Martyn’s Law: getting schools ready

As Martyn’s Law is due to come into effect in 2027, educational settings will be required to strengthen their preparedness for potential terrorist threats. So what does this new legislation mean for schools?

Martyn’s Law, officially known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, received Royal Assent in April 2025, introducing new legal duties for publicly accessible premises to strengthen their preparedness for potential terrorist threats. It was born from the Manchester Arena bombing, which claimed the lives of 22 people, including 29-year-old Martyn Hett.

Educational settings are within scope of the legislation, which comes into effect in 2027. This will require schools, colleges, early years providers and further education institutions to implement practical safety measures to reduce harm in the event of an attack, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Martyn’s Law introduces a tiered framework for public venues based primarily on capacity, but schools are treated differently under what is described as “special consideration.”

Regardless of how many pupils or staff are on roll, all schools fall within the standard tier. This reflects the recognition that schools already operate within well-established safeguarding and health and safety systems. As a result, even large schools or academies with more than 800 students are not expected to meet enhanced tier requirements, which are reserved for large-scale venues such as arenas and stadiums where more intensive security infrastructure is appropriate. Higher education institutions do not receive this exemption and will instead be categorised according to their capacity.

What does the law involve?
At its core, the law focuses on ensuring that schools have clear, workable procedures in place for responding to an incident, as well as a ‘responsible person’ to lead the procedures.

This includes the ability to evacuate individuals safely from the premises, to move people into safer internal areas if a threat is outside, and to initiate a lockdown that secures classrooms and restricts movement across the site. Communication is also a central requirement, with schools expected to have reliable ways of alerting everyone on site to danger. Whether through public address systems, alarms or simpler methods, communication must be fast, clear and effective under pressure.

Crucially, Martyn’s Law does not require schools to undertake specialist counter-terrorism training or carry out detailed threat assessments. Instead, it emphasises awareness and preparedness, ensuring that staff understand the procedures relevant to their roles. Free continuing professional development training is available through ProtectUK, which provides guidance tailored specifically to education settings and other public venues.

School-based events
Regarding the status of large events on school premises, such as concerts, sports days or summer fairs, the legislation clarifies that educational premises are excluded from the definition of “qualifying events.” This means that even when attendance exceeds 800 people, schools remain within the standard tier and are not required to introduce additional security measures solely because of crowd size.

Further clarity arrived in October 2025, when the government published detailed guidance for schools. More recently still, broader advice for all premises covered by the law was published by the government. These materials are designed to make compliance straightforward and proportionate, avoiding the need for costly consultancy or specialist services.

Commenting on the guidance, Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett, described it as an important step forward in helping organisations understand what is required and take meaningful action to improve public safety.

She said: “This represents another significant milestone for the Martyn’s Law campaign and will provide the clarity for venues and events within scope to begin to implement proportionate measures set out within Martyn’s Law.

“We must now ensure everyone is aware of what is required and to make public spaces more secure from the impact of a terrorist attack, so no family has to endure the lasting pain that mine and 21 others have gone through.”

How prepared is the education sector?
Research involving more than 1,200 education professionals by software development company Little Green Button found that 44 per cent were unfamiliar with Martyn’s Law, while nearly a third were unaware of any preparations being made within their own institutions.

More than half of respondents felt their school was not ready to manage a lockdown or major security incident, and a significant majority highlighted a lack of funding as a barrier to improving safety measures.

Although enforcement of the new duties is not expected until early to mid-2027, the window for preparation is narrowing. With clearer guidance now available, schools should begin to ensure their procedures are robust, well understood and ready to be implemented. This should also build on the safeguarding structures already in place, helping to protect both staff and students across the UK.