Case Study: A Complete Turnaround in Cleaning Quality at The Oratory Prep School

Posted by Glenn Cleaning, April 01, 2026

Client Overview 

The Oratory Prep School is a highly respected independent Catholic day school for boys and girls aged 2–13, set within 65 acres of beautiful Oxfordshire countryside near Reading. Founded in 1956, the school has built a strong reputation for academic excellence, outstanding pastoral care and the development of confident, well-rounded young people.

The Oratory Prep combines high-quality teaching with excellent facilities and a rich programme of academic, creative and physical activities. Its campus features extensive outdoor learning environments, including woodland, ponds and adventure play areas, alongside sports facilities, a swimming pool and a dedicated auditorium. These spaces play a central role in supporting both the curriculum and the wider development of pupils, and must consistently reflect the school’s high standards and values.

With such a strong reputation, presentation, hygiene and attention to detail are critical. The school environment must not only be clean, but visibly immaculate. Creating a safe, welcoming and professional setting for pupils, staff, parents and visitors alike. Maintaining these standards across a busy day requires a cleaning partner capable of delivering consistency, accountability and excellence. 

Prior to partnering with Glenn Cleaning & Support Services, the school operated with a mixture of contracted and in-house cleaning staff, which created challenges around consistency, accountability and overall service quality. 

The Challenges 

The Oratory Prep School was experiencing ongoing issues with its existing cleaning provision. Service levels were inconsistent, with contracted hours frequently not being delivered in full. Recruiting and retaining cleaning staff was particularly difficult due to the school’s location, which added further pressure to the existing team. 

There was a clear lack of management and supervision from the previous supplier. Cleaning staff felt unsupported and unmotivated, which directly impacted morale and performance. Communication with the contractor was poor, leaving the school team with little visibility or confidence in the service being delivered. 

As a result, valuable time was being taken away from the school’s staff, who were regularly dealing with complaints, chasing the contractor and apologising to colleagues for issues that should never have arisen. 

The Solution 

Following a full review of the site, Glenn identified that the service was under-resourced and could not realistically deliver the standards expected by the school. We increased the number of cleaning operatives to ensure the correct level of labour was in place to provide a consistently high-quality clean. 

We also identified that the existing machinery on site was inadequate. New, fit-for-purpose equipment was introduced to improve efficiency and deliver noticeably better results across key areas such as floors and communal spaces. 

A detailed cleaning schedule was created and implemented, providing clarity, structure and a clear pathway for improvement across the site. This was supported by a comprehensive mobilisation plan, which began two weeks before contract commencement and continued for two weeks afterwards, ensuring a smooth transition and a strong start. 

All cleaning operatives received in-depth training prior to starting on site, setting clear expectations and standards from day one. Regular site visits from the Area Manager were introduced to provide hands-on management, motivate the team and maintain open, proactive communication with the client. 

The Outcome 

The transformation was immediate and measurable. Staff morale improved dramatically, with the cleaning team becoming fully engaged and committed to delivering an excellent service. Attendance stabilised, and the team took genuine pride in their work. 

Cleaning standards improved significantly across the school, with independent quality audits consistently achieving scores of over 95%. Feedback from staff across the site was overwhelmingly positive, and the school team no longer needed to spend time managing complaints or chasing service issues. 

Client Feedback 

“From the very first few weeks of working with you, the impact was clear, what a transformation. The difference across our school has been noticed by everyone. So many people have commented on the cleanliness and how fresh and welcoming the environment now feels. 

We’ve saved at least an hour a day not having to apologise to staff or chase ongoing issues like we constantly had to with our previous contractors. The cleaning team are exceptionally well managed, responsive and consistent, which has made a huge difference to our day-to-day operations. Glenn has completely changed the standard for us. Professional, reliable and genuinely invested in delivering a great service.” 

The Oratory Prep School