Most of this Warwickshire school was destroyed by fire

Arson attacks are said to account for 60% of more than 1,300 incidents a year attended by firefighters in England and Wales.

Draft guidance from the government on minimising the problem says most fires still break out when schools are shut.

But the fact that a third occur during school hours means "the risk to large numbers of pupils can be very high".

The new guidance also reflects the growing importance of schools as a community resource, with extended provision before and after normal hours.

�70m bill

It says research by the Association of British Insurers and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority indicates that as many as one in eight schools nationally suffer some form of arson attack each year.

Staffroom with cooking facilities next to fire exit - "not very good"

Between 1997 and 2001 there were on average 2,119 serious fires per year in educational establishments in the UK, of which 1,564 were in schools, with a total cost of �70m.

The insurance industry's Arson Prevention Bureau says arson fires damage or destroy two schools every day. Two-thirds of the offenders are aged 10 to 14.

It says incidents of arson reported to fire services have reduced from a peak in the mid-90s, but still run at more than 800 a year.

Aside from the risk of injury and the damage to property, children's education can be considerably disrupted.

The official guidance, published for consultation, stresses the importance of building design in minimising the risk of fires starting and spreading.

But good practice is also a key factor, such as making sure that combustible materials are not left around unnecessarily.

Abuse

There is no requirement for schools to have sprinkler systems.

The guidance says sprinklers are known to be highly effective in controlling a fire while it is still small and certainly buying time before the arrival of the fire service.

"However, there is obviously a cost implication up to five percent of a building contract whether for new build or to upgrade existing buildings," it says.

"Some school owners may decide that this is a worthwhile expenditure based on a risk assessment in their buildings in their area."

A problem is temptation - and the vulnerability of any system that is open to "the interested gaze of the pupils".

"One solution would be to fit a concealed system to try to prevent pupils seeing if they can set the system off," the guidance says.

The Local Government Association has called for all newly-built schools to have sprinkler systems.

The government says any installations must come out of existing budgets.