Martyn’s Law & Schools: Does It Apply & What Does It Mean?

Martyn’s Law applies to most schools, so it is definitely worth learning about if you don’t know much about what it is, where it applies, and why it applies. There’s more detail to this, of course, but the law will affect how schools are secured, the measures that need to be in place, and what it might mean for the future.

As one of the most significant legislative changes to spaces where large numbers of people gather, understanding how the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – better known as Martyn’s Law – applies to schools is worth getting right. With more young people in schools than ever before, the law’s introduction is a major consideration for estates managers, headteachers, and pastoral staff nationwide.

ProFM Group’s guide explains the key points the law covers, how it may apply to your school, and what you’ll need to do to ensure that you’re fully compliant now that the law is in its Royal Assent phase.

Does Martyn’s Law Apply To Schools?

Yes, Martyn’s Law applies to any school with a capacity of 100 or more. That includes both staff and students, and encompasses the vast majority of primary, secondary and independent schools across the UK. 

There are exceptions to this rule, of course. Smaller, specialist schools (such as those that cater to special education needs) won’t be subject to the requirements set out by the law. Very small independent educators (private tutoring, for example) will also find that they’re exempt from the changing legislation.

Martyn’s Law introduces a two-tiered system, but the majority of schools will only need to be familiar with the Standard Tier, as childcare settings, primary and secondary schools, and other educational establishments form a special exception to the rule.

What Tier Of Martyn’s Law Are Schools In?

Most schools are in the Standard tier of Martyn’s Law, as per Clause 4.39 of the statutory guidance on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. Some small schools will be fully exempt from the law if they have fewer than 100 students and staff on site at any one time.

There are a few exceptions to this Standard tier rule, though. Educational premises that have more routine public access – college and university campuses, for example – will instead be in the Enhanced tier. Conversely, small class private tuition may find that their staff and student numbers are insufficient to exceed the minimum capacity required for Martyn’s Law to be applicable.

Schools will need to take a more proactive approach to preparing for the imminent arrival of Martyn’s Law. 

Standard Tier (Tier 2) Schools – Between 100 and 799 Capacity 

These are the requirements that will apply to the majority of schools across the UK. As part of the rollout of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – the formal name of Martyn’s Law – the following changes will be introduced for schools that fall under the Standard tier:

• You’ll need an appointed Responsible Person. They’ll need to let the Security Industry Authority (SIA) know that they have this role. As part of these duties, they’ll be responsible for designing, planning and implementing key public protection procedures. These are:
  • Evacuation – A plan to get people safely out of the building in the event of a major incident. At a school, this may be taking students and staff to an outdoor area like a yard or playground.
  • Invacuation – A plan to move people away from danger to a safer location on the premises, where there’s less of a pronounced risk. At a school, this may be an enclosed sports hall or gym.
  • Lockdown – A plan for restricting access to the building, including both stopping people from leaving and preventing people from entering. At a school, this may involve locking doors and windows, setting intruder alarms, and disabling any access systems that could be compromised.
  • Communication – A plan for how to communicate any processes, movements or evacuation/invacuation measures to all involved. At a school, this may involve utilising teachers, pastoral staff, or other key members of the faculty.
• All solutions should be specific to your premises. With every school being different, the Responsible Person must create bespoke plans as part of the rollout of Martyn’s Law. These plans need to take into consideration the layout and design of your school, student and staff specifics (like evacuation plans), obstacles and challenges (like staircases or barriers), and difficult-to-reach areas (like isolated classrooms or sports fields).

These may seem difficult on the surface, but they do ensure that schools are better prepared in the event of a terrorist attack. With the UK’s current Terror Threat Level at Severe, there’s no substitute for effective planning, even in smaller schools.

Enhanced Tier (Tier 1) Schools – Over 800 Capacity

While most schools will fall into the Standard tier, it’s important to recognise the requirements for schools that fall outside of that remit. Equally, should the UK’s terror threat level shift to Critical or there’s a proven terror threat to schools, the Law may change to include more requirements.

