a safe place to learn and work.

The Department for Education recommends that schools create and maintain a Schools Emergency Management Plan, which also appears as an audit requirement as part of the schools risk assessment for insurance purpose.

SEMP Key Documents

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SEMP Process
 

Stage 1: Produce & Develop your SEMP
Use the SEMP resources and your school's risk assessment to produce your SEMP.

Stage 2: Train your Staff
An important step is to embed emergency management planning into the culture of your school. It is particularly important to deliver a programme of training for staff who are directly involved in the execution of your SEMP, so that they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities.

Stage 3: Test your Plan
Your SEMP plan cannot be considered fit for purpose until it has been tested. Test to identify any gaps which can be filled to improve your plan.

Stage 4: Maintaining and Reviewing your SEMP
Plans must be tested, reviewed, updated and maintained frequently.

Schools' operations, staff and buildings can change, so a plan must reflect these changes. Identify a key member of staff, preferably the School Business Manager or Headteacher, to take ownership and arrange for a comprehensive review to take place periodically.

Your school's individual risk assessment should be considered when developing your SEMP as schools will have individual site specific risks to contend with.



Levels of Risk


Although it is optimistic to plan for every possible eventuality which may arise, incidents may be grouped within three different levels of concern;

  • Level 0- Localised incidents relate to disruption to routine but not an immediate threat to well-being. For example, weather problems, failed heating service, fallen trees, floods, vandalism or ICT failure.
  • Level 1- Localised emergencies relate to incidents which may involve a real threat of, or actual injury or death. For example, an on-site gas leak, fire, deliberate act of violence, or out-of-school incidents such as the death of a pupil or a member of staff through natural causes or accidents.
  • Level 2 - Major community emergencies relate to major emergencies which may affect whole communities and usually involve a County Emergency Planning Department, such as a serious road or rail accident, explosion, terrorist attack, flu or viral epidemic leading to a national alert.