What's Inside This Template

Risk assessments don't need to be complicated, but they do need to be thorough. This checklist template guides you through a systematic evaluation of your venue and activities, ensuring you identify and control every significant hazard. It's aligned with the Health and Safety Executive's five-step framework and incorporates requirements common across major UK governing bodies.

Template Sections

The checklist is organised into six assessment areas, each with specific items to evaluate:

Venue Environment — Building access and egress, floor surfaces, lighting, temperature, ventilation, changing facilities, toilets, and viewing areas. Separate checklists for indoor and outdoor venues.
Activity-Specific Hazards — Customisable section for your specific activities. Pre-populated examples include pool-specific risks (water depth, poolside surfaces, chemical storage), hall-based risks (equipment storage, ceiling height, wall padding), and outdoor risks (weather exposure, ground conditions, boundary security).
Equipment and Resources — Condition checks, storage, age-appropriateness, maintenance schedules, and replacement criteria for all teaching equipment.
Emergency Procedures — Fire evacuation routes, assembly points, first aid provision, missing child procedure, severe weather protocol, and emergency contact information.
Safeguarding Controls — Sight lines, supervision ratios, changing room protocols, photography policy, visitor management, and lone-working procedures.
Documentation and Review — Sign-off section, review date scheduling, incident log cross-reference, and action tracking for identified improvements.

Who This Template Is For

Every children's activity provider needs risk assessments. Whether you run swimming lessons in a leisure centre, football coaching in a park, dance classes in a community hall, or holiday camps in a school, this template adapts to your setting. It's also useful for franchise operators who need a standardised risk assessment format across multiple sites.

How to Use It

Complete the checklist by physically walking through your venue while filling in each section. Score each hazard on likelihood and severity to prioritise your control measures. Review and update the assessment at least annually, after any incident, and whenever you change venue or introduce new activities. Keep the completed assessment accessible to all staff — a document nobody reads protects nobody.