During term the clean happens after pupils leave: floors swept and mopped or vacuumed, tables and touch points wiped, bins emptied and toilets cleaned and restocked. Dining halls are cleaned after lunch where the catering team does not already cover it.
The summer, Christmas and Easter breaks give time for work that cannot be done around pupils: washing walls and paintwork, cleaning inside cupboards and storage trays, deep cleaning toilets and floors, and reaching high windows and light fittings.
What the work covers
Floors, tables, chairs, sinks, whiteboard ledges and bins cleaned after the school day.
Pupil and staff toilets cleaned and restocked, including accessible and changing facilities.
Hall floors, dining tables, handrails and push plates cleaned after lunch or once pupils have gone home.
Kitchens, desks, reception and meeting rooms used by staff and visitors.
Low surfaces, toys, cots, mats and soft items, cleaned to your setting's own policy.
Walls, cupboards, floors and toilets cleaned in depth while the building is closed.
Questions people ask
How is school cleaning priced?
Pupil numbers and the count of classrooms, toilets and halls come first, then the hours the building is empty and whether holiday deep cleans are included. Nurseries add toys, cots and soft items to the list.
Can cleaning happen while children are in the building?
That is the school's decision under its safeguarding policy. Most of the cleaning is planned for after the school day, and daytime tasks such as toilet checks are only arranged where the school agrees to them.
Which school holidays suit deep cleaning?
The summer break gives the longest stretch with the building empty. Christmas and Easter suit smaller jobs such as toilets, changing areas and single floors.
Are science labs and art rooms cleaned?
They can be, within the rules set by the school's technician or head of department about what cleaners may touch.