School Caretaker Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Open, secure and inspect school premises.
• Complete authorised minor repairs and checks.
• Manage keys alarms and site access.
• Coordinate contractors deliveries and lettings.
• Record faults incidents utilities and handovers.

A realistic working scenario

A school-day shift where the Caretaker follows activity and lesson plans, completes pre-use mobility and PPE checks, records attendance or site issues in care planning systems, hands over to the next shift and escalates any safeguarding disclosure or Ofsted-related concern to the practice or department manager.

Outputs to agree

• Daily caretaker work plan showing tasks, locations and scheduled checks recorded in care planning systems.
• Completed quality-check forms for mobility equipment, PPE and site safety, uploaded to risk assessment records.
• Handover note at shift end with outstanding actions, staffing or learner support needs and attendance exceptions.
• Incident or safeguarding referral filed in safeguarding records and notified to the practice or department manager.
• Parent communication log for attendance, assessment or welfare updates entered in attendance and progress records.

Records and evidence

• Care planning system entries for planned tasks, changes and authorisations.
• Risk assessment records and completed equipment checklists for mobility equipment and PPE.
• Attendance and progress records for learners where caretaker duties affect timetabling or support.
• Safeguarding records, including any disclosures, actions taken and notifications to the practice or department manager.
• Handover logs showing completed checks, outstanding tasks and shift-by-shift continuity.
• Work records.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Line Manager or Department Manager. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• The Caretaker may complete routine checks and minor repairs and update care planning systems. For unsafe equipment, damaged property, safeguarding disclosures, a suspected data loss or any change to a learner's planned support, the Caretaker must stop work affecting safety or records and notify the practice or department manager for approval or escalation.
• Obtain approval before committing expenditure, changing contractual commitments or making regulated or staffing decisions outside the assigned role.

Tools and systems

• Care planning systems.
• Mobility equipment.
• Risk assessment records.

Workplace context

• School, college or other agreed education premises and authorised off-site educational activities.

Training and certification

• Complete employer-required safeguarding training.

Contract priorities

• Keep care planning, attendance and safeguarding records accurate, timely and complete.
• Escalate safeguarding disclosures, Ofsted-related concerns and suspected data loss to the practice or department manager immediately.
• Complete and file equipment and PPE quality checks before use and after any incident.
• Only use care planning systems, mobility equipment and PPE for authorised caretaker duties.
• Provide clear handovers at shift end recording outstanding actions and any risks to learner welfare.

Information the employer should prepare

• the sites buildings and keyholding duties
• the hours call-out and school-letting pattern
• the repair equipment and competence limits
• the contractor asbestos and permit information
• the alarm emergency and escalation contacts