Build the scope around use
List classrooms, early-years areas, toilets, kitchens, halls, libraries, staff areas, sports facilities and external entrances. Consider ages, occupancy, food provision, special educational needs and community use.
Set task frequencies for teaching days, evenings, weekends and holidays. A term-time monthly price should state how annual labour and holiday deep cleans have been calculated.
Safeguarding and access
Decide when cleaners will encounter children and what supervision, identification, access and recruitment checks are appropriate. The organisation responsible for safeguarding should determine the required arrangements for each role.
Do not request a particular level of DBS check merely as a generic procurement preference. Use official eligibility guidance and obtain safeguarding advice for the actual duties.
Control chemicals and cross-contamination
Store products securely, keep safety information available and train staff in dilution, ventilation and PPE. Colour coding can support separation between toilets, kitchens and general areas when applied consistently.
Cleaning and disinfection are not interchangeable. Specify products and contact times only where the risk assessment or public-health approach requires them.
Plan holiday and outbreak work
| Period | Typical focus | Commercial point |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching days | Daily rooms, touchpoints, toilets and waste | Attendance and response cover |
| Daytime support | Spills, toilets and urgent incidents | Dedicated hours or call-out |
| School holidays | Detail, floors, carpets and high-level work | Annual calendar and fixed scope |
| Outbreak response | Enhanced frequency or targeted process | Trigger, authorisation and extra rate |
| Building works | Post-build dust and handback | Keep separate from routine contract |
Audit by zone and task
Use inspections that sample classrooms, toilets, food areas and shared spaces separately. Record repeat failures and whether time, training, access or process is the cause.
Include staff feedback without replacing objective inspection. Close actions before the next review and update the specification when rooms change use.
Frequently asked questions
Do school cleaners need DBS checks?
Eligibility and the appropriate level depend on the role, access and regulated-activity rules. Use the official DBS eligibility tool and the organisation’s safeguarding advice rather than assuming every cleaner requires the same check.
How should school cleaning be priced?
Separate routine term-time cleaner-hours from holiday projects, daytime support, consumables and reactive work. State whether the monthly price is spread evenly across the year and what happens when rooms or community use change.
What should a school cleaning audit cover?
Inspect by zone and task, including classrooms, toilets, food areas, shared spaces, floors, waste and touchpoints. Record attendance, repeat defects, chemical controls and completion of scheduled periodic work.