Interview Question Template - School Custodian

School Custodian Interview Assessment Form

Candidate Name:

Date:

Interviewer:

Position: 

Scoring Guide:

• 1 (Poor): Lacks basic understanding, unsafe practices, no examples.

• 2 (Basic): Understands concepts but lacks depth in safety protocols.

• 3 (Average): Meets requirements, standard cleaning knowledge.

• 4 (Good): Strong safety awareness, proactive, and good specific examples.

• 5 (Excellent): Expert knowledge on infection control, highly organised, child-safe focus.

Part 1: Hygiene & Infection Control

1. High-Touch Cleaning In an early learning environment, germs spread quickly. Describe your process for sanitising high-touch areas (door handles, taps, toys). How does this differ from general cleaning?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

2. Outbreak Management If we had a confirmed case of Gastro or Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease at the school, what specific cleaning protocols would you implement to stop the spread?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

3. Chemical Safety Walk us through your understanding of SDS (Safety Data Sheets). How do you ensure chemicals are stored safely and diluted correctly to prevent harm to yourself and the children?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

Part 2: Safety, Security & Maintenance

4. Hazard Identification You are doing your rounds and notice a broken gate latch on the playground. It's 4:00 PM on a Friday. What actions do you take?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

5. Security Protocol Describe your routine for locking up a facility. How do you ensure no windows are left open or heaters left on while checking a large building efficiently?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

Part 3: Workflow & Time Management

6. Prioritisation You have a routine schedule, but you are called to clean a vomit spill in a classroom immediately, and the main entrance is muddy from rain. How do you manage these competing priorities?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

7. Working Around Operations Cleaning often happens while the school is still operating. How do you manage noise (vacuuming) and safety (wet floors) when children and parents are present?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

8. Stock & Equipment How do you manage inventory for consumables (toilet paper, soap, bin liners)? Give an example of how you ensure we never run out of essentials.

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

Part 4: Child Safety & Safeguarding

9. Professional Boundaries As a custodian, you are a trusted adult in the school. If a child approaches you while you are working and wants to "help" or chat, how do you handle this professionally and safely?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

10. Bodily Fluids Dealing with bodily fluids (blood, vomit, urine) is common here. Describe the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and procedure you use to clean this unsafely.

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

Part 5: Resilience & Initiative

11. Attention to Detail Can you give an example of a time you noticed something that needed cleaning or fixing that wasn't on your job list, and you took care of it proactively?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

12. Feedback If a teacher complained that their classroom floor wasn't cleaned properly last night, how would you respond to the feedback?

Notes:

Score: [ ] / 5

Part 6: Practical Scenario

13. Scenario Task It is 2:00 PM. You have the following tasks pending. Please number them 1-4 in the order you would tackle them and explain why.

• Routine vacuuming of the staff room.

• A blocked toilet in the toddler room (overflowing risk).

• Emptying overflowing nappy bins in the nursery.

• A coffee spill in the hallway

Part 7: General Impressions (The “Chef Factor”)

Final Summary

Total Score: / 90

Strengths:

Weaknesses / Red Flags:

Recommendation:

□ Hire

□ Second Interview / Trial Shift

□ Do Not Hire

Interviewer Signature: