Cleaning

Policy

This policy sets out schools’ responsibilities for managing cleaners and cleaning contracts in order to keep their school environment clean.

Summary

• Principals are ultimately responsible for ensuring their school is cleaned to the appropriate standard.
• Metropolitan Melbourne school (‘metropolitan school’) principals are required to work collaboratively with their school cleaning service provider to complete and agree upon a Cleaning services plan for their school campus.
• The Cleaning services plan is an agreement between the school and their provider detailing requirements for cleaning services specific to the campus.
• Regional school councils are responsible for entering into a School council agreement for the provision of cleaning services (cleaning contract) with a cleaning service provider.
• Regional schools unable to source a cleaning service provider can apply for an exemption to employ an Education Support Officer to clean the school.
• Regional school principals are responsible for managing the performance of their cleaning service provider against their cleaning contract and for updating their contract details on the Asset Information Management System (AIMS).
• School cleaners are required to be paid at least 5% above the Cleaning Services Award rate as per the new agreement. Cleaners have use of a department platform, the VSBA Q&A portal, to report any inconsistencies with pay, hours or unfair treatment.

Details

It is essential that all government schools receive consistent, high-quality cleaning and that cleaning staff receive their legal wages and entitlements.

Cleaning arrangements are different for metropolitan and regional schools. However, all principals are ultimately responsible for ensuring the school environment is cleaned to the appropriate standard.

Principals can contact the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) School Cleaning Unit on 1300 842 754 or email cleaning@education.vic.gov.au for advice and support.

Metropolitan schools

The department has contracts in place with cleaning service providers to clean metropolitan schools. Five providers have been appointed across 10 areas under the cleaning services agreements, which came into effect on 26 December 2024.

Metropolitan Melbourne school principals are required to work collaboratively with their school cleaning service provider to complete and agree upon a Cleaning services plan for their school campuses. For more information about cleaning arrangements at metropolitan schools (including Cleaning services plans and cleaning service providers for each region), refer to the Metropolitan schools user guide for cleaning services (DOCX) and the information included in the Resources tab.

The cleaning model is performance-based and all cleanable areas must be cleaned to meet the required standards set by the department. Minimum frequency requirements are also in place, with service providers required to clean more frequently if needed to maintain the relevant standard. Refer to the Cleaning standards and frequency guide in the Resources tab.

All cleaning staff will receive standardised inductions to ensure consistency across schools.

Third-party audits will take place to complement the department’s internal on-site quality audits to check schools are cleaned to the required standards.

Reporting cleaning incidents

Each school is required to communicate minor cleaning requests or issues directly with their service provider’s local cleaning team. For escalated cleaning concerns, such as failure to deliver cleaning services in accordance with the Cleaning services plan, schools must submit an incident report through AIMS. Further advice on completing an incident report to raise concerns can be found in the Metropolitan school cleaning incident reporting guide (staff login required).

Escalated cleaning concerns submitted to AIMS will be monitored by the VSBA and included in the department's regular performance reporting.

For emergency cleaning, that is, where additional cleaning is required unexpectedly and urgently, schools can use the emergency cleaning provision and call their service provider after submitting the AIMS incident report. Details including the phone number of all service providers can be found in Metropolitan schools user guide for cleaning services (DOCX).

Please note that the VSBA’s Make Safe program will continue to provide assistance and clean up works to schools that have sustained damage through an incident or event such as a flood or storm.

Using AIMS as the case management portal ensures that escalations are visible and can be actively monitored by the department. This approach fosters accountability among service providers in maintaining the high cleaning standards expected by the department.

If any allegations or concerns are raised about cleaners’ conduct or suitability in relation to child safety (whether relating to children at the school or outside of the school), schools must take action and make a report to the Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC) on 1800 126 126. Further information about child safety reporting obligations is also set out in: Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations.

Funding for metropolitan schools

For metropolitan schools, the department manages the cost of cleaning the school’s entitled and cleanable spaces. Each school’s cleanable spaces are documented in their bespoke Cleaning services plan, which is agreed with their provider. The cleaning allocation includes bin liners but no other school consumables such as toilet paper, paper towels, soap, disinfectant blocks and hand sanitiser. The metropolitan area-based cleaning model does not include cleaning school owned assets.

From 2025, schools will be provided with additional funding each year for greater flexibility to purchase additional cleaning services when required, such as external hirer, fetes, sports events, and out of hours use. Schools will receive this funding through SRP offline payments in Term 1 and Term 3, 2025.

When purchasing additional cleaning services, schools must use their nominated service provider and utilise the additional cleaning provision under the school cleaning agreement. Under the new model, each service provider is required to provide schools with a quotation on additional services at the school’s request and have agreed pricing for the life of the contract. For more information on additional cleaning please see Additional Cleaning on page 6 of the Metropolitan schools user guide for cleaning services (DOCX).

For more information on metropolitan Melbourne cleaning, please see guidance and resource documents in the Resources tab.

Regional schools

Regional school councils are responsible for entering into cleaning contracts with service providers, which define the cleaners’ responsibilities and duties. Service providers must provide evidence of the following documentation, so that schools can verify this documentation and ensure compliance:

• public liability insurance (minimum $10 million) Certificate of Currency
• WorkCover insurance Certificate of Currency
• Working with Children Checks for staff attending school site
• labour hire license.

To streamline the process, schools can use AIMS to search for local cleaning service providers. Schools must upload cleaning contracts and compliance certificates to the platform.