However, for educational establishments that are already part of the Enhanced tier, they’ll need to do much more in addition to the requirements of the Standard tier. Both Standard and Enhanced tier schools will need to:

• Appoint a Responsible Person who lets the SIA know they’re conducting this role
• Create school-specific plans for evacuation and invacuation
• Design a bespoke contingency plan for lockdown procedures at the school
• Plan how to communicate any evacuation, invacuation and lockdowns clearly and effectively

Alongside those requirements, however, a school in the Enhanced tier (usually a higher education institution that has more readily available public access) will also need to:

• Have public protection measures in place that are designed to reduce the school’s vulnerability to a terror attack, as well as the potential damage and knock-on effects to the surrounding communities.

• • • This ranges from more tangible physical measures like doors, shutters, car park barriers, and vehicle mitigation (telescopic or retractable bollards, for example) to more specific security services, like CCTV cameras, search protocols, SIA-licensed mobile patrols, or dedicated lock and unlock services.
    • It mirrors what we’ll see for smaller event spaces, in that these private venues will also need to invest in the security measures they have. For instance, a concert venue that seats 1,000 people will also need to plan for the premises’ terrorist vulnerabilities and mitigate them appropriately.

• Have sufficient protective measures in place for the security of information, data and systems.

• • • While school data is often kept under close protection with internal IT teams, data security takes on an additional layer of importance under Martyn’s Law. Data breaches can reveal crucial information (student ingress and egress, site plans, lock and unlock times, pipework and ducting, etc.) that ultimately aids hostile reconnaissance and planning.

• Create and maintain all documentation relating to public protection procedures and measures at the school.

• • • As part of the Enhanced tier of measures under Martyn’s Law, all measures and procedures must be formally documented. According to the statutory government guidance on this, it must include a full risk analysis of how the implemented measures reduce or mitigate vulnerabilities to terror threats.

• Effectively disseminate appropriate information on evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown procedures to all relevant staff.

• This is particularly important for schools that fall under the Enhanced tier of Martyn’s Law. While there will be a singular point of contact for the SIA in the Responsible Person, there also needs to be a trusted network of staff across the school who can assist with larger-scale procedures.

• • This could involve pastoral staff, Heads of Department, senior leaders, or additional support staff to help facilitate the evacuation and invacuation of more vulnerable students (those with SEND or SEMH requirements, for example). It’s also important to keep these people up-to-date with any appropriate documentation and risk assessments, so they can be deployed as effectively as possible.

Any educational premises that do fall under the Enhanced tier should have already begun making effective changes to accommodate the law as it comes into effect from Spring 2027. If your school hasn’t yet appointed a Responsible Person under the Act, it’s crucial that you act now, particularly when there is a new academic year approaching..

Who Takes Responsibility For Martyn’s Law Compliance In A School?

This will be the Responsible Person under the Act. For most schools, this will usually be a member of the Senior Leadership Team, like the Headteacher, Estates or Building Manager, or Facilities Lead. If you’re part of a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) or group of schools, there may be one Responsible Person across the trust. 

The Responsible Person will need to let the Security Industry Authority (SIA) know that they’re the person to contact on matters relating to Martyn’s Law. As we discussed earlier, they’ll be responsible for several key parts of enacting the new legislation, including:

• Creating plans for evacuation and invacuation
• Planning for how to “lock down” the school in the event of an incident
• Communicating all relevant plans under Martyn’s Law to staff and faculty members
• Designing school-specific plans for keeping students and staff safe in the event of a terror attack

If this needs to change at any point (due to staff changes or long-term sickness, for example), then this should be communicated as soon as possible to the SIA to let them know about the change in personnel.

How Can A Security Provider Help Schools Comply With Martyn’s Law?

As one of the most pivotal changes to security legislation in recent years, security providers like ProFM Group are taking on greater importance in the modern security landscape. For schools looking to comply with Martyn’s Law, a professional security provider can be an ideal way to prepare for the change and to implement any necessary measures.

While most schools will be in the standard tier, there’s still a need for proper plans on evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown. That can be made more straightforward by partnering with a security provider, who’ll be able to advise on what you can do to most effectively meet those requirements under the Act. 

That could come in the form of a security assessment. This is often the precursor to more formal security measures (such as manned security guarding or site-specific mobile security patrols), but for schools that need to comply with Martyn’s Law, it can also function as a great way to pinpoint any security vulnerabilities.

ProFM Group can be your trusted partner in moving forward with Martyn’s Law compliance. We offer comprehensive packages for both security technology and manned guarding – essential in creating that plan to mitigate vulnerability – alongside that expert guidance your school deserves. And with the 26/27 academic year looming, there’s never been a better time to get plans into place.