How to Hire a Bouncy Castle for Your School Fete in London — A Complete Checklist
School fetes are one of those brilliant British traditions that bring entire communities together — and nothing draws a crowd like a bouncy castle. But hiring an inflatable for a school event involves more than just picking a castle and paying a deposit. Schools have strict health and safety requirements, hire companies must meet specific safety standards, and certain venues require council permissions. In this complete checklist, Love2Bounce walks you through every step — so your school inflatable hire goes smoothly, safely, and spectacularly. The Complete School Fete Bouncy Castle Checklist (8 Steps) Book early – summer fete slots fill 6 – 8 weeks in advance across West London Verify PIPA certification – ask for the tag number and check it online before paying any deposit Confirm RPII staff accreditation – operators must be certified, not just experienced Request £5M public liability insurance – get a copy of the certificate in writing Complete a risk assessment – your hire company should provide a template Measure your setup space – share dimensions with your hire company before booking Confirm your power supply – 13 amp socket within 25 meters, or arrange a generator Brief your supervising volunteers – someone responsible must be present at the inflatable at all times Pro tip Always measure the height of the hall ceiling before booking a bouncy castle. Most standard castlesrequire at least 11ft of clearance! Safety Credentials – What Every School Must Check For school events, the safety bar is higher than for private bookings – and rightly so. Three documents are non-negotiable: PIPA Certificate – annual structural inspection of the inflatable, verifiable online by tag number RPII Operator Cert – confirms staff are trained in safe setup, operation, and emergency procedures £5M Public Liability Insurance – required by most schools and councils before any hire company is permitted on site Love2Bounce provides all three as standard with every school booking. If a company hesitates to share any of these, choose someone else. Choosing the Right Inflatable for Your School Event Matching the inflatable to your audience makes a big difference to how well the day runs: Primary school fetes (Reception–Year 6) – standard bouncy castle or giant slide are the go-to choices Secondary school events – assault course or disco dome works far better than a standard castle Mixed-age community events – combine a standard castle with a soft play set for the very young High-footfall events – choose a larger castle or slide to reduce queue times Do You Need Council Permission for a School Fete Bouncy Castle? It depends on your location. If the event is on the school’s own grounds, you generally don’t need separate council permission – but check your school’s own health and safety policy first. If the fete is held in a public park or on council land, written permission from the local parks team is required before any commercial hire company can set up. Applications typically need to be submitted 4–8 weeks in advance with supporting documentation. Love2Bounce can provide all the paperwork you need for your council application. West London Schools We Serve We regularly provide bouncy castle hire to schools and PTAs across West London, with experience working within the specific requirements of each London borough: London Borough of Ealing (W5, W7, W13, UB1, UB2) London Borough of Hounslow (TW3, TW4, TW7, TW8) London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (TW1, TW9, TW10) We offer a free consultation for school events, including help with documentation and inflatable size recommendations. Contact us to discuss your requirements. How to Get the Best Price for School Fete Inflatable Hire School fete budgets are tight – here’s how to get the most from your spend: Book early – prices are firmer closer to summer dates; early bookings often attract better rates Be flexible on time – a morning slot may be cheaper than an all-day hire Combine inflatables – multi-item bookings come with package discounts Midweek fetes – significantly cheaper than Saturday bookings if your schedule allows Ask about charity or school discounts – we offer reduced rates for registered charities and PTAs Frequently Asked Questions How much does it cost to hire a bouncy castle for a school fete? Prices start from £150 for a standard castle for a full day. Slides and assault courses range from £200–£300. Contact us for a tailored quote based on your expected footfall and available budget. How many children can use the bouncy castle at once? A standard 12 x 12ft castle safely holds 6–8 children at a time. Larger units accommodate more. Always follow the stated limits and ensure a responsible adult supervises at all times. Can you set up on a school playground or tarmac? Yes. We use ballast weights to anchor safely on hard surfaces – no ground stakes required. Just let us know your surface when booking. How long does setup take? 20–30 minutes per inflatable. For school fetes, we recommend arriving at least 45 minutes before opening so setup, safety checks, and volunteer briefings are complete before guests arrive. Do you provide a risk assessment? Yes – we provide a generic risk assessment document with every school booking. You can use this as the basis for your event-specific risk assessment. About Admin Admin is a co-founder of Love2Bounce, a family-run party rental service based in London. With over 10 years of experience in children’s event planning, she’s helped organize over 500 magical celebrations across the city.