Contents

 

The hidden cost of ageing school buildings

From leaking roofs to failing heating, older buildings increase both workload and risk. Site teams often find themselves:

  • Reacting to breakdowns instead of preventing them
  • Managing compliance pressures with outdated systems
  • Losing time to repeat issues - the same fault, again and again
  • Requiring technical knowledge to diagnose complex faults

When funding tightens, this cycle becomes unsustainable. Reactive work is expensive, stressful, and disruptive.

As systems age, schools also need staff with more specialist knowledge, for example, those who understand heating systems, electrics, and infrastructure maintenance.

 

The value of strong, supported site teams

Site managers and caretakers are central to maintaining a safe, compliant school environment, but they can only do that job effectively when they aren’t constantly firefighting daily maintenance issues. 

That’s why forward-thinking education leaders are taking a more strategic approach to their estates workforce. Rather than relying on quick fixes, successful schools and trusts are:

  • Investing in their site team to ensure stability
  • Ensuring they have the right mix of skills to manage the complexities of ageing buildings
  • Implementing a plan to cover vacancies during recruitment gaps and long-term absences, preventing knowledge loss and maintenance backlogs

This allows schools to stay compliant, maintain operational continuity, prevent backlogs during peak periods, and take the pressure off other staff members. With ageing buildings, this long-term approach is becoming essential rather than optional.

 

How to build a resilient estates workforce

To break the cycle of reactive maintenance, schools need to rethink how they recruit and structure their teams. Building a workforce capable of managing ageing estates requires a forward-thinking strategy:

  • Widen the recruitment pool: To find the right staff, look beyond the traditional educational sphere. Candidates from construction, engineering, and trade backgrounds often possess the technical intuition needed to diagnose complex building faults.
  • Prioritise experience: Many successful estates teams are now looking to the 'over 50s' demographic or those looking to step back from heavy trade work. These individuals bring decades of hands-on problem-solving experience that is invaluable for ageing infrastructure.
  • Invest in specific compliance training: Hiring from outside education brings technical skill, but requires bridging the gap in regulatory knowledge. Ensure you have a robust induction plan that covers school-specific Health & Safety and compliance protocols immediately.
  • Streamline the process: Finding these specialised candidates and vetting them takes time. Using a specialist agency can cut the time spent on recruitment significantly, delivering candidates who are already vetted and matched to your specific technical need.

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How TIB Services can help you deliver this strategy

For schools and trusts looking to implement these changes without the administrative burden, we provide a shortcut to a skilled workforce.

Schools and trusts work with us because:

  • We supply candidates with the right skills: Many of our candidates come from trades and engineering backgrounds; they have seen these maintenance problems before and have a strong understanding of resolving these issues under pressure
  • We ensure safety and compliance: Our candidates undergo specific online training covering compliance and Health & Safety, ensuring they are ready to manage the risks associated with older buildings (alongside standard KCSIE vetting)
  • They can reduce the time spent on recruitment and cover: As highlighted in our report, using our specialist network allows you to bypass the long search for skilled technical staff


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Final thoughts

With tighter budgets and ageing buildings, schools and trusts can’t afford to rely on quick fixes. Long-term investment, paired with the right mix of skills in their site team, gives their estates the safe, efficient, and future-proof environment students deserve.

If your school or trust is planning estate improvements, preparing for projects, or simply needs extra support, TIB Services is here to help.

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