Getting Ready for October Half Term: A School Maintenance Guide

As temperatures drop and winter approaches, now is the time to ensure your school is prepared for the winter months ahead. Proper winter preparation is about safeguarding your facilities, ensuring the safety of staff and pupils, and maintaining smooth operations throughout the coldest season.

Why Winter Preparation Matters

Winter weather can significantly disrupt school operations. From burst pipes and boiler breakdowns to icy pathways and snow-blocked access routes, the season presents unique challenges that require proactive management. Schools that prepare well rarely face emergency closures or costly reactive repairs. Those that don’t often find themselves dealing with expensive problems at the worst possible time.

Check Your Grit Stock

Icy pathways and car parks present serious health and safety risks. A lack of grit supplies and proper application can prevent accidents and keep your site accessible during winter weather.

What to do:

• Check your grit bin stock levels
• Order additional supplies before winter demand increases
• Ensure grit spreaders or shovels are in good condition
• Identify priority areas for gritting (main entrances, pathways, disabled access routes)
• Document your gritting procedures and responsibilities

Insulation and Draught Proofing

Heat loss through poor insulation or draughts wastes energy and money whilst leaving building occupants uncomfortable. Winter preparation is an ideal time to address these issues.

What to do:

• Check loft insulation is adequate and hasn’t been disturbed
• Inspect door and window seals for gaps or deterioration
• Consider draught excluders for external doors
• Check that any ventilation systems have winter settings enabled
• Ensure pipe insulation is intact, particularly in unheated areas

Roof and Gutter Maintenance

Winter weather puts additional stress on roofs and drainage systems. Blocked gutters can lead to overflow, ice formation, and water ingress.

What to check:

• Clear all gutters and downpipes of autumn leaves and debris
• Check roof coverings for loose or damaged tiles/slates
• Ensure gullies and surface water drains are clear
• Inspect flat roofs for pooling water or membrane damage

Professional Support

Some aspects of winter preparation require professional expertise. At Munday & Cramer, our building surveying and project management services help schools maintain their estates effectively throughout the year.

We can assist with:

• Condition surveys identifying winter vulnerability
• Planned maintenance programmes
• Emergency response planning
• Building services assessments
• Project management for improvement works

Our RICS Chartered Surveyors understand the specific challenges schools face and can help ensure your estate is resilient year-round.

Winter preparation works best when completed before winter arrives. Once temperatures drop, some tasks become more difficult or expensive. Heating engineers, roofers, and other trades become extremely busy, extending wait times and increasing costs.

Need assistance with winter preparation or estate management

Contact Munday & Cramer on 01245 326200 to discuss how our building surveying and project management services can help keep your school operating smoothly through winter and beyond.