School cleaning
Posted by grunwald
The latest wheeze in the cash-strapped authority where I work is to cut back on school cleaners’ hours. This will apparently mean no reduction in the quality of cleaning, according to the council, but that is obviously not the view of the cleaners themselves. Latest wheeze includes “spot-mopping” (they don’t clean the whole corridor, just dirty patches). They will also record evidence (on their mobile phones!) of untidy classrooms where cleaning would go beyond the new remit. The pictures are shown to their supervisors and to teachers who have, say, left bits of paper on the floor after poster work etc.
Posted by shubunkin1
We’ve been told that, due to health and safety, our cleaners are not allowed to lift anything off desks, filing cabinets etc (and I have seen them wipe around a single textbook on a desk). This means nothing gets dusted under, unless I do it myself. Either that or I have to pack up my classroom.
Posted by willowwood
Some cleaners try hard to make a difference - but the one we have is just not interested. I clean things myself with antiseptic wipes. There have been several complaints logged but all that happens is standards are a little closer to acceptable for a few weeks, then it all slides again. Union now involved!
Posted by Archimedes
Our cleaner cleans the tables by mopping them with the same mop she uses for the toilet floor. Not her fault. She is told to do it this way by the supervisors. Yuk!
Posted by catmother
And we wonder why schools are germs factories!
Posted by assister
Surely some of the levels of dust in some classrooms must cause problems for asthma sufferers and those with allergies? Is there no health and safety issue here?
Posted by cinnamon1609
Our cleaner cleans the tables with the same mop that she uses for the floors...but only when no one is watching! (If we are present, she cleans them properly. If we are not, we come in to find horrible mop marks on the surfaces.) We have also previously been given rows for daring to leave tiny bits of paper on the floor after a cutting-out activity. (Hello? It’s a SCHOOL. There will be MESS. You are PAID to clean up. It’s your JOB. You’re holding a HOOVER!)
www.tes.co.ukcommunity, click on TES Scotland, then opinion.
