Little Heath School ~ Cleaning Tender

Little Heath School is a voluntary aided co-educational Secondary School in Tilehurst, West Berkshire. The School was founded in 1963 and serves communities in West Berkshire and Reading unitary authorities. The School occupies a large site and has a range of buildings of different ages. The main school building was completed in 2021 and further phased development is envisaged.

The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities for the 1671 students on roll and 176 teaching and support staff,

The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 and will operate as a Fixed Price Contract, with the successful Contractor offering the School a fixed cost per annum for the provision of cleaning services. There is the potential for a further two year extension of the contract.

The School year is based on a calendar of 195 days. Five days are to be used for staff professional development which means that School will be open to receive students for the legal minimum of 190 days.

The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all cleaning services within the School, which currently includes routine cleaning (daily, weekly, monthly) of the school; and periodic cleaning to include a deep clean during the school summer holidays. Additional cleaning will be required in the holidays as some staff do year-round work and various activities take place on the school site during holiday periods such as exam revision sessions. The areas to be cleaned include, but are not limited to washrooms, changing rooms (x4) classrooms (including art and science), circulation areas, dining hall, main hall, sports hall, activity studio drama studio(x2) staff work rooms, medical room food technology rooms (x2) textiles room, technology work rooms (x2)

The core term time cleaning shift will be required Monday to Friday 16:00 – 20:00. In addition to cleaning duties it will be a requirement of the Cleaning Supervisor to lock and secure any building still being cleaned after 18:00 on any weekday evening as well as locking the school gate if the cleaning team are the last personnel to leave the site. Suitable keyholder insurance will therefore need to be in place. If there should be a school event or an external letting taking place the School’s site team will be responsible for the locking and securing of any buildings concerned, as well as the main school gate.

A day time janitor is also required to work year-round Monday to Friday 8:30-16:00 excluding bank holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year. In School holidays they would be responsible for cleaning of any areas that have been in use. Any surplus time available in holiday periods should be spent on periodic cleaning tasks.

The School would also like the Cleaning Contractor to provide a quotation for an annual window cleaning service for the site as a potential extra chargeable service.

The total floor space for the school has been calculated at 13,380 m2

Whilst the School prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price.

The value of the current contract (2025/26) is: -

£223,315.00

Little Heath School expects the successful contractor to enable the continued development of cleaning services. The School expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of the school. The School seeks to reduce its impact on the environment, including improving rates of recycling and the successful bidder should demonstrate how they will do this.

As a school who are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Please be advised that this contract will be let on a 3 year fixed price basis with the opportunity to extend for two further years.