How in-house cleaning can increase school absences

Illnesses related to respiratory problems are often caused by airborne particles, such as mould. In a place where children play and learn, it is the perfect environment for bacteria and viruses to transmit between children and spread through surfaces. It is estimated that each student takes 10 days off a year due to these kind of illnesses, as they can often cause stronger symptoms in  younger children. Therefore, it is important to make sure these areas are consistently cleaned with anti-bacterial cleaning products.

Often, schools try to save money by employing in-house cleaners or getting the teachers to clean their own classrooms. This, however, is a self-deprecating cycle, as schools are taking teachers away from what they are employed to do and teachers may be too busy to do the cleaning thoroughly enough. Furthermore, an overworked teacher is more susceptible to illnesses due to a depleted immune system.

Here are 3 reasons why hiring JMS Cleaning Services would benefit your nursery or school:

1. Funding – Schools get funding based off a variety of reasons, one of which is absenteeism. OFSTED uses the rates of absenteeism to determine how responsive the school is in ensuring that students attend and are fully interactive with the curriculum. Funding is cut when absenteeism rates are high – a harsh but effective rule implemented by councils. By hiring JMS Cleaning Services, we can ensure absences caused by illness are reduced, by giving your buildings a deep clean with products that prevent the spread of any viruses and bacteria.
2. Cross contamination – It is common knowledge that bacteria spreads quickly within a heavily used building. Studies show that bacteria placed on a doorknob can spread throughout a building, reaching 40%-60% of surfaces within 2 – 4 hours. By having a school cleaning company consistently eliminating bacteria from surfaces, you will be able to keep absenteeism rates down.
3. Sick pay – Parents often have to use their own holiday or sick leave to look after sick children, costing both your organisation and the parents. Some parents simply can’t afford to take time off work and pay for childcare, so this may cut into your profits due to parents requesting fewer days than before. Those parents that can’t afford to take time off may just send their children into school anyway, causing even more absenteeism when other children fall ill. Parents entrust nurseries and schools to provide the safest environment possible for their children to learn and play in. By paying attention to your organisation’s cleaning methods, you will be able to save parents and yourself a substantial amount of money – meaning our cleaning service will essentially pay for itself.

JMS Cleaning Services offer comprehensive day nursery and school cleaning for customers based in the Manchester, Stockport, and Cheshire area. Our expert team of cleaners are fully experienced and equipped to carry out an extensive cleaning service, using safe and high-grade cleaning treatments for any nursery or school. To find out more about our office cleaning services don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team today.

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School facilities managers have unique premises to look after, with quality learning environments needing to be balanced with prudent cost management. Good facilities management in a school can improve the classroom setting for staff and pupils, increase running efficiency and enhance the public impression of the institution. Read on for some top tips for managing educational facilities.

Energy saving

Energy usage in a school is a large cost and so it’s always worth regularly reviewing your consumption to see if savings can be made. Small adaptations can make a large difference over time and can be the easiest updates to implement. Consider updating your HVAC system settings and zoning, installing energy efficient lighting and appliances.

Simple changes such as encouraging the turning off of electronics after usage can be worthwhile, especially when scaled up to whole IT suites or school-wide. Appointing ‘energy saving champions’ in school staff or pupils who help monitor such initiatives can be handy and a way to get the premises’ inhabitants involved.

Out of hours

With school facilities often providing valuable space for out of hours clubs and societies – for pupils and the wider public – it is easy for excessive energy to be used during this time. Monitor the use of energy from such groups, potentially drawing up some guidelines for how they use the premises and how to use energy judiciously. You could also try to contain such groups’ access to the wider school to prevent extra, unnecessary energy use outside of their required space.

Lighting

Lighting is an area where large savings can be made and where updating your technology can really make a difference. For example, updating traditional lights to LEDs can save up to 60% of lighting costs. Installing a motion detection system for your lighting is another way savings can be made as lights will automatically switch off when not being used. Furthermore, you can save money by switching off lighting on sunny days or when screens are being used – this will also reduce screen glare, thus helping to reduce eye strain.

Thorough cleaning

Thorough cleaning and upkeep is particularly important in the school environment. Not only will cleanliness cultivate an attractive, undistracting and well-maintained place of learning, it can also impact health. Illnesses and allergies can greatly impact learning and absenteeism and an unclean school will worsen both.

Professional cleaners should be employed to clean the school on a daily basis, ensuring that surfaces are disinfected – thus reducing germ spread – and spaces are completely dusted and vacuumed – reducing the presence of irritating allergens. A professional cleaner will also be able to utilise child-safe cleaning chemicals and offer comprehensive, cost effective janitorial supplies to further promote hygiene.

Proactive maintenance

Keeping equipment well-maintained – from your heating system to computers – can help extend their usable life. This is useful both in terms of saving you money on untimely replacements and repairs, and in keeping your equipment from pesky downtime which, in a school, could have an impact on the ability to teach. Have equipment cleaned and serviced regularly to keep it in good condition – at peak efficiency, your equipment will be running in the most cost effective manner, too.

From local nurseries and schools to large colleges and university buildings, JMS Cleaning Services can provide your premises with a meticulous, tailored cleaning service. With an experienced and well-trained team, knowledge of tried-and-tested cleaning techniques, and a range of professional cleaning equipment, we can keep your premises fresh, hygienic and inviting. Get in touch our friendly team today to discuss your needs – we’re happy to help clients throughout the North West, including Manchester, Crewe & Liverpool.

The post Top tips for school facilities managers: energy saving, cleaning & more appeared first on JMS Cleaning Services.

The Cafeteria

Between the hours of twelve and two, throngs of students and teachers flock to the cafeteria to eat lunch, leaving a fair degree of mess. If left, this area can become a breeding ground for germs and, as a result, needs a very deep clean. Mud, grease, food stains and spillages – all of these things can be tough to remove. On top of this, the cafeteria is generally a very large place! To achieve high levels of sanitation, a professional cleaning service is necessary to ensure all floors and surfaces are swept, wiped and disinfected with precision, on a daily basis.

It should be noted here, that many students are encouraged to get involved in the cleaning process to minimise mess during the lunch hour. Although added numbers may bolster the cleaning effort whilst teaching children about proper sanitation, it is not a true substitute for professional cleaning: cleaning in this manner requires the appropriate products and the proper knowledge.

The Classrooms

The classrooms are where staff and children will spend the majority of their time at school. With this in mind, it is important these areas stay germ-free. Carpets must be hoovered, bins must be emptied and all tables, doorknobs, chairs and desks must be properly wiped with a microfibre cloth to prevent contamination. If this isn’t done correctly, children will easily catch germs and pass them on. Keep in mind, though, all cleaning products used must be very gentle, otherwise they could cause harm to the students. Luckily, JMS Cleaning Services always use high quality products when carrying out their meticulous work in schools.

The Changing Rooms and Toilets

The changing rooms might only be used for around a half-hour a day, but they can quickly become a school’s dirtiest area. After sport, mud and sweat can linger near the lockers long after the children have gone, and need special attention when it comes to mopping and cleaning. Moreover, the toilets can become particularly foul, and will need disinfecting, bleaching and deodorising on a regular basis. This comprehensive level of cleaning requires a certain amount of staff, and a certain level of expertise – expertise which only a professional cleaning service can provide.

Halls and Corridors

The numerous, busy, labyrinthine corridors of local schools can become jam-packed with students traipsing from lesson to lesson, dragging any mud or debris stuck to their shoes with them. Vinyl flooring can facilitate the cleaning process, however, if proper standards are to be maintained, floors must be mopped and lockers and shelves must be dusted diligently and systematically. With a professional cleaning service, corridors can become safe, pleasant, sparkling thoroughfares!

If you think your school or nursery could use the help of a professional cleaning company, regardless of your size, JMS Cleaning are for you! Our experienced, committed team use only the highest quality products, helping create safe, pleasant and hygienic environments for children. For more information on our dedicated cleaning services, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team today.

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