Midlands Academy Trust: 12 Schools, One Trusted Washroom Partner
How a multi-academy trust saved £18,000 per year by consolidating washroom services across 12 schools with term-time-only scheduling.
The Challenge: Fragmented Washroom Services Across 12 Schools
Multi-academy trusts face a unique washroom management challenge: each school within the trust may have inherited different service providers, contract terms, and service standards from before academisation. The Midlands Academy Trust — comprising 12 primary and secondary schools across Leicestershire — found itself managing six separate washroom service contracts with four different providers.
The problems this created
- Inconsistent service quality: Some schools received excellent washroom hygiene services whilst others experienced regular missed collections and poorly maintained equipment. Parents and Ofsted inspectors were noticing the disparity.
- Financial inefficiency: With multiple contracts, the trust was paying different rates for identical services. Administrative overhead for managing six separate invoicing streams, contract renewals, and supplier relationships consumed significant staff time.
- Holiday scheduling waste: Most providers charged year-round rates despite schools being closed for 13 weeks each year. The trust was effectively paying for services that were never delivered during school holidays.
- Safeguarding concerns: Different providers meant different personnel entering school premises, each requiring separate DBS checks and safeguarding inductions. The trust's safeguarding lead struggled to maintain oversight.
- Nappy waste in early years: Three schools with nursery and reception classes had inadequate nappy waste disposal arrangements, with staff resorting to general waste bins — a hygiene and compliance risk.
The trust's central operations team needed to consolidate washroom services under a single, ESPO-compliant provider who could deliver consistent quality across all 12 schools whilst reducing costs and administrative burden.
The Solution: Consolidated Contract with Term-Time Scheduling
Hygiene Solutions conducted a comprehensive site survey across all 12 schools, auditing existing washroom facilities, usage patterns, and service requirements. We then designed a single consolidated service plan that addressed every challenge the trust had identified.
Our tailored approach
- ESPO direct award: As an approved supplier on the ESPO framework 239_20, we enabled the trust to appoint us through a compliant direct award — eliminating the need for a lengthy tendering process and allowing implementation within six weeks of the initial enquiry.
- Term-time-only scheduling: We designed bespoke collection schedules aligned to the academic calendar. Services operate during the 39 term-time weeks, with pre-holiday deep cleans and post-holiday restart visits. The trust only pays for services when schools are occupied.
- Dedicated nappy waste units: Purpose-built nappy waste bins were installed in all early years facilities, with weekly collections during term time. Each unit features a pedal-operated lid and odour-control technology, meeting both hygiene and dignity requirements for young children.
- Single DBS-checked team: A dedicated team of four service engineers was assigned to the trust's schools, all holding enhanced DBS certificates and carrying photo ID. The same engineers visit the same schools each cycle, building familiarity with staff and understanding the specific requirements of each site.
- Consolidated invoicing: One monthly invoice covers all 12 schools, broken down by site for the trust's internal budget allocation. This replaced six separate invoicing streams and dramatically reduced administrative workload.
The entire solution was implemented during the summer holiday period, ensuring zero disruption to teaching and learning. Every school received new equipment, clearly labelled bins, and staff orientation packs explaining the new service arrangements.
The Results: £18,000 Annual Savings and Consistent Standards
Within the first academic year of the consolidated contract, the Midlands Academy Trust realised significant financial and operational improvements across its 12-school estate.
Financial impact
- £18,000 annual saving: The combination of consolidated pricing, term-time-only scheduling, and elimination of duplicate services delivered an 18% reduction in total washroom service costs compared to the previous fragmented arrangements.
- Administrative time saved: The trust's operations team estimates they save approximately 15 hours per month in supplier management, invoicing, and contract administration — time now redirected to other facilities management priorities.
Service quality improvements
- 100% service completion: In the first full year, every scheduled collection was completed on time. Zero missed visits across all 12 schools — compared to an average of 8 missed collections per term under the previous arrangements.
- Ofsted-ready washrooms: Two schools received Ofsted inspections during the first year of the new contract. Both received positive comments on washroom facilities and hygiene standards in their reports.
- Compliant nappy waste: The dedicated nappy waste service resolved the compliance gap in early years settings, with proper segregation, collection, and disposal documentation now in place.
Safeguarding and compliance
The dedicated team model has been particularly valued by the trust's safeguarding lead. With only four DBS-checked engineers, who carry photo ID, servicing all 12 schools, personnel management is straightforward and the engineers are known and trusted by school staff. Full waste transfer documentation and compliance certificates are provided quarterly to the trust's central team.
The trust has since recommended Hygiene Solutions to two neighbouring academy trusts, both of whom have subsequently appointed us through the same ESPO framework route.
Moving to a single washroom provider through the ESPO framework was one of the best operational decisions we made as a trust. The savings speak for themselves, but it is the consistency of service that has really impressed our headteachers. Every school now receives the same high standard, and the term-time scheduling means we are not wasting budget during holidays. I would recommend Hygiene Solutions to any academy trust looking to streamline their washroom services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about our education washroom services
If You Have a Washroom, We Can Help.
One washroom or one hundred. Book a free site survey and we will assess your setup, advise on the right products, and put together a competitive quote. No obligation, no hard sell.
Hygiene Solutions
We typically reply within a few minutes