The short answer
A window cleaner working at a school needs three things in place: DBS-checked staff, a sign-in on arrival so the site always knows who is on the grounds, and a method that keeps ladders and ground equipment away from pupils. Most schools and academy trusts also want the work done in the holidays, when classrooms and playgrounds are empty, rather than during term time.
Schools and colleges aren’t like an office or a shop. There are safeguarding checks to make, a site to keep secure during the day, and holidays to work around. If you’re responsible for buying window cleaning for a school, academy or trust, here’s what to check before you book, and how we handle it.
Why schools need a specialist contractor
A school needs more from a window cleaner than clean glass. It needs a contractor who understands safeguarding, works to the school’s own visitor rules, and plans the work so it never gets in the way of teaching. Ask any window cleaner you’re considering how they handle school sites specifically, not just commercial buildings in general.
DBS checks and safeguarding
Ask whether every operator who could set foot on your site is DBS-checked, not just a manager or a sample of the team, and ask to see written confirmation. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) issues the checks that let organisations see whether someone is barred from working with children; ask your contractor which level of check their staff hold and how often it’s renewed.
- Confirm every operator attending your site is DBS-checked, in writing.
- Ask how staff are identified on site, such as uniform and ID.
- Check what happens if a different operator covers a visit at short notice.
Signing in and following your site rules
Even with DBS checks in place, a school still needs to know who is on the grounds at any time. A window cleaner should sign in on arrival, follow the same rules as any other visitor or contractor, and keep clear of pupils and staff while they work. If your school uses a visitor book, an electronic sign-in system or a specific entrance for contractors, tell your window cleaner before the first visit so it becomes part of how they work your site.
Scheduling around the school holidays
Most schools and trusts want window cleaning done when the site is quiet, so it doesn’t clash with lessons, break times or anyone moving around the grounds. We schedule school window cleaning in the school holidays, confirmed with you in advance, so there’s no work going on while pupils and staff are on site.
For a multi-academy trust with several schools, that also means planning a run of holiday dates across every site, rather than booking each school separately. Window cleaning for schools.
Safe access, without ladders in the playground
The method matters as much as the schedule. Most school windows are cleaned with water-fed poles, worked from the ground, reaching 70ft. That means no ladders in the playground and no chemicals near children. We only use a ladder when there’s no safer way, and never above 20 feet. Glass above pole height, such as a school hall or sports hall roofline, is handled by our specialist access partner with cherry pickers or rope access. How we clean.
Questions to ask before you book
- Are all your operators DBS-checked, and can you confirm it in writing?
- Will your team sign in and follow our site rules on every visit?
- Can the work be scheduled in the holidays, across every site if we’re a trust?
- What method will you use, and will you need ladders anywhere on site?
- Can we see your risk assessment, method statement and insurance certificates?
A contractor that can’t answer all five without hesitating isn’t ready for a school site.
Who we clean for
We already clean for schools, academies and multi-academy trusts across South Yorkshire, including Nexus Multi-Academy Trust, Aston Community Education Trust, Delta Academies Trust and E-ACT. Our schools sector page has more on how we work with trusts running several sites.
How we handle school sites
We’ve cleaned commercial windows since 1995, and schools are one of the sectors we know well. Every operator is DBS-checked and uniformed, signs in on arrival and follows your site rules. Work is scheduled in the school holidays and confirmed with you beforehand. Insurance certificates come with the quote, and once you’ve accepted it we prepare a free risk assessment and method statement for your site. Get a quote.
Questions
Are your staff DBS-checked?
Yes. Every operator is DBS-checked and uniformed, and we can confirm it in writing before the first visit.
Do you clean schools during term time?
No. We schedule school window cleaning in the holidays, when the site is quiet, and confirm the dates with you in advance.
Do your staff sign in on site?
Yes. Our operators sign in on arrival and follow your school’s visitor and safeguarding rules on every visit.
Do you work with multi-academy trusts?
Yes. We already clean for trusts including Nexus Multi-Academy Trust, Aston Community Education Trust, Delta Academies Trust and E-ACT, and can plan holiday dates across every school in a trust.
Do you use ladders on school sites?
Rarely. Most school windows are cleaned with water-fed poles from the ground, reaching 70ft. We only use a ladder when there’s no safer way, and never above 20 feet.
Photo: Ollie Craig on Pexels.
