Contractor Management in Schools – Keeping Pupils Safe During Maintenance and Construction Work

Schools regularly rely on contractors for maintenance, servicing, repairs, refurbishment and construction work. This can range from a plumber carrying out a minor repair to major roofing, electrical or refurbishment projects.

Effective contractor management is not simply about collecting insurance certificates, risk assessments and method statements before work starts. Schools need proportionate arrangements for selecting competent contractors, sharing relevant information, coordinating the work with school activities, protecting pupils and staff, monitoring the work and checking that the premises have been left safe when the job is complete.

The level of control should reflect the nature and risk of the work. Replacing a tap should not require the same contractor-management arrangements as roof works, hot works or a major refurbishment project.

A useful contractor-management process should therefore cover the whole lifecycle:

Plan the work → Select the contractor → Exchange information → Agree controls → Induct → Coordinate → Monitor → Handover → Close actions → Retain evidence

What does contractor management cover in a school?

Contractor management starts before a contractor arrives on site and should continue until the work has been completed, the area handed back and any outstanding actions resolved.

Depending on the work, schools may need to consider:

• contractor competence and experience;
• the scope and risks of the proposed work;
• health and safety information the school needs to provide;
• risk assessments and method statements;
• safeguarding and access arrangements;
• asbestos and other premises hazards;
• fire precautions and emergency arrangements;
• segregation of contractors from pupils, staff and visitors;
• permits or specific authorisations for higher-risk work where appropriate;
• coordination with school activities and other contractors;
• monitoring while work is taking place;
• changes or damage to the premises resulting from the work;
• completion, handover and reinstatement; and
• records demonstrating that appropriate controls were in place.

The arrangements should be proportionate to the complexity and risks of the work rather than applying the same paperwork requirements to every contractor.

Selecting and approving contractors

Schools should take reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that contractors are capable of carrying out the proposed work safely.

The level of assessment should be proportionate to the work. Depending on the activity, relevant considerations may include:

• experience of similar work;
• appropriate skills, knowledge and experience;
• qualifications, trade registrations or specialist competence where required;
• organisational capability for larger or more complex work;
• relevant insurance;
• previous performance or references where proportionate;
• health and safety arrangements;
• competence of subcontractors;
• ability to work safely in an occupied education environment; and
• understanding of the school's site-specific requirements.

Membership of an accreditation or contractor-assessment scheme can provide useful evidence, but should not automatically be treated as proof that a contractor is suitable for every task.

For construction work, schools and trusts should also understand their duties as clients under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. CDM is not limited to large construction projects and can apply to maintenance, refurbishment and other construction activities.

Where a project involves more than one contractor, additional dutyholder arrangements apply, including appointment of a principal designer and principal contractor where required.

What information should the school provide to contractors?

Contractor management is a two-way process.

Schools often focus on the documents a contractor needs to provide but overlook the information the contractor needs from the school.

Before work starts, relevant information may include:

• the scope and location of the work;
• known site hazards;
• asbestos information;
• access and security arrangements;
• areas used by pupils and vulnerable occupants;
• restricted areas;
• school operating times and significant activities;
• vehicle and delivery arrangements;
• fire and emergency procedures;
• alarm arrangements;
• relevant services and isolation arrangements;
• other contractors working nearby;
• safeguarding expectations;
• welfare arrangements where relevant; and
• who the contractor should contact if conditions change or a problem is identified.

The information provided should reflect the work being undertaken.

A contractor drilling into a wall, for example, may require very different premises information from someone servicing equipment without disturbing the building fabric.

Risk assessments and method statements – collecting them is not enough

For work presenting significant risks, schools will often request risk assessments and method statements, commonly referred to as RAMS.

Obtaining a document, however, does not in itself demonstrate that the work has been adequately planned.

