Keeping a school clean, safe, and welcoming is essential for hygiene and for creating an environment where students and staff can thrive. Whether you’re exploring options for the first time or reviewing your current arrangement, choosing the right cleaning company for schools can make a significant difference. This guide should help you make that decision by helping you to identify what to look for in a reliable, high-quality cleaning service provider.
In-House or Contractor Cleaning For Schools?
First things first, you need to decide whether your school would be better suited to in-house cleaners or an external company.
Benefits of in-house school cleaning:
Control: In-house cleaning may offer you more control over aspects such as staffing and scheduling.
Flexibility: An in-house team may adapt more easily to shifting needs. For example, changing schedules for school events.
Benefits of contract school cleaning:
Cost-efficiency: While hiring a contractor may seem more expensive initially, it’s often more cost-effective in the long run. When you factor in the overheads of managing in-house staff, such as salaries, training, equipment, and supplies, the total cost can quickly add up. With an external cleaning provider, you typically pay a fixed fee that covers all of these elements, making it a more cost-efficient option.
Expertise: With cleaning companies comes specialist knowledge and experience, particularly those with a strong track record of working in schools and educational settings.
Time-Saving: Delegating cleaning services externally frees up your time to focus on other priorities. You don’t have to worry about handling rotas, ordering stock, or dealing with unexpected absences.
Health & Safety/Training: Professional cleaning providers invest in training, compliance and health & safety protocols, ensuring legal compliance, up-to-date training and risk management.
Safeguarding
So, you’ve decided that bringing in a cleaning company is the best option for your school. The next step is choosing the right provider. One that not only delivers high standards of cleaning, but also understands the specific needs of your school environment.
One of the most important factors to consider is safeguarding.
We understand that in schools, the safety of the students is paramount. This is why it is essential to ensure your cleaning services provider will conduct an enhanced DBS check on every individual who will come into your school.
This is important because cleaning operatives are likely to come into contact with students. DBS checks help identify any individuals with a history that could potentially pose a risk to both students and staff, helping to create a safer environment for all.
Health & Safety / Insurance
Health and safety is a critical consideration, especially in a school environment where the wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors must be protected. Your chosen school cleaning provider should have robust health and safety standards and well-documented procedures in place.
COSHH: School cleaners must be fully trained in the safe use of chemicals to protect themselves and others. This includes secure storage to prevent student access, proper usage, and responsible disposal practices.
Hazards & Risk Assessments: Hazards can range from slips and trips to chemical exposure, electrical faults, and fire risks. A thorough risk assessment helps identify and manage these risks before they become incidents.
Insurance: It’s a legal requirement for cleaning companies to have adequate insurance cover. This protects the school, the cleaning staff, and the wider community in the event of an accident or claim.
Reliability & Confidence
You also want to be confident that the school cleaning company will deliver the level of service that they promise.
Some of the things to look for to determine reliability include:
References & Case-Studies: A good way to gauge whether a commercial cleaning company is reliable is to hear about other organisations’ experiences. You can request references and testimonials which can give you confidence that the company delivers on its promises. Case studies are also useful, especially those that show how the company has worked with schools similar to yours. They can highlight how issues and challenges were resolved and how a collaborative partnership was built.
Experience: Look for a company with proven experience in the education sector and ideally with schools similar to yours.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): KPIs provide a quantifiable method of measuring the cleaning company’s performance. The KPIs you agree on should offer clear and actionable insights which you can use to evaluate service quality and ensure consistency. This makes them a great way to gain confidence in the company.
Flexibility
Schools are dynamic, fast-paced environments where the school cleaning needs can change quickly and often, and so it’s essential that the cleaning provider is flexible and responsive.
This adaptability is especially important when it comes to the school calendar, as cleaning requirements can vary significantly between term time and holiday periods. During the holidays, for example, there’s often an opportunity to carry out deep cleans that wouldn’t be practical during the school day. A reliable cleaning partner will understand these shifts and be ready to adjust to meet the school’s evolving needs, without compromising on quality or safety.
School Cleaning Cost
Cost is naturally an important factor in determining who you ultimately choose to provide your cleaning services, and you may be tempted to go with the lowest-cost option. But ask yourself – are you prepared to compromise on quality for cost-saving?
Cost is often a reflection of the quality of service. A contract that is a bit more expensive, but delivers high-quality and consistent results, with a stable and happy team of cleaners, will probably be better, less stressful, and even more cost-efficient in the long term.
Cultural Alignment & Social Value
Every school has its own identity and culture, so it’s important to consider whether your cleaning company’s values align with yours. At CleanTEC, we pride ourselves on being a people-first business. We’re committed to creating high-quality jobs, offering clear career paths, and supporting long-term development for all of our employees. Other companies may focus more on innovation, cost-efficiency, or environmental leadership, so it’s worth reflecting on what matters most to your organisation.
In addition to core cleaning services, many providers can also contribute social value. At CleanTEC, we’ve supported clients by taking part in careers fairs, sponsoring school events, and conducting mock interview sessions with students. These initiatives help strengthen community engagement and deliver added value beyond the contract. It’s worth discussing with your provider what social value they can bring to your organisation.
Eco-Friendly Products / Innovation
There is growing pressure on organisations, including schools, to reduce their carbon footprint and implement more sustainable practices. This responsibility extends to the suppliers you work with. Traditional chemical-based cleaning is being replaced by innovative alternatives that are not only better for the environment but often more cost-effective in the long run.
At CleanTEC, we’ve introduced some of our clients to 2San, a chemical-free cleaning solution that is made entirely from water. The water goes through a seven-stage filtration process to create a powerful cleaner that removes 99% of common bacteria and viruses, and replaces the need for harsh chemicals.
Not only do innovations like this support your sustainability targets, but they also contribute to a healthier school environment by reducing chemical exposure for the operatives, as well as school staff and students.
Location
This may be less essential than factors like safeguarding or health and safety, but local contract management support can make a real difference to the day-to-day running of your school cleaning service. It’s worth asking: does the company have a dedicated area or contract manager who looks after schools in your region? Are they available and responsive when issues arise?
Having local support means that staff absences can be covered more easily, quality checks can be carried out more regularly, and any concerns can be addressed quickly and efficiently. It also means the provider is more likely to understand the specific needs and challenges of schools in your area.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to school cleaning, but by focusing on what matters most, you can choose a provider that supports your school’s priorities and goals. Take the time to find a cleaning company for schools that understands your needs, and can grow with you over time.
Contact CleanTEC for School Cleaning
At CleanTEC, we understand the demands of busy school environments, from safeguarding and flexibility to sustainability and social value. Whether you’re reviewing your current setup, starting fresh, or just need some advice, we’re here to help.
If you are interested in our school cleaning services, call us on 01923 671181 or 0121 289 6568.
Or fill in the online contact form, and we will call you at a time most convenient for you.
