A guide to the risk protection arrangement for schools

Public sector schools can join the risk protection arrangement – an alternative to commercial insurance – which may save time and money

Risk protection arrangement (RPA) joining information for converter academies and church schools

Converter academies will be signed up automatically, but you can opt out if you want to. If a church organisation allows your school to occupy their property then, under the rules, those trustees:

• are covered for losses and liabilities they may incur through you occupying their property;
• can make claims on your behalf for those losses and liabilities;
• can have those claims paid directly to them;
• can use the complaints and arbitration procedures about those claims.

Help in using or creating a DfE sign-in account for the RPA

Stage 1: Create a DfE sign-in account if you do not have one

1. Go to create a DfE sign-in account and enter your name and your work email address.
2. Check your emails; copy the code they’ve sent you and paste this into the box on the verification page.
3. Create a memorable password.

Use DfE sign in help if you have any problems creating a DfE sign-in account.

Stage 2: Request access to the RPA

1. Request access to your organisation and the RPA form.
2. Ask your approver to approve your access to the RPA and the online collection service.

You can view who your organisation’s approvers are after you’ve added your organisation to your DfE sign in account. There’s more information on what approvers need to do in Stage 3.

Stage 3: Give access to the RPA form (for approvers)

1. Add the RPA to the online collections service.
2. Go to the ‘manage users’ page and add a role to each user’s account.
3. Choose ‘add services’ from the right-hand list – if a user already has access to the online collections service, choose this on the user’s page and add the role, ‘RPA’.
4. Choose the services, roles and forms you want the user to have access to and save your changes.

Costs

The RPA costs for academies:

• £19 per pupil, per year
• £19 per place, per year, for special and alternative provision academies, special schools and pupil referral units

For academies, this covers you for the current academic year (1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022). The cost for the next academic year (1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023) will increase to £21 per pupil, per year.

The RPA costs for local authority maintained schools:

• £19 per pupil, per year
• £19 per place, per year, for special and alternative provision academies, special schools and pupil referral units

For local authority maintained schools, this covers you for the current financial year (1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022). The cost for the next financial year (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023) will increase to £21 per pupil, per year.

What RPA covers

This table summarises what RPA covers. You should also read the membership rules for full details of your cover.

Type of risk	Limit
Material damage	Reinstatement value of the property
Business interruption	£10 million any one loss
Employers’ liability	Unlimited
Third party liability	Unlimited
Governors’ liability	£10 million any one loss and any one membership year
Professional indemnity	Unlimited
Employee and third party dishonesty	£500,000
Money	Various, including cash on premises or in transit £5,000
Personal accident	Death and capital benefits £100,000
United Kingdom travel	Baggage and money £2,000 per person. Cancellation £1,000 per person.
Overseas travel including winter sports	Includes: baggage £2,000 in total per person (inner limits apply), money £750 per person, medical expenses £10,000,000, cancellation £4,000 per person. Check the full details of your cover for more information.
Legal expenses	£100,000 any one loss and any one membership year
Cultural assets	£10,000 on any one cultural asset or £250,000 any one multiple loss
Cyber cover	£250,000 any one loss and any one membership year. Where a member is part of a group network with other RPA members the maximum aggregate liability shall be £750,000 in any one membership year for the group network. Cover applies from 1 April 2022 to 2023 membership year for local authority maintained schools and from 1 September 2022 to 2023 membership year for academies.

Full details of your cover

These membership rules detail the full cover and provision of the RPA:

• Academy trusts: RPA membership rules 
• Church academies: RPA membership rules 
• Local authority maintained community schools: RPA membership rules 
• Voluntary aided, foundation and foundation special schools: RPA membership rules 
• Voluntary controlled schools: RPA membership rules 

Additional cover and buying help

If there’s something you need cover for that’s not included in the RPA you can get it from Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) – they also offer a legal services helpline. You’re free to choose a different provider if you want.

Statutory inspections

The RPA does not cover statutory inspections, often known as ‘engineering inspections’. By law, you must make sure that statutory inspections are done. You can procure this through Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC), or another insurer or body with authorisation to carry out these inspections.

Get help with buying for schools

You can use DfE-approved frameworks to save time and money on things you buy for your school. There’s separate guidance on buying for schools and buying procedures and procurement law.

Free advice and training

On joining, you’ll get free risk management advice, training and best practice guidance from Willis Towers Watson. Contact them if you need advice about the arrangement and the rules.

Email [email protected]

Phone 0117 9769 361