School Holiday Electrical Testing: Your Essential Inspection Guide

School holidays can provide useful access for PAT testing, but the visit still needs planning around holiday clubs, contractors and essential equipment. Use this checklist to prepare the site and leave time to act on the results.

A holiday booking is an operational choice, not proof that every school appliance requires annual testing.

1. Confirm the scope before booking

List classrooms, offices, kitchens, stores and other spaces to include. Separate ordinary appliance testing from fixed wiring, specialist laboratory equipment and other systems that need their own competent contractor.

2. Prepare a realistic equipment count

Include items brought out only for events, spare leads, chargers and equipment kept in locked cupboards. Count detachable test items separately using our appliance-counting guide. Ask staff about equipment normally taken home.

3. Agree access and shutdowns

Nominate a site contact and arrange keys, alarms, induction and any safeguarding requirements. Identify servers, communications, refrigeration and other equipment that cannot be disconnected without approval.

Tell us about holiday clubs and concurrent building work so access can be planned safely.

4. Plan room by room

• Classrooms and offices: make plug-in equipment and separate leads accessible.
• Kitchens: agree safe access and suitable shutdown windows.
• Workshops and laboratories: identify specialist equipment before the visit.
• Stores and performance spaces: include seasonal and event equipment.

Do not move or dismantle equipment unsafely just to make it available.

5. Leave time for failed or unavailable items

Agree how defects will be reported and who will arrange repairs or replacements. Record equipment that could not be inspected rather than assuming the visit covered it. Leave a follow-up window before normal teaching resumes.

6. Keep a clear handover

Keep the itemised results, labels and action records together. A pass records the condition found at the visit; staff still need to report subsequent damage. See the sample reports and labels.

Set the next review from the school’s risk assessment, use and defect history. Check any additional academy trust, local authority, insurer or contractual requirements that apply.

Further guidance: HSE guidance on risk-based PAT.

Arrange school holiday PAT testing

Send the school postcode, approximate item count, preferred dates and any restricted-access areas. Large or multi-building sites benefit from a tailored quote and a planned sequence of rooms.

View our schools and universities PAT service or use the visit preparation checklist.

Planning a workplace visit? Get a PAT testing estimate or see our reports and labels before you book.