Schools and Universities — Kitchen Extract Cleaning in Manchester

School and university kitchens work to the academic year. Lunch service at a primary school might keep the ovens on for a couple of hours, but a university food hall or a hall of residence can be cooking from breakfast until late at night. We arrange TR19 extract cleaning quotes for schools, colleges and universities across Greater Manchester, including trust and campus estates. An independent specialist provider does the work on site and issues the certificate afterwards.

Higher education is big here. The University of Manchester, with its main campus on Oxford Road south of the city centre, had 46,305 students in 2024/25 and is the third largest university in the UK by total enrolment. Manchester Metropolitan University, whose main campus is in the city centre, ranks fifth. The University of Salford had 26,030 students in 2024/25. Its Peel Park campus sits on the banks of the River Irwell, and since 2010 it has also had teaching space at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays.

Cleaning frequency for school and campus kitchens

Under TR19 Grease, the minimum interval depends on cooking hours per day. Between 2 and 6 hours means a clean every 12 months, 6 to 12 hours every 6 months, and 12 to 16 hours every 3 months. A school that cooks only for lunch is likely to be light use and needs at least one clean a year. Breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and evening lettings add hours that can tip a kitchen into the six-monthly band. Campus outlets, halls and student union kitchens open from morning to night can need cleaning every quarter. Each kitchen gets its own interval based on measured grease levels, and you can read more in the TR19 compliance guide.

Who is the responsible person?

Schools and universities are workplaces, so the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) enforces it. GMFRS directs education settings to the government's educational premises guide, aimed at employers, head teachers, governors and vice-chancellors, which covers schools, academies, universities and after-school clubs. If a contract caterer runs a kitchen in a building owned by a trust, council or university, put in writing who books the clean and who keeps the certificate. A lapse matters for insurance too: BESA says a claim may be denied if a fire is found to stem from poor maintenance.

Using school holidays and university vacations

An empty kitchen is the easiest place to work, so cleans are usually best booked outside term. Manchester City Council's 2026/27 calendar has schools closing for October half term on Friday 23 October and returning on Monday 2 November, breaking up for Christmas on Friday 18 December and finishing for the summer on Thursday 22 July 2027. Voluntary-aided, foundation and academy schools may follow different dates, so check your own. At the University of Manchester, the Christmas break runs from 21 December 2026 to 13 January 2027, so it pays to book vacation dates early.

What the clean includes

The provider degreases the canopy and filters, cleans the full length of the ductwork, fitting access panels where none exist, and cleans the extract fan. Grease levels are measured at the start and at the end, and the certificate arrives with photographs taken from the same positions for your estates records. For older blocks with no record of where the duct goes, an inspection report can trace the route first.

Food hygiene ratings in schools

School kitchens receive food hygiene ratings like any other food business. A council food safety officer inspects food handling and the condition of the premises, including ventilation, and the number and type of customers helps decide how often a kitchen is visited. In England there is no legal duty to display the rating.

Trusts and campus estates

Multi-academy trusts, councils and university estates teams can have one quote for every kitchen they manage, with a separate interval and certificate for each and the visits spread across the holidays. The cost guide sets out the main price factors.

Areas we cover for schools and universities

We arrange quotes for schools, colleges and universities in Manchester city centre, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne, Stockport, Stretford, Sale and Altrincham, and across the rest of Greater Manchester.

Services: TR19 extract cleaning · canopy cleaning · ductwork · filters · what it costs

Frequently Asked Questions