Who has to notify?
The responsible person for every school in scope. A school is in scope if 200 or more people can reasonably be expected on site at the same time, counting pupils, staff and visitors. The responsible person is the governing body, the academy trust or the proprietor, depending on the type of school. In practice the business manager or headteacher usually completes the notification on their behalf.
A school that can never expect 200 or more people on site at once is outside the Act and does not notify.
When?
Within three months of Martyn's Law coming into force. Commencement is expected in spring 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed by Government. The SIA's guidance sets out the detail, and the portal itself is due to open in 2027.
What will you be asked?
- The name and address of the responsible person.
- Contact details for anyone else with a duty to co-ordinate the school's arrangements.
- The greatest number of people reasonably expected to be on the premises at the same time.
- How you worked that number out.
Working out your number
Start with your busiest times, not an ordinary day. Think about performances, sports days, parents' evenings and open events, when families and visitors come on site. Add the pupils and every member of staff who could be there at the same time, including part-time staff, supply staff, kitchen and site teams.
Write the figure down, along with the date you worked it out and the method you used. The SIA asks for the method as well as the number, so a short note now saves time later.
If your figure sits close to 200, check it again each September, when rolls, staffing and the events calendar change.
Keeping it up to date
After you have notified, changes must be reported to the SIA within 28 days. Changes to the responsible person's details are the most likely example. Putting a line on your governors' or trust calendar is a simple way to make sure this is not missed.
What notification is not
Notification tells the SIA that your school is in scope and who is responsible. It is not an application and it is not a submission of your procedures. The SIA does not approve school procedures in advance.
Will the SIA inspect?
It can. The SIA takes a risk-based approach and will typically give at least 72 hours' notice of an inspection. In some circumstances it can seek a warrant to enter without notice. It looks at whether a school has taken reasonable steps to comply, taking the school's circumstances into account.
Having your four procedures in place, with a record of when staff were briefed and when the procedures were last reviewed, is the clearest way to show what you have done.
What you can do now
- Work out your number, events included, and write down how you reached it.
- Confirm the responsible person and who will handle notification, and minute it.
- Put your four procedures in place and brief staff.
- Note the portal opening in your diary for 2027.
For the full picture of what the law asks of schools, read Martyn's Law for schools: what you need to do.