A proportionate review should consider whether the RAMS:

• relates to the actual work being undertaken;
• reflects the particular school/site rather than being entirely generic;
• considers pupils, staff and others who may be affected;
• addresses access and segregation of the work area;
• reflects relevant asbestos and premises information;
• considers fire and emergency arrangements;
• addresses significant hazards associated with the work;
• identifies appropriate equipment and controls;
• explains how changes or unexpected conditions will be dealt with; and
• includes arrangements for leaving the area safe when work is complete.

The school's role is not normally to redesign the contractor's method of work. The objective is to establish that foreseeable risks affecting the school and its occupants have been addressed and that the contractor's arrangements are compatible with the school's own controls.

Where the work falls within CDM 2015, appropriate construction-phase planning is required. The arrangements and documentation should be proportionate to the size, complexity and risks of the project.

Safeguarding and DBS considerations

Health and safety controls do not replace safeguarding arrangements.

Before contractors attend, schools should consider where and when the work will take place, whether pupils will be present, the nature of any contact contractors may have with children, access to restricted areas, supervision/access arrangements and whether the role or activity is eligible for a DBS check or barred-list check under current requirements.

Not every contractor attending a school automatically requires the same DBS check. The correct approach depends on the work and circumstances.

Schools should make these decisions in accordance with current statutory safeguarding guidance and DBS eligibility requirements rather than adopting a blanket rule for every contractor.

The legal definition of regulated activity with children changed on 1 September 2026, including removal of the previous supervision exemption for certain activities. Schools should therefore ensure that older contractor and volunteer procedures have been reviewed against current requirements. Our guide to contractor DBS checks in schools sets out the detail.

Site induction and school rules

Contractors should receive information relevant to the work and site before they begin.

The content of an induction should be proportionate but may include:

• signing-in and identification arrangements;
• site contact details;
• access restrictions;
• safeguarding expectations;
• emergency and fire procedures;
• alarm arrangements;
• first aid arrangements;
• asbestos information where relevant;
• prohibited or restricted activities;
• vehicle and delivery arrangements;
• welfare facilities;
• waste and housekeeping expectations;
• security arrangements;
• permit requirements; and
• how to report incidents, defects or unexpected conditions.

For longer projects, an initial induction may need to be supplemented by ongoing communication as the work or school activities change.

Asbestos – information must reach the people doing the work

Asbestos is a particularly important contractor-management issue within many school estates.

Where asbestos-containing materials may be present, those responsible for managing asbestos need to ensure that relevant information is available to anyone whose work could disturb them.

Simply possessing an asbestos survey or register is not enough.

Before intrusive maintenance or construction work starts, the school should establish whether the proposed work could disturb the building fabric and ensure that appropriate asbestos information for the work area is available to the contractor.

The contractor should have the opportunity to consider that information before starting work.

Depending on the nature of the proposed work, existing management-survey information may not provide sufficient information and additional investigation or a refurbishment/demolition survey may be necessary.

A useful contractor-control process should therefore establish:

What work is being undertaken? → Will the building fabric be disturbed? → What asbestos information is available for that area? → Is that information sufficient for the proposed work? → Has the contractor received and considered it?

Where unexpected suspect materials or previously unidentified building conditions are encountered, work should stop and the school's agreed escalation arrangements should be followed.

Fire safety during contractor works

Maintenance and construction work can temporarily alter the fire-safety arrangements within a school.

Examples include:

• hot works;
• isolation of detectors or sections of the fire alarm system;
• obstruction or temporary alteration of escape routes;
• removal or damage to fire doors;
• penetrations through fire-resisting walls, floors or ceilings;
• temporary barriers or hoardings;
• changes to access for emergency services;
• increased combustible materials or waste; and
• temporary changes to occupancy or room use.

Schools should consider these effects when planning and monitoring the work.

Where fire-safety systems or precautions are temporarily impaired, the implications should be considered before the impairment takes place and appropriate temporary arrangements established.

Particular attention should also be given to reinstatement.

For example, if contractors create openings through fire-resisting construction for cables, pipes or other services, the completion process should establish whether appropriate fire stopping has been provided rather than assuming the work area has been returned to its previous condition. Our guides to fire doors in schools and fire safety in schools cover the underlying arrangements in more detail.

