Your public liability insurance does not automatically cover campfires, bonfires or firework displays organised by the school.
Information and guidance about bonfires and firework displays is available on the Derbyshire County Council website.
This guidance relates to small campfires on school grounds only:
Location of the campfire
The campfire should be sited well away from buildings and another ignition source. For risk management and insurance purposes, no fire should be made within 15 metres of the main school buildings. The fire location should also be at least 15 metres from other structures, neighbouring buildings, railways, roads etc.
A thorough risk assessment for the fire site and users should be made, including aspects such as whether the ground is level; free from tripping hazards; any overhanging branches; whether the fire needs to be raised off the ground or contained if the ground layer is particularly flammable or sensitive. An appropriate fire extinguisher should be on hand, along with someone who has been trained in the use of fire extinguishers.
For sites where it is intended to regularly light fires, we suggest you include a section in your ‘Fire Safety Management and Fire Risk Assessment Document’ – under section 10 (Other Significant Sources of Ignition) which includes your school policies and procedures for small scale campfires.
The person
Only competent persons authorised by the school should be allowed to light, maintain, and manage the fire. The fire building and lighting should be fully supervised, the fire should never be left unattended and the competent person should ensure it is fully extinguished at the end of the session.
When delivering Forest School programmes, we strongly recommend that the ‘competent person’ holds the appropriate level of qualification (Level 3 Forest School Practitioner). Where lighting small scale campfires for other purposes, the school should ensure that the ‘competent person’ has satisfied the school leadership team, and that they are appropriately experienced and able to manage this effectively.
Procedures
Ensure that procedures are in place to light, manage and fully extinguish the fire after each session. Derbyshire County Council has a generic risk assessment for barbeque safety which you may choose to use, edit and add to ensuring due consideration for your particular site, grounds, participants and activity.
Contacts for further information and advice:
Email: riskandinsurance@derbyshire.gov.uk
Educational Visits Adviser, Derbyshire County Council
Email: healthandsafety.enquiries@derbyshire.gov.uk