A school window replacement programme works best when the survey, specification and manufacture happen during term, so the holidays are spent fitting. In practice that means starting around a year ahead and matching each package of work to a holiday it can realistically fit into.
Exterior Plas is a family run window and door manufacturer, founded in 1988 and based in Thornwood, Epping. Schools have historically been one of our main sectors, and we work across London, Essex and the South East. You can read more about our window and door work for schools on our service page.
Key takeaways
- Start planning about a year before the holiday you’re aiming for.
- The summer break suits large packages, while shorter breaks suit a single block or a handful of problem windows.
- Replacement windows are controlled fittings, so the Building Regulations apply.
- Measure in term.
Why the holidays shape the programme
Replacing windows in an occupied school is hard to do safely. Once a window comes out, the room is open to the weather and the work area has to be secured, which is easy enough in an empty building and far harder when there are pupils on site.
Safeguarding comes first, because contractors near pupils need clear separation, and the noise of cutting out old frames can’t happen near exams. Scaffolding also takes up playgrounds and car parks.
The summer break is the longest gap in the year, so bigger packages go there. Shorter breaks suit smaller pieces of work that can be finished and made safe before the first day back.
Planning a school window replacement programme a year ahead
Start with a condition survey of every block. Then rank the windows by condition and risk. Windows that won’t close or lock usually come first.
Then phase it. Larger estates often split the programme by block or by year, so each phase fits one holiday. Line the phases up with your budget cycle, because money that’s confirmed late in the summer term is usually too late for that summer, and you’ll end up waiting another year for the next long break.
Academies and some other schools can bid for capital for condition work through the Condition Improvement Fund. Eligibility and deadlines change between rounds. Check first. Windows also affect how classrooms feel, which we’ve covered in our post on how school windows affect learning.
What to specify for replacement school windows
Your specification should start from the Building Regulations. The Planning Portal guidance on doors and windows explains that the work must be certified by an installer registered with a competent person scheme or approved by building control.
Thermal limits are set out in Approved Document L. Approved Document K covers safety glazing in low panes and in or beside doors, as well as opening windows that could hurt people in busy areas next to them. On upper floors, specify restrictors with a way for staff to release them where needed.
Classrooms often rely on opening windows for fresh air, so check the new opening areas still suit each room’s ventilation strategy. For fire safety, refer to Building Bulletin 100, and consider whether nearby fire doors should be reviewed at the same time. In listed or older buildings, secondary glazing can improve comfort while the original windows stay in place.
Matching the work to each holiday
Each holiday suits a different size of job.
| Holiday period | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Whole blocks and work that needs scaffolding | Other contractors on site and staff returning before term |
| Easter | A single block or a group of classrooms | Exam season soon after, and revision sessions in school |
| October half term | A single elevation or urgent replacements | Shorter daylight, colder weather and holiday clubs |
| February or May half term | Small packages and remedial work | Wet weather in February, and exams around May |
Measuring, making and handing over
Measure during term and you’ll have the windows made before the holiday starts, so time on site goes on fitting. Surveys can usually happen after school.
Measure every opening. Older school buildings don’t often have identical openings, and a small difference can stop a made to measure frame from fitting.
We make windows and doors in our own factory in Thornwood. Whoever you appoint, ask when final measurements are needed and when the windows will arrive, then work backwards from the first day of the holiday.
Before staff return, walk round and check that every window opens and locks and that the restrictors work. At handover, ask for the Building Regulations certificates and file them where the next estates lead will find them. Repairs still come up between programmes. We also handle window and door repairs, and it’s worth agreeing early on who the school calls when something breaks.
When a holiday programme is not the right choice
Sometimes it won’t work. A broken or insecure window that leaves a room unsafe can’t wait for the next break. Windows with plenty of life left are often better repaired. In listed buildings, the planning authority may expect repair or secondary glazing rather than replacement, and very large packages may need phasing over several years.
To talk through a holiday window programme for your school, call us on 01992 578 903, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
FAQs
About a year ahead is a sensible start. That leaves time for the survey, the budget and the specification before measuring begins. If you're bidding for capital funding, check the deadlines first, because they'll set the rest of the timetable.
Sometimes. A few windows in rooms that can be closed off may be possible, provided contractors are kept apart from pupils and noisy work avoids exams. Larger packages aren't easy, so most schools keep term for surveys and holidays for fitting.
Yes. They're controlled fittings, so the work has to meet the Building Regulations, including the rules on heat loss and safety glazing. An installer registered with a competent person scheme can certify it, or building control can approve it. It's worth checking fire safety too, with Building Bulletin 100 as the reference. Either way, ask for the certificate at handover and keep it with the school's building records, where the next estates lead will find it.
It's often a good fit, particularly in listed buildings or where the original windows have architectural value. A secondary pane fitted inside the existing window can cut draughts and noise while the outside stays as it is. In listed buildings the planning authority may expect it rather than replacement, so check with them first. It's also worth thinking about cleaning access, since both sets of windows may need to open.