Education Trust Grounds Maintenance Contract
Client: Marlow Education Trust
Contract Duration: 3- year contract (currently in year 1)
Contract Location: Buckinghamshire
Summary:
ODS, through our subcontractor Tactical Grounds Maintenance, delivers a multi-site grounds maintenance contract for the Marlow Education Trust operating three education settings: Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, Beechview Academy and Great Marlow School.
The contract operates at Trust level, providing a consistent and standardised grounds and sports surface maintenance service across all three schools. This ensures alignment in quality standards, safeguarding compliance, scheduling and reporting, while allowing site-specific flexibility to reflect each school’s operational priorities.
ODS delivers planned monthly and fortnightly visits across the portfolio, ensuring safe, compliant and well-presented outdoor environments that support curriculum sport, competitive fixtures and the wider school community.
Requirements:
The Trust required a reliable, safeguarding-aware contractor capable of delivering multiple grounds maintenance services across live education environments, with minimal disruption to the school day.
Services delivered include:
Grass cutting and general grounds maintenance
Hedge and shrub maintenance
Weed control and treatment
Leaf removal and seasonal clearance
Maintenance of traditional grass sports pitches
Maintenance of artificial pitches
Fortnightly sports field line marking
Additional pitch improvement works (including Pitch Power works)
Winter gritting services
The contract required careful coordination of access, safeguarding compliance, and term-time scheduling, alongside consistent quality standards across all three sites.
Challenges:
Restricted access during the school day and the need to avoid disruption to teaching.
Safeguarding requirements and DBS compliance for all personnel.
Ensuring safety while working in environments occupied by pupils and staff.
Seasonal pressures affecting grass growth, leaf fall and pitch condition.
Maintaining consistent pitch quality to meet curriculum and competitive sporting demands.
Solutions:
ODS schedules works during early morning windows and agreed access times to prevent disruption to teaching and learning. All operatives attending site are DBS checked and fully briefed on safeguarding procedures. Site-specific risk assessments and method statements ensure safe segregation of work areas and equipment while schools are in operation.
Planned maintenance schedules, including fortnightly line marking and structured mowing cycles, maintain consistent sports pitch standards throughout the academic year. Seasonal programmes such as leaf clearance and winter gritting ensure safe access routes during autumn and winter months. Regular communication with each school’s site management team ensures flexibility around exams, sports fixtures and school events.
Outcomes:
The Trust benefits from consistently high presentation standards across all three school sites, with safe, compliant and well-maintained grounds and sports facilities throughout the academic year. Early morning scheduling minimises disruption, supporting uninterrupted learning and curriculum delivery.
The contract is delivered by a dedicated operational team supported by appropriate machinery including ride-on mowers, pedestrian mowers, hedge cutting equipment, strimmers and specialist line marking machines. This structured deployment ensures efficient, high-quality service delivery across multiple sites within a coordinated Trust-level framework.
Strong working relationships with site teams have enabled responsive service adjustments where required, reinforcing reliability, safeguarding compliance and long-term service continuity.
