Great Site Teams Are Worth Every Penny

Let’s talk about Trigger’s Broom. No, not a new cleaning product — the legend.

For non–Only Fools and Horses fans: it’s the broom that’s had 17 new heads and 14 handles but is somehow still the same broom.

Now, replace “broom” with “50-year-old portacabin,” or your equivalent, and you’ve got the unsung heroics of your site team. They’re not just fixing leaks — they’re often performing architectural alchemy.

I recently trawled through a handful of school site-manager job adverts — from small primaries to multi-academy trusts — and here’s the unofficial summary:

• Statutory Compliance Whisperer – “Fire alarms? Legionella? Just another Tuesday.”
  
  
• Project Manager Who Can Also Unblock a Toilet – ideally while logging it on the system at the same time.
  
  
• Diplomat – “No, Mrs Smith, the fire drill probably isn’t the best time to test your laminator.”

Every single one wanted a mix of maintenance skills (plumbing, painting, carpentry), health & safety knowledge, budget management, contractor wrangling, and — my favourite line, quoted directly — “a calm, cheerful disposition and a sense of humour.”

The punchline? Salaries ranged from caretaker-plus (£25k) to you want me to do WHAT?! (£42k).

Funny thing — the higher brackets all mentioned “saving money through in-house expertise.” Coincidence? Probably not.

This isn’t “caretaker versus expert.” It’s really about what’s realistic for your setting.

A larger trust might need someone juggling compliance software, contractors, and capital projects. A small primary might just need reliability, pride in the site, and a brilliant set of practical hands. Both matter — both keep schools running.

To put it in perspective:

Contractor call-out for a leak: £180 + two days of soggy Year 6 projects.

Site manager who spots the dodgy valve before it bursts: priceless (and roughly a £3,000 flood avoided).

It’s not about replacing people — it’s about recognising the real value in the work that often goes unseen.

That portacabin? It’s not a relic — it’s The £4.50 Duct Tape Miracle.

When your site lead manages to get the heating working again using nothing but a screwdriver and optimism, they’re not just saving money — they’re keeping the school running while you wait for funding that, in some cases, may never arrive.

Wherever your school sits on the scale, a few things always hold true:

• Hire for initiative. People who spot issues before they become emergencies.
  
  
• Invest in training where you can. A skilled site team can prevent a costly call-out.
  
  
• Look after the ones you’ve got. Experience and local knowledge are worth more than any manual.

The next time you’re recruiting for a site role, it might be worth seeing it through two lenses:

1. The hands-on caretaker — the heartbeat of the site. Someone who knows every squeaky door hinge, every puddle that forms after heavy rain, and every shortcut to keep things ticking over.
   
   
2. The multi-skilled site lead — a blend of technician, project manager, and problem-solver who can handle more in-house, saving time and cost over the year.

Both roles have huge value. The trick is matching the right person to the right setting — and recognising that investing in the right skills (or keeping the right person) often pays back quietly, in avoided downtime, fewer contractor visits, and calmer mornings.

Statlog....more than just compliance & premises software.