Thanks to Dottie again for alerting me to this, from the Observer today:

Headteachers are being forced to mend desks and unblock toilets themselves after sacking school caretakers in the wake of budget cuts, the Guardian has been told.

School leaders in England said they could not afford to employ caretakers, and were having to change lightbulbs and clear playgrounds of dead rats themselves.

Amanda Richards, the headteacher of Sytchampton primary in Worcestershire, said her school “literally can’t afford” a permanent caretaker, leaving her and other staff to move heavy equipment and make emergency repairs to keep the school running.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/apr/28/headteachers-schools-england-caretakers-budget-cuts

The clear implication is that you don’t legally have to have a janitor to run a school in England.

But, last September in the Guardian:

The Scottish government has been warned to anticipate more school strikes as thousands of pupils spent the first of three days at home on Tuesday.

Last-minute talks over the weekend had failed to halt the strike action by school support staff, closing hundreds of schools in 24 of the country’s 32 local authorities.

On Tuesday morning, busy picket lines were made up of support staff such as janitors, canteen workers, classroom assistants and cleaners, who said the dispute was prompted by years of underfunding and job cuts.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/26/scotland-support-staff-strike-schools-close-cuts

Are thee any schools in Scotland with no jannie?