Fire safety design for schools in England is addressed by Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100) alongside Approved Document B, while occupied schools remain subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — with the responsible person duty typically sitting with the trust, governing body or local authority. In practice, most education fire doors are FD30 or FD30s doorsets on corridors, classrooms, stairwells and escape routes, with higher ratings where the fire strategy demands them for kitchens, plant rooms, science and technology spaces or compartment lines.
School doors take exceptional punishment: thousands of student movements a day, impact from bags and equipment, and heavy use of every closer and hinge. Every doorset we supply into education will carry third-party certification and be specified for that duty — robust facings, protection options within the certified scope, ironmongery selected for high-frequency use, and vision panels factory-fitted within the certified field of application so supervision sightlines are maintained without compromising the rating.
We will plan delivery around the academic calendar. Phased programmes concentrated in holiday windows — summer above all, with half-terms for smaller batches — will let estates teams replace door stock without disrupting teaching, and each phase will be handed over with per-door certificate references and documentation for the school's fire safety records.
What this sector needs from a doorset partner
- FD30/FD30s corridor, classroom and stairwell doorsets specified for very high traffic
- Higher-rated doorsets for kitchens, plant rooms and compartment lines where the fire strategy requires
- Vision panels factory-fitted within the certified scope to maintain supervision sightlines
- Robust ironmongery and protection options selected for high-frequency use
- Programmes phased into summer and half-term holiday windows to avoid teaching disruption
- Per-door handover documentation for the responsible person's fire safety records
Standards & guidance we work to
- BB 100 (fire safety design of schools)
- Approved Document B (fire safety)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- BS 8214 (installation code of practice)
- BS EN 1154 (door closers) and BS EN 1935 (hinges)
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for fire doors in a school?
Occupied schools fall under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, so the responsible person — typically the academy trust, governing body, proprietor or local authority depending on the school's structure — must ensure fire doors are maintained in efficient working order and good repair as part of the fire risk assessment. Design guidance for new and refurbished school buildings comes from BB 100 and Approved Document B.
Can you complete a replacement programme during the summer holiday?
That is exactly how we intend to work. We will scope and survey during term time, manufacture in advance, and concentrate installation in holiday windows — using the long summer break for larger phases and half-terms for smaller batches. Programme capacity and lead times will be published at launch, and we will always confirm a realistic phase plan before committing to dates.