Context
Leeds Junior School is a busy primary school within an Education Trust portfolio in West Yorkshire. A number of fire doors across the site did not meet current fire safety standards - many were uncertificated and would not have performed as required in the event of a fire. With hundreds of pupils and staff on site every day, bringing the building into full compliance quickly, safely, and without disrupting the school day was the clear priority. Capital Fire Doors was appointed to deliver a complete end-to-end solution: from initial inspection through to full door replacement, and the establishment of an ongoing maintenance programme to ensure long-term compliance.
Challenge
Upgrading fire door provision across a live, occupied primary school required a careful balance of urgency, safety, and sensitivity to the school environment:
Non-compliant doors across the estate: A significant number of the school's existing fire doors fell short of current fire safety standards, representing a real risk to the safety of pupils and staff in the event of a fire. Replacement needed to be thorough, structured, and completed without delay.
Working within a live school environment: With pupils and staff on site throughout the working week, all installation works had to be planned and executed around the school day - minimising noise, disruption, and any impact on the safety or routine of those in the building.
Maintaining compliance beyond the project: The Trust needed more than a one-off intervention. Without a proactive maintenance programme in place, compliance can deteriorate over time as doors experience normal wear and changes in condition - an issue Capital Fire Doors was asked to address as part of the overall scope.
Solution
Capital Fire Doors, part of Complii, delivered a structured, full-lifecycle solution, from survey through to ongoing maintenance, designed to bring the school into compliance and keep it there:
Full site fire door inspection: The programme began with a comprehensive inspection of all fire doors across the school, identifying those requiring replacement and informing a structured, prioritised plan of works. This ensured nothing was missed and that every replacement was based on a clear, evidenced assessment.
Full replacement with BM TRADA Q-Mark certified door sets: Every non-compliant door was removed and replaced with new FD30s-rated doors and frames, fully compliant with British Standards and certified under the BM TRADA Q-Mark scheme. Installers worked efficiently throughout school hours, keeping disruption to pupils and staff to a minimum.
Proactive six-monthly maintenance programme established: On completion of the installation, Capital Fire Doors put in place a structured maintenance plan - with the team returning every six months to inspect each fire door for wear, damage, or any changes affecting compliance. This gives the Trust ongoing assurance that the school's fire door provision remains fit for purpose and ensures that any issues are identified and addressed before they become problems.
Results
Leeds Junior School now has a fully compliant fire door estate throughout and a maintenance framework in place to keep it that way:
Full compliance achieved across the site: All non-compliant doors have been replaced with BM TRADA Q-Mark-certified FD30 door sets, bringing the school into full compliance with current fire safety regulations and providing the right level of protection for pupils and staff.
Works completed with minimal disruption: The installation programme was delivered around the school day, ensuring no significant impact on pupils, staff, or the Trust, exactly the standard the school required.
Long-term compliance protected: The six-monthly maintenance programme provides the Trust with ongoing peace of mind - ensuring fire door compliance doesn't lapse over time and that the school remains protected well beyond the initial works. It's an aspect of fire safety management that's often overlooked but makes a real difference to long-term safety outcomes.