Heating for schools that works every term day, then gets replaced on your timetable

A school heating system is the boilers, pumps, pipework, controls and emitters that keep classrooms, halls and sports halls warm through the term, and our engineers service, repair and replace all of it. We maintain heating for contract clients under a PPM schedule, cover breakdowns 24/7, and plan boiler and heat pump replacements around term dates and school holidays. We have looked after Chichester College Group’s estate for over 20 years, across 11 campuses.

Talk to us about school heating See the education hub

01420 566822

What we deliver

Servicing, breakdown cover and replacement, from one team

Most school heating problems start the same way: a boiler or pump that has been patched for years, controls nobody has reviewed, and a breakdown in the first cold week. We cut that risk in three steps. A PPM schedule keeps plant running and records its condition. Breakdown cover for contract clients means someone answers at any hour. And when plant is at the end of its life, we price the replacement and programme it for the holidays, so classrooms are warm when pupils return.

Boiler and heating plant servicing under a PPM schedule built to SFG20
24/7 emergency cover for contract clients, including out of term time
Boiler, pump and pipework replacement planned around term dates and exams
Heating controls and BMS reviewed, repaired and upgraded
Sports hall and large-volume heating assessed for the space it serves
Heat pump and hybrid options appraised for sites moving off gas
Commissioning, handover and O&M documentation on every project

Commercial plant room with insulated pipework and heat exchangers

School heating in detail

What we do on a school heating system

Schools run on fixed calendars, so heating work is mostly about timing. These are the jobs we are asked about most.

Boiler servicing and PPM

We service boilers, burners, pumps, valves and pressure sets on a PPM schedule built to SFG20, and keep a service record for each asset. We are Gas Safe registered. The records show which plant is declining, which makes replacement a planned decision and not an emergency.

PPM and planned maintenance

Term-time breakdown cover

For contract clients we provide 24/7 emergency cover, every day of the year. A heating failure in January closes classrooms, so we know the plant, the site and the access arrangements before the call comes in. That is what shortens the repair. At Chichester College Group, one PPM contract covers 11 campuses.

Boiler replacement

We survey the existing plant, price like-for-like replacement alongside low carbon options, and programme the work for the summer holiday or half-term. Where a school needs funding, the same appraisal supports a Condition Improvement Fund bid. We then deliver the works with our own engineers, then commission and hand over.

Boiler and plant replacement

Heating controls and BMS

Rooms that overheat while others stay cold usually point to controls, not boilers. We check zoning, weather compensation, time schedules and sensors, and repair or upgrade the building management system where needed. We designed, installed and commissioned the mechanical services and BMS for a 10-laboratory science block and sports hall at Sacred Heart High School, Hammersmith.

Building management systems

Sports hall heating

A sports hall is a large, high volume space used in short bursts, so the heating has to suit the use, not just the floor area. We assess how the hall is occupied, what the existing system delivers and how it is controlled, then repair, adjust or replace. At Sacred Heart High School we commissioned the mechanical services and BMS for a four-court sports hall as part of the extension.

Sacred Heart High School project

Moving from gas to heat pumps

Replacing gas boilers with heat pumps changes the electrical load, the plant space and the way the building is controlled. We appraise air source heat pumps, hybrids and keeping gas for now, and check the site’s electrical capacity before anything is specified. At Chichester College we installed a 140kW heat pump from stock in 48 hours.

Air source heat pumps

Paying for a boiler replacement

Many academies and sixth-form colleges fund heating replacement through the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund. The CIF page covers who can apply, the current round and how we support the bid and then deliver the works.

Condition Improvement Fund bids

Chichester College Group: heating looked after for over 20 years

20+

Years at Chichester College Group

Campuses under one PPM contract

48 hrs

140kW heat pump installed from stock

24/7

Emergency cover for contract clients

Chichester College Group’s estate includes Chichester College, Met College Brighton, Brinsbury, Haywards Heath and Worthing, all under one PPM contract. Because we have maintained that heating for two decades, we know which plant is failing and what it has cost to keep running. That is why replacement can be planned around the timetable. The Toshiba USX Edge heat pumps at Chichester College and our 2025 HVR Award for Innovative Project came out of the same relationship.

Compliance

What every heating contract and replacement includes

SFG20Planned maintenance schedules for heating plant, so each task, frequency and record follows an industry standard.
Gas SafeGas Safe registered for work on boilers and gas-fired plant.
REFCOM F-GasREFCOM F-Gas registered for heat pumps and other refrigerant-based heating plant.
CDM 2015Construction (Design and Management) Regulations: duties on replacement projects and the health and safety file at handover.
SafeContractorHealth and safety accreditation held alongside Constructionline.
Handover packCommissioning records, O&M manuals and record drawings supplied when each project completes.

Related education pages

More for school and college estates

Education estates hubHVAC maintenance, PPM and MEP work for schools, academies, colleges and universities.Condition Improvement FundCIF bid support and delivery for boiler and heating replacement.Heat decarbonisation plansA costed route off gas, with PSDS background and the Chichester heat pump.Commercial heatingBoiler installation, servicing and repair for commercial buildings.Plant replacementBoiler, chiller and air handling unit replacement planned around occupancy.Chichester College heat pumpThe chiller replacement and 140kW heat pump behind our 2025 HVR Award.

Frequently asked

Questions about school heating

What heating systems do schools use?

Most school heating is a wet system: gas or oil boilers feeding radiators, fan convectors or air handling units through pumped pipework, with controls or a BMS deciding what runs and when. Larger sites often have several boiler houses, and sports halls may use warm air or radiant heating instead of radiators. Some sites are now adding air source heat pumps. We service and replace all of these.

How often should school boilers be serviced?

We service school boilers on a PPM schedule built to SFG20, with the frequency set by the plant type, its age and how critical it is to the site. Schools on our contracts get the service records, so you can see the condition of each boiler over time. We agree the visit dates with you so work avoids exams and busy periods.

Can you cover heating breakdowns during term time?

Yes, for contract clients. We provide 24/7 emergency cover every day of the year, so a failed boiler or pump gets an engineer who already knows your plant. Because we hold the service history and site access arrangements, repairs start faster. For schools without a contract, call us and we will tell you what we can do.

When is the best time to replace a school boiler?

Replacement is usually programmed into the summer holiday, with half-term and Christmas breaks used for smaller packages. Plant lead times mean the order has to be fixed well ahead, so the decision is best made in the spring term, not the week before breaking up.

How can a school pay for a boiler replacement?

Academies, sixth-form colleges and small trusts can bid to the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund, which prioritises failing heating plant and safety issues. Larger trusts and local authorities receive School Condition Allocations instead. Our CIF page sets out the current round and how we support the bid with a costed options appraisal and fixed-price quote, then deliver the works if you succeed.

Can a school replace gas boilers with heat pumps?

Often yes, but it needs checking site by site. A heat pump changes the electrical load, plant space, pipework temperatures and controls, so we appraise the options before anything is specified. Some schools move straight to heat pumps, others use a hybrid as an interim step. Our heat decarbonisation plans set out that route, and our Chichester College project shows it delivered.

How do you heat a school sports hall?

A sports hall needs heating matched to its volume and use, which is often intermittent and by community hirers as well as the school. Depending on the building, that can mean warm air units, radiant heaters, underfloor heating or air handling plant, with controls to avoid heating an empty hall. We assess the existing system first, then repair, adjust or replace it.

If we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you who is

Talk to us about your school heating

Your enquiry goes to our technical team. We call back within one working day.