Permits to work

A permit-to-work system can form part of the controls for particular higher-risk activities where formal authorisation and coordination are needed.

Depending on the school's estate and activities, permit arrangements may be considered for work such as:

• hot works;
• certain electrical isolations;
• confined-space entry;
• roof access;
• excavations;
• intrusive work affecting known services or building hazards; or
• other activities where the school's risk-control arrangements require formal authorisation.

A permit should not be treated as a substitute for competent planning, risk assessment or supervision.

Its purpose is to provide a controlled authorisation process where the nature of the work warrants it, including confirmation of relevant precautions, responsibilities and hand-back arrangements.

Not every maintenance task requires a permit-to-work system.

Coordinating contractor work with school activities

Schools are occupied environments and work that might be straightforward in an empty commercial building can create additional risks when pupils, staff, parents and visitors are present.

Planning should therefore consider:

• whether work can reasonably be completed outside teaching hours;
• examination periods;
• arrival and departure times;
• break and lunchtime movements;
• nursery or EYFS areas;
• boarding arrangements where applicable;
• sports and outdoor activities;
• deliveries and vehicle movements;
• noise, dust, fumes and vibration;
• access to toilets or other facilities;
• vulnerable pupils or staff; and
• other maintenance or construction work taking place simultaneously.

Where work must take place while the school is occupied, physical segregation, access controls and communication become particularly important.

Monitoring contractors while work is underway

Contractor approval and RAMS should not be treated as the end of the school's involvement.

The level of monitoring should reflect the work and risks involved.

Checks might consider whether:

• agreed work areas remain appropriately segregated;
• access arrangements are being followed;
• significant controls described in the RAMS are evident;
• fire routes and fire precautions remain effective;
• housekeeping and waste are being managed;
• contractors are working only within the agreed scope/location;
• unexpected hazards or changes have arisen;
• safeguarding/site rules are being followed; and
• emerging problems have been reported.

Monitoring does not mean that school staff should attempt to supervise specialist technical work for which they are not competent.

It means maintaining appropriate oversight of the contractor's interaction with the school, its premises and its occupants.

Contractor-caused defects and changes to the premises

One area that can be overlooked is the effect contractor work has on the school's existing safety arrangements.

Work may introduce changes such as:

• penetrations through walls, floors and ceilings;
• altered fire stopping;
• removed or adjusted doors;
• changes to electrical circuits;
• altered water systems;
• new plant or equipment;
• changed access arrangements;
• roof penetrations;
• changes to alarm or detection systems; or
• damage to existing building components.

These changes may affect existing risk assessments, fire precautions, asbestos information, maintenance requirements or statutory-compliance arrangements.

The school should therefore have a mechanism for identifying significant changes and ensuring that relevant records, drawings, risk assessments or compliance systems are updated where necessary.

Completion and handover – is the area actually safe?

Contractor management should not finish when the contractor packs away their tools.

For significant work, a proportionate completion or handover check should consider, where relevant:

• whether the agreed work has been completed;
• whether the area has been left safe and secure;
• whether waste and unused materials have been removed;
• whether fire doors and other fire precautions have been reinstated;
• whether penetrations through fire-resisting construction have been appropriately made good;
• whether isolated alarms, detectors or other safety systems have been restored;
• whether electrical, gas, water or other isolations have been removed appropriately;
• whether defects or snagging remain;
• whether certificates, commissioning records, manuals or test results have been provided;
• whether asbestos or other premises information needs updating;
• whether new plant or equipment needs adding to maintenance or statutory-compliance arrangements; and
• whether outstanding actions have an identified owner and completion date.

For higher-risk or more complex work, a formal handover or hand-back process can provide valuable assurance that the school has regained control of the area in a safe condition.

What contractor records should schools retain?

