Student Resource Package – School Infrastructure

Contract Cleaning (Reference 28)

Funding for contract cleaning

Cleaning arrangements differ between metropolitan and regional schools. For detailed information, refer to the Cleaning policy.

For metropolitan schools, contract cleaning funding is no longer provided directly through the Student Resource Package (SRP). Instead, funds are held centrally, and the department pays cleaning companies directly.

For regional schools, contract cleaning funding remains included in the SRP, and based on normal and low-use areas, as determined by the cleanable spaces outlined in the school's facility schedule.

Other additional cleaning funds

From 2025, schools will receive additional cleaning funding through SRP offline payments in Term 1 and Term 3, over and above this contract cleaning entitlement provided through the SRP quarterly cash grant.

• All schools will receive flexible funding to purchase additional cleaning services as needed, including external hire, fetes, sports events, and after-hours use.
• Regional schools will also receive further additional funding to cover the 5% above award rate for all cleaners.

Contract cleaning exclusions

Contract cleaning funding does not cover school consumables, such as:

• toilet paper, paper towels, and soap
• disinfectant blocks and hand sanitiser
• bin liners.

A proportion of the cash component of the core per student allocation, includes funding for these types of consumables. Additionally, contract cleaning does not cover:

• cleaning of school-owned assets
• the use of school facilities for external events (such as external hire, fetes, sports events, and after-hours use) as funded via additional SRP offline flexible funding.

Funding changes

The Confirmed SRP is based on the February census. As with other elements of the SRP, the contract cleaning allocation is subject to change based on confirmed enrolments as per the February census.

Contract cleaning allocations are adjusted for any building configuration changes that occur. Where the cleanable area is reduced, the area change is applied from the following term onwards. Where the cleanable area is increased, the cleaning area change is applied from the beginning of the term in which the change was made.

Rates information for this program

Total cleaning area

This is the total of the cleanable areas of the school as per the School Cleanable Area Report (CAR). The Total Cleaning Area used to calculate your budget which is contained in your SRP Cleaning Statement and in the Quarterly Cash Grant advice. Any subsequent changes will be reflected in your CAR.

The CAR lists all rooms at a school and their cleanable eligibility, to provide a total cleanable area for the school. It is provided to schools by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) available on demand from the Asset Management Information System (AIMS).

Cleaning area entitlement

The cleaning area entitlement (normal use) for both secondary and primary schools is allocated in square metres according to enrolment bands of 25 students.

The cleanable area in excess of entitlement is deemed as low use area.

For enrolment or area entitlements, refer to: Contract Cleaning Schedule spreadsheet (XLS).

For a small number of primary schools disadvantaged by the 1:25 Schedule introduced in 2001 additional m² area is added to the school’s entitlement on AIMS to restore the school to the better of the former entitlement schedules. The adjustment is removed when the school moves into line with the 1:25 Schedule due to enrolment changes or if the school undergoes a facilities provision or upgrade program.

Building area changes

The budget impact of area changes notified depends on whether the areas are part of the school’s area entitlement and whether they involve designated cleanable areas. Where areas change, schools should refer to the CAR.

Building area changes (for example, whether the changed areas are part of the school’’s area entitlement and whether they involve designated cleanable areas) can impact the amount of funding a school receives for cleaning. For more information, schools can email the Information and Reporting Unit at sams@education.vic.gov.au

Funding is calculated at the Indicative, Confirmed and Revised cycles. However, cleaning area is only updated at the Confirmed SRP release and funding is allocated as cash.

Calculation

[Normal_Use_Area] × [Normal_Use_Rate] plus [Low_Use_Area] × [Low_Use_Rate]

Refer to Rates section for stipulated minimum dollar allocation.

Entitlement cannot exceed Total Cleanable Area.

Rates 2025

Notes

Split-site and multi-campus locations are calculated as separate entities.

Reporting in CASES21

Expenditure should be allocated in CASES21 to the following:

• Sub Program Code: 6001 – Building Services and Utilities
• General Ledger Account Code: 86502 – Contract Cleaning.