If you manage a school estate, you’ll know this scenario all too well. You’re halfway up a ladder, fixing a light fitting that’s been flickering for weeks, when a staff member appears below you:
“Oh, while you’re here, can you just sort out the broken blinds in Year 5?”
You nod politely, make a mental note (which you’ll absolutely forget in about three minutes), and continue your job.
⏩ Ten minutes later, another one.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you, can you just look at the staffroom radiator? It’s making a weird noise.”
By lunchtime, you’ve been hit with so many ‘Can You Just…’ requests that your actual to-do list has doubled—and the light fitting still isn’t fixed.
⚠️ Now, let’s be clear: This isn’t about ignoring tasks that actually matter—like 🔥 health & safety, ✔️ compliance, or 🔒 security. Those should always be top priority. But estate teams often find themselves juggling these vital jobs while being bombarded with low-priority requests that could, frankly, wait.
🚨 And if you’re a Multi-Academy Trust, forward this to your site teams. Right now. Because, let’s be honest, you’ll also forget in about three minutes.
So, how do you keep things running without becoming ‘the person who always says no’?
Most ‘Can You Just…’ moments happen because there’s no proper system for reporting jobs. Staff grab you in the corridor because it’s easier than emailing. But the second you nod and say, “I’ll take a look”, it becomes an expectation.
💡 What to do instead:
📌 Introduce a formal request system (like a helpdesk system) where all jobs must be logged.
✋ When someone corners you with a request, politely direct them to the system:
“That sounds like something we need to log properly—can you put it on the system so I don’t lose track?”
At first, people might resist, but soon they’ll get the message—and you’ll have everything in one place, properly prioritised.
Not all requests are created equal. The problem is, people often think their issue is the most urgent because it affects them.
That squeaky classroom door might be annoying, but is it more urgent than a 🦠 legionella test, 🔥 fire safety check, or 🚪 blocked emergency exit? Probably not.
💡 What to do instead:
📊 Set clear priority levels (e.g., Critical, High, Medium, Low) and explain them to staff.
🔎 Be transparent about why some things get done sooner than others.
📅 If someone chases a request, remind them where it sits in the queue.
This shifts the conversation from "You're ignoring my request" to "Ah, I see why this is taking a little longer."
A flat-out ‘no’ can sound dismissive, even when it's justified. Instead, try reframing your response so it feels more like a plan than a rejection.
✖️ Instead of this:
"Sorry, I don’t have time for that."
✔️ Try this:
"That’s not something we can prioritise this week, but let’s review it next term when we’re doing the scheduled maintenance."
✖️ Instead of this:
"That’s not my responsibility."
✔️ Try this:
"That’s actually something the IT team/school office usually handles—I'd check in with them."
Even if you're still saying ‘no,’ this keeps the conversation positive—and stops you from looking unhelpful.
Here’s a secret: The best way to stop being the bad guy is to not be the one making all the decisions.
💡 What to do instead:
🤝 Work with SLT to set clear priorities and response times for estate issues.
📢 Encourage leadership to back the request system—so when staff complain about delays, it’s a policy, not a personal decision.
If leadership understands why some things take longer, they’ll be on your side instead of pushing back when people complain.
Not every problem belongs to the estates team. But when something is broken, people often assume it’s your job to fix it.
💡 What to do instead:
📜 Create a simple guide explaining what estate teams handle vs. what other teams (IT, cleaners, admin) manage.
📨 Post it in staff areas or send out a friendly reminder in staff emails.
For example:
✔️ "Leaking radiator? That’s us!"
🖥️ "Printer jam? That’s IT!"
🚪 "Broken fire door? Estates team!"
☕ "Coffee machine not working? Maybe… just make tea?"
This reduces unnecessary requests and helps people direct their queries to the right place.
At the end of the day, estate teams don’t say ‘no’ because they don’t want to help—they say ‘no’ because they need to prioritise the most important work.
By setting up a request system, making priorities clear, and managing expectations, you can reduce workload, stay in control, and keep your sanity intact—all without being seen as ‘the bad guy.’
🛠️ And if all else fails… just walk around with a clipboard and a serious expression. Works every time. 😉
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