School Cleaning Before an Inspection
How to prepare the campus and cleaning documentation for a DET facilities audit, ACECQA quality assessment or school council inspection — what additional cleaning to schedule, the two-week preparation timeline, the documentation pack an inspector expects to review, and why a well-managed program needs no panic cleaning before inspection day.
The most important insight about pre-inspection cleaning
A well-managed school cleaning program should require very little additional effort before an inspection. If the written specification is current, the completion records are maintained, the products are GECA-certified and the campus surfaces are in good condition from a consistently applied maintenance and restorative cleaning schedule — the inspection should find everything in order. The principal who scrambles to arrange urgent cleaning the week before an inspection is experiencing a symptom of a cleaning program that has been inadequately managed between inspections, not an isolated pre-inspection challenge.
That said, even well-managed programs have legitimate pre-inspection preparation tasks — not to compensate for management gaps, but to ensure the campus presents at its best and the documentation is consolidated and readily accessible for the inspector's review. The guide below describes what those preparation tasks are, when to schedule them, and how to assemble the documentation pack that a DET or ACECQA assessor will request.
The two-week pre-inspection preparation timeline
When an inspection date is confirmed, work backwards from the inspection day to schedule the following preparation tasks. The timeline assumes a two-week notice period — adjust for shorter notice by prioritising the documentation pack and the most visible physical tasks.
Schedule floor scrub-and-recoat or spot resealing; book carpet extraction
Floor work requires the most lead time — the floor scrub-and-recoat must be scheduled with the contractor, completed, and fully cured before the inspection day. If any areas of the campus have visible floor finish wear — particularly in main entry corridors, classrooms or common areas that the inspector is likely to visit — a scrub-and-recoat at this point addresses the condition before the inspection rather than leaving visible wear for the assessor to observe. Carpet extraction in library, administration or any inspected room with visible soiling should be booked at the same time, to allow 2–3 days of drying time.
Assemble the cleaning compliance documentation pack
Consolidate all cleaning compliance documentation into a single indexed folder. Confirm all documents are current — insurance certificates have not lapsed, DET contractor registration is valid, the product schedule lists current products with current GECA certification numbers. Print or digitally compile completion records for the most recent 3 months. Index the folder so any document can be located within 30 seconds of an inspector's request — a disorganised pile of documents conveys the same impression as missing documents.
High-level cleaning, window cleaning and external area preparation
Book the cleaning contractor for a supplementary visit during this week for high-level cleaning of light fittings, visible ceiling vents and the tops of storage units in any area the inspector will enter. Internal window cleaning of glass panels in entry areas and administration. External area clearance — removal of accumulated waste from external bin areas, clearance of any debris from entry paths and covered outdoor areas. These tasks take the campus from well-maintained to presented at its best without requiring emergency cleaning of areas that should have been maintained routinely.
Final glass clean, entry presentation and full bathroom restocking
Two days before the inspection: all glass surfaces in entry areas, administration and any room the inspector will enter should be cleaned. Bathroom facilities should be checked for full consumable stock — soap dispensers, paper towels and toilet paper fully loaded, sanitary bins emptied and relined. Any spot cleaning of visible marks on walls, doors or surfaces in inspected areas. The standard nightly maintenance cleaning on the evening before the inspection completes the preparation without requiring any additional intervention on inspection day itself.
30-minute morning walk — confirm condition and documentation access
On the morning of the inspection, conduct the same 30-minute walk-through described for pre-term inspection: confirm floor surfaces are clean and dry, bathroom facilities are stocked, glass in entry areas is clear, documentation folder is in the principal's office and immediately accessible. Identify and address any overnight issue — a paper towel dispenser that has run out, a cleaning product spill in an entry area from the nightly visit, a light fitting that has failed and is now dark. These are the minor issues that slip through even a well-prepared campus and are easily resolved with 30 minutes of notice.
The cleaning documentation pack — what inspectors expect
A DET facilities audit and an ACECQA quality assessment both involve a documentation review component. The inspector or assessor will ask to see evidence that the cleaning program is managed to a documented standard — not just that the campus looks clean on the day of the visit. The following documentation pack addresses the compliance evidence that both types of assessment typically require.
