Maidstone Grammar School

An evolution of service

Initially, MGS employed Landscape Services on a contract to provide full-time grounds maintenance services. Over the years this has grown into a unique partnership in which their on-site groundsperson, Dan Parfitt, has become an invaluable member of the MGS team, even working alongside the school’s own maintenance team, with a range of extended services to call upon.

Mark Fairway, Operations Manager for Landscape Services, explains, “The nature of the work we do means that no two days are the same. This is particularly the case for schools, many of which host several outdoor events throughout the year, such as activity days and sporting occasions.

"MGS has a large outdoor space which we felt could be better managed by onsite, flexible and ongoing support. Our continued relationship with MGS is testament to the success of this decision, as well as the professionalism of our staff.”

Because of the requirements of the contract, the partnership evolved into something that is now considered rare in this line of work. Having one person stationed onsite allows Landscape services not only to achieve its everyday work but to also offer support as and when it is needed.

Services include:

• Grounds and grass maintenance including artificial grounds, such as AstroTurf
• Soft and hard landscaping
• Tree pruning, felling, and thinning
• Seasonal shrub and bed maintenance
• Winter preparation and care
• Snow and ice removal
• Safety and equipment inspections
• Litter, fly tip and graffiti service
• Sports facility management
• Support with preparation and clean-up of onsite events

A part of the school fabric

By having a static groundsperson onsite, Landscape Services can provide MGS with the best possible day-to-day service, whilst also being present to react to unforeseen events or circumstances; in the past these have even included covering absences within the school site team, which has been a particularly important aspect of their relationship with the school.

However, one of the crucial benefits on this arrangement is the extensive knowledge Landscape Services has of the specifications of the school and its green spaces.

Heather Cook, School Bursar: “We walk around the school together and [Dan] knows the spec; he knows which things need to be done before I do. We also get all the extras, like flowers, tubs and planters being updated, which makes all the difference. It makes the school stand out.

“It is the care and attention. Without the Landscape Services groundsperson, the school just would not look like it does.”

Dan is not the first Groundsperson to be a permanent fixture at the school. His predecessor Jamie worked with Maidstone Grammar School for two years, eventually becoming a full-time member of their site team in 2021.

Heather continues: “I can say with 100% confidence I have always been incredibly pleased with the quality of work from Landscape Services. The team really care and take pride in everything they do.

“The benefits to the school have been invaluable; helping with everything from setting up outdoor events to ensuring that fencing, seeding, and trimming is carried out on schedule. Landscape Services take care of the whole fabric of the outside of the building.”

Current Groundsperson, Dan Parfitt, added: “From the first day at MGS I felt part of a family, and despite working for an external company it was extremely easy to settle into the existing team.

“I think a major reason we have a long-lasting relationship with the school is the flexibility; when it rains I am a Caretaker, when it’s dry I am a Groundsperson. Essentially, I am on hand to do a bit of everything regardless of the condition, and it’s an arrangement which works for everyone.”