The records required will depend on the work, but a proportionate contractor file might include:

• scope/specification of work;
• contractor-selection or competence information;
• relevant insurance information;
• RAMS where required;
• relevant premises information provided by the school;
• asbestos information where applicable;
• construction-phase documentation where applicable;
• safeguarding/DBS decision records where appropriate;
• induction records;
• permits to work where used;
• monitoring or inspection records;
• incident or defect reports;
• completion/handover records;
• certificates, commissioning information and manuals;
• remedial or snagging actions; and
• evidence that significant outstanding actions have been closed.

The objective is not to accumulate paperwork for its own sake.

Records should provide reasonable assurance that significant risks were identified, responsibilities were understood, relevant information was exchanged and the work was appropriately controlled and completed. The statutory compliance checklist for schools sets out how this evidence fits alongside wider premises compliance.

Common contractor-management gaps in schools

Collecting paperwork without reviewing it

RAMS, insurance certificates and other documents may be stored on file without anyone establishing whether they relate to the actual work being undertaken.

Using the same approval process for every contractor

An overly bureaucratic system can result in substantial paperwork for low-risk work while failing to give genuinely high-risk projects the additional attention they require.

Information only flows towards the school

Schools may request extensive contractor documentation while failing to provide important information about asbestos, fire arrangements, pupils, site hazards or school activities.

Contractor approval is treated as permanent

A contractor who has previously worked safely at the school may still be undertaking a very different activity next time. Contractor competence and controls should be considered in relation to the work being commissioned.

Contractors are not monitored once work begins

Arrangements can change after work starts. Appropriate monitoring helps identify issues such as loss of segregation, blocked escape routes, poor housekeeping or departure from agreed arrangements.

Nobody checks what changed

The work may be technically complete but leave altered fire compartmentation, new equipment, changed services or other issues that need to be incorporated into the school's ongoing compliance arrangements.

Handover is informal or absent

Without an appropriate completion check, outstanding defects, isolated safety systems, missing certificates or unfinished remedial work can be overlooked.

How confident are you in your contractor-management arrangements?

Effective contractor management is one part of a school's wider health, safety and statutory-compliance system.

The SchoolSafe Systems Compliance Scorecard can help schools consider whether responsibilities, monitoring, evidence and action management are working effectively across their wider compliance arrangements.

How SchoolSafe Systems can help

SchoolSafe Systems provides independent health and safety and compliance support for schools and academy trusts.

Where contractor arrangements would benefit from an independent review, support can include examining contractor-management procedures, approval arrangements, documentation, site controls and the interface between contractor work and wider school compliance.

FAQs

What documents should a school ask a contractor to provide?

There is no single document list appropriate to every contractor or job. Requirements should be proportionate to the nature and risks of the work. Depending on the activity, this may include evidence of competence, relevant insurance, risk assessments and method statements, specialist qualifications or registrations, and project-specific construction documentation.

Schools should also remember that contractor management is a two-way process: the school may need to provide important information about the premises and activities before work begins.

Do contractors working in schools need DBS checks?

Not every contractor automatically requires the same DBS check simply because they are working on school premises.

The appropriate safeguarding arrangements and eligibility for DBS and barred-list checks depend on the nature and circumstances of the activity and current statutory guidance. Schools should assess this before work begins and ensure their arrangements reflect current KCSIE and DBS requirements. See contractor DBS checks in schools.

The definition of regulated activity with children changed on 1 September 2026, so procedures based on the previous supervision exemption should be reviewed.

Does CDM 2015 apply to school maintenance work?

CDM 2015 can apply to construction work including maintenance, repair, refurbishment and other activities falling within its definition of construction work. It is not limited to large building projects.

Schools and trusts commissioning applicable work should therefore understand their client duties and ensure the management arrangements are proportionate to the nature, complexity and risks of the project.

Should schools supervise contractors while they work?

The level of school oversight should be proportionate to the work, risks and interaction with the occupied school environment.

School staff are not expected to technically supervise specialist work for which they are not competent. Appropriate monitoring should instead confirm that agreed site controls remain effective, contractors remain within the agreed work area and issues affecting pupils, staff, premises or school safety arrangements are identified and addressed.