Principals are tasked with managing the performance of service providers, regularly reviewing and updating contracts as necessary. If issues with the service provision arise, principals should first address them with the service provider before seeking support from the VSBA School Cleaning Unit if unresolved. For all other issues schools must follow the relevant department policies that apply.

If any allegations or concerns are raised about cleaners’ conduct or suitability in relation to child safety (whether relating to children at the school or outside of the school), schools must take action and make a report to the Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC) on 1800 126 126. Further information about child safety reporting obligations is also set out in: Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations.

Regional schools can access additional guidance about establishing their School council agreement and reporting requirements in the Guide to contract cleaning (DOCX). All the supporting documents required to engage and manage a cleaning service provider are available in the Resources tab.

Regional schools that are unable to source a cleaning service provider and would like to employ a cleaner directly must submit an application for exemption by email to cleaning@education.vic.gov.au

Regional schools that employ their individual cleaners directly (not a business) must adhere to the department’s human resources policies, which include recruitment requirements and employee entitlements. Refer to HRWeb for schools for more information.

Funding for regional schools

School funding for contract cleaning is included in the Student Resource Package (SRP) based on normal and low-use areas as determined by cleanable spaces identified in each school’s Cleanable Area Report. For more information, refer to Contract cleaning (Reference 28 of the SRP guide) or email studentresourcepackage@education.vic.gov.au

From 2025, additional flexible funding will be allocated directly to regional schools to purchase additional cleaning services when required, such as external hiring, fetes, sports events, and out of hours. Schools will receive this funding through SRP offline payments in Term 1 and Term 3, 2025.

Further additional funding will also be allocated to regional schools to cover the 5% above award rate for all cleaners.

Cleaning area entitlement

The cleaning area entitlement (normal use) for both primary and secondary schools is allocated in square metres according to enrolment bands of 25 students.

For more information, refer to Contract cleaning (Reference 28 of the SRP guide).

Building area changes

Building area changes (for example, whether the changed areas are part of the school’s area entitlement and whether they involve designated cleanable areas) can impact the amount of funding a school receives for cleaning. For more information, refer to Contract cleaning (Reference 28 of the SRP guide) or email the Information and Reporting Unit at sams@education.vic.gov.au

Asset Information Management System (AIMS)

The Asset Information Management System (AIMS) is a web-based, centralised portal that has replaced schools' existing asset information management systems.

Related policies

• Child Safe Standards
• Contractor OHS Management
• Graffiti – Prevention and Management
• Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies)
• Reportable and Notifiable Conduct
• Student Resource Package – School Infrastructure
• Working with Children Checks and other Suitability Checks for School Volunteers and Visitors

Relevant legislation

• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)
• Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Guidance

There is no further guidance for this topic. For more information, refer to the Resources tab.

Resources

Cleaning metropolitan Melbourne schools

• Metropolitan school cleaning quick reference guide (DOCX) – quick reference guides for metropolitan schools
• Metropolitan schools user guide for cleaning services (DOCX) – information about cleaning arrangements at metropolitan schools (including Cleaning services plans)
• Working with your school cleaning service provider (DOCX) – detailed guidance about partnering with your service provider and how to resolve issues
• Cleaning standards and frequency guide (DOCX) – information about school cleaning standards and an overview of the cleaning frequency for primary and secondary schools and specialist schools
• Area-based cleaning model for metropolitan Melbourne – Activity calendar (DOCX) – a yearly calendar which provides a guide on how schools can work together with their service provider throughout the school year. The calendar also sets out recommended actions and required actions for schools. For an accessible version of the calendar, email cleaning@education.vic.gov.au
• For more detailed guidance on school cleaning services, the Cleaning services plan, and school and cleaning provider responsibilities, refer to Frequently asked questions (DOCX)

Cleaning regional schools

The Asset Information Management System (AIMS) has replaced schools' existing asset information management systems.

A School council cleaning checklist (DOCX) should be completed before going to tender. It enables schools to customise their cleaning requirements by identifying their particular needs.

The School council provision of cleaning services agreement (DOCX) is intended for use when a school purchases cleaning services. A guide to completing the school council cleaning agreement is available below. Where a school council wishes to extend its cleaning services agreement by exercising any available further terms, a template Contract extension letter (DOCX) is available.

The following supporting documents are required to engage and manage a regional school cleaning service provider.

Guidance material:

• Guide to contract cleaning (DOCX)
• Metropolitan School Cleaning Incident Reporting (staff login required)
• Guide to completion – school council agreement – provision of cleaning services (DOCX)

Templates:

• Notice to unsuccessful respondents letter (DOCX)
• Variation agreement to services (DOCX)
• Variation notice (scope services suspension) (DOCX)
• Department of Education legal services extension letter template – school cleaning contracts (DOCX)
• Notice for breach of school cleaning agreement (DOCX)
• Contract termination – service failures (DOCX)
• Contract termination – without cause (DOCX)
• Expiring contract – confirmation of end of services (DOCX)
• Exemption request letter (DOCX)

Background information on the department’s cleaning policy

• School cleaning reforms – Secretary’s policy (DOCX) – includes guidance to school councils on the way school cleaning is to be delivered
• Ministerial Order No. 1127 – School Cleaning in Government Schools (DOCX)
• Ministerial Order No. 1127 – School Cleaning in Government Schools (PDF)

Information for cleaning contractors

For more information on school cleaning, please contact the VSBA School Cleaning Unit at cleaning@education.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 842 754.