Lunchtime supervisor asked to deep clean

[Bzybee]

Hi everyone, first time posting. Just wanted people's views. I have recently started a new lunchtime supervising job which I have experience in. I assumed it would be similar, but we are asked to deep clean on teacher training day! I am taken aback. I was not aware this is something lunchtime supervisors are supposed to do, and hadn't known it would be expected of me when I accepted the job.
I can't leave, as I am obliged to stay for a certain number of months. What are other lunchtime supervisors or similar role, experiences? Is this a normal expectation?

Well what does your job description state?

No, that's not normal. It sounds like the school are trying to save money tbh. Unless maybe it's cleaning the kitchen? Which I can sort of understand if they're paying you for training days?

I imagine they want their money's worth when there are no kids.

Isn't there some training they can give you?

What do you have to deep clean??

The kitchen, yes. I would expect the staff to be made use of during child free days. Anywhere else? No, not your responsibility!

Of course! If there's no lunch time supervision to do because there are no kids what else can you do in your job without kids?

This would be normal in my school if you’re being paid and the kids aren’t in. I expect it’s only for a few hours and is only for a max of a few days a year. If everything else about the job is fine, I’d just crack on.

What do they mean by ‘deep clean’?

Are you being paid for teacher training day ? If yes then I assume the school needs you to do something. It sucks but probably not much you can do except being a bit useless at it so next teacher training day they might ask you to help a teacher instead of clean

It sounds reasonable that you do something in return for being paid (no children in) but I suppose it depends on how deep a clean? Wiping down trays, tidying up shelves of crockery etc sounds ok. But changing oil in fryer, cleaning dirty oven would be a bit much to expect from you.

If you're paid to be in on a staff training day then yes they do in our school. The TAs also deep clean and prepare classes.

Deepclean is more than a wipe down so specialist job in a school.

Around here these lunchtime jobs are advertised as including Inset days, so I assume that cleaning and/or admin things are some, otherwise you are being paid to come in and do nothing.

Check your contract to see if training days are actually included! Your TTO percentage will reveal it if it’s not explicitly stated.

If they are, AND your grade is the same or higher than a cleaner, AND you feel both competent and confident to carry out the cleaning, then yes they can ask you to clean.

And if you want to leave and don’t want to work notice, check your t&cs regarding notice period during probation period, it’s often a lot less.

Ours does this specifically so that lunchtime staff don't lose pay for CPD days - it's a week's money over the year, so not insignificant, especially when those extra five days could be the difference between making the required earnings for Universal Credit or not (and ending up with having to go to repeated appointments where they're told they have to keep looking for more work as well as working).

Deep clean of the kitchen serving area I assume? That would be considered ok wherever I've worked.