Cleaning compliance documentation checklist
- Current written cleaning specification — covers every area of the campus with the standard for each zone
- Product schedule — lists every cleaning product with GECA certification number, TGA registration number, VOC content and fragrance status
- Completion records — signed daily records for the most recent 3 months
- Contractor public liability insurance certificate — current, not lapsed
- Contractor workers compensation insurance certificate — current
- DET contractor registration document — current (government schools)
- WWCC register — lists all named cleaning staff with WWCC numbers and expiry dates
- SWMS for science laboratory cleaning — if the school has a science lab (WorkSafe requirement)
- NQS cleaning records — session cleaning records and product schedule if the school has an early learning program
- Annual review record — evidence that the cleaning program has been reviewed against the specification in the past 12 months
The documentation test: Before the inspection, ask yourself: if the DET inspector asked to see the cleaning documentation right now, would I be able to produce every item in the list above within 5 minutes? If any item requires more than 5 minutes to locate — or cannot be located at all — that item needs to be addressed in the two-week preparation window, not on inspection day.
Preparation for different inspection types
DET facilities audit
A DET facilities audit assesses whether the government school's cleaning program meets the DET Cleaning Services Specification — minimum frequencies, performance standards and contractor compliance requirements. The auditor will compare the current cleaning schedule against the DET specification minimum frequencies, assess the physical condition of key areas including bathrooms, classrooms and common areas, and review the contractor compliance documentation. Physical preparation should prioritise any area that the specification requires to be cleaned at a frequency that has not been met — bathroom facilities, in particular, should be in full compliance on audit day. Documentation preparation should ensure the compliance pack is current and accessible.
ACECQA quality assessment
An ACECQA assessment evaluates the early learning centre or kindergarten against the National Quality Standard, including Quality Area 2 (Children's Health and Safety) and Quality Area 3 (Physical Environment). The assessor will look at the session cleaning records to confirm that cleaning is occurring after each session, the product schedule to confirm low-VOC and child-safe products are being used, the nappy change area cleaning protocol, and the general condition of the learning environment. Physical preparation should focus on the learning areas and shared spaces that assessors observe directly. Documentation preparation should ensure session cleaning records are current, the product schedule lists GECA-certified products and the nappy change protocol is documented.
School council and community inspection
A school council or community inspection is typically less formal than a DET or ACECQA assessment — but the principal who can provide the school council with a cleaning specification, a product schedule with GECA certification numbers and a completion record demonstrating consistent delivery is the principal who builds community confidence in the school's management. Physical preparation for a community inspection should prioritise the areas that community members are most likely to see: entry areas, corridors, library and any outdoor spaces that form part of the school's community identity. The documentation that demonstrates the cleaning program is actively managed — rather than contracted out and forgotten — is the most persuasive evidence a principal can provide to a school council.
Frequently Asked Questions
Schedule: floor scrub-and-recoat in worn areas (2 weeks before, needs curing time), carpet extraction in high-visibility rooms (2 weeks before, needs drying time), high-level cleaning of light fittings and vents in inspected spaces (1 week before), internal window cleaning in entry and administration areas (1 week before), external area clearance (1 week before), full bathroom consumable restocking (2 days before) and final glass and surface spot cleaning (2 days before). The nightly maintenance clean on the evening before the inspection completes the preparation.
Have ready: current written cleaning specification, product schedule with GECA certification numbers and TGA registration numbers, completion records for the most recent 3 months, current contractor public liability and workers compensation insurance certificates, current DET contractor registration, WWCC register for all cleaning staff, SWMS for science laboratory cleaning if applicable, NQS session cleaning records if an early learning program operates on the campus, and evidence of an annual review in the past 12 months. All documents should be in an indexed folder accessible within 5 minutes of a request.
As soon as the inspection date is confirmed — 2–4 weeks ideally. Floor scrub-and-recoat and carpet extraction need the most lead time because they require curing and drying before use. Window and glass cleaning can be booked in the 48 hours before inspection. Documentation consolidation can begin immediately on receiving the inspection notice. Do not leave floor or carpet work until the day before — these tasks cannot be completed and dried in time for same-day or next-day inspection.
Both — the physical presentation of the campus and the documentation review are assessed in a DET or ACECQA inspection. A clean campus without documentation evidence of an ongoing compliant program does not satisfy a compliance-focused inspection. The most effective pre-inspection preparation addresses both: the physical condition of the campus is managed through supplementary cleaning in the two-week window, and the documentation pack is consolidated and made immediately accessible. See the services page for the full scope of pre-inspection cleaning services.
Inspection coming up? Let's prepare the campus and documentation together.
We can schedule the supplementary cleaning visits and help you consolidate the compliance documentation pack — starting with a free site assessment. 0484 042 336