PAT testing for schools and nurseries
Schools have more equipment than most offices, more people handling it, and a lot of it moves from room to room.
What the guidance says
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 apply to schools as workplaces: electrical equipment used at work has to be maintained to prevent danger. The Department for Education's guidance on good estate management repeats that duty, and adds that not all portable equipment will need a portable appliance test. In some cases a simple user check and visual inspection is enough, and schools should decide the level of maintenance according to the risk of an item becoming faulty and how it is constructed.
The employer, or the proprietor in an independent school, is accountable for health and safety. Who that is depends on the type of school, so check with your local authority, trust or governing body if you are not sure. Day to day, testing is normally arranged by the business manager or site team.
Sensible intervals
The current IET Code of Practice moved away from a fixed table to a risk-based approach, so these are typical starting points rather than rules. Adjust them as you build up a history of results.
| Equipment | Typical starting point |
|---|---|
| Class I portable items: kettles, heaters, irons, food tech appliances | about every 12 months |
| Class II items that rarely move: lamps, fans, TVs | visual checks, tested less often |
| Static IT: classroom PCs, interactive screens | every 2 to 4 years |
| Design and technology or workshop tools | more often, often 6 monthly |
| Extension leads | every 12 months, with regular user checks |
Why most schools test in the holidays
Every item is switched off briefly for its test, classrooms are easier to work in when empty, and nobody has to plan lessons around it. Summer is the natural time for a full round, with a shorter visit at Easter or half term for anything on a six-month cycle. Nurseries that are open all year usually test at the start or end of the day, room by room. If your IT is managed by a contractor, tell them the dates so machines can be shut down properly.
Items that get missed
- hall sound systems, stage lighting and drama equipment
- science and design and technology equipment in prep rooms
- laminators, shredders and staff-room appliances
- chargers for tablets, cameras and handheld radios
- kit that belongs to the PTA or comes out for fetes and discos
- equipment staff bring in from home
Cleaning equipment is often owned by the cleaning contractor, so check whose responsibility it is.
What it costs
A small primary school or nursery often has 200 to 400 items. At our rates, 400 items is £310: £50 for the first 50, then 80p an item to 200 and 70p beyond, with no VAT to add. A 150-item nursery would be £130. You get an itemised report for your records and any audit.
Sources
Common questions
Do schools legally have to PAT test?
No law names PAT testing, but schools must keep electrical equipment safe under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Inspection and testing, in proportion to the risk, is the recognised way to show that.
How often should a school PAT test?
There is no fixed legal interval. A common starting point is about once a year for Class I portable items, longer for Class II and static IT, and more often for workshop tools.
Can you test during the school holidays?
Yes. Holidays and INSET days are the easiest time to test, as rooms are empty and equipment can be switched off without disrupting lessons.
Related guides
How to prepare for a PAT test
A practical checklist for the day of your PAT test, plus a free appliance register and user-check sheet to download. Saves time and keeps your quote accurate.
Read the guideExtension leads and adaptors: the items most likely to fail
Why extension leads and adaptors fail PAT tests more than anything else, how to avoid overloading them, and what HSE says about testing them.
Read the guideWhat a PAT certificate should show
The law does not require a PAT certificate, but insurers, agents and inspectors ask for one. What a useful record contains, and how to spot a weak one.
Read the guideReady to get tested?
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