The general approach: scheduling around the academic calendar
For the vast majority of UK school solar installations, on-site work is sequenced with your facilities team to minimise classroom impact. The funder's installer agrees timings directly with the school. The installation contractor brings their own access plan, welfare facilities, and traffic management; the school provides agreed access points and a primary contact.
Scheduling considerations typically include:
- Building occupancy, when classrooms and other teaching spaces are in use
- Electrical demand patterns, when temporary isolations for connection work cause least impact
- Working hours, when contractor teams can work without disrupting school operations
- Weather considerations, rooftop work needs reasonable conditions
- Daylight available, longer daylight allows larger daily progress on outdoor work
Typical installation duration by school type
| School type | Indicative system size | On-site duration |
|---|---|---|
| Primary school | Smaller system size | Approx. 5-10 working days |
| Secondary school | Mid-range system size | Approx. 2-3 weeks |
| Sixth form college | Larger system size | Approx. 3-4 weeks |
| Multi-building secondary or independent | Larger system size | Approx. 4-6 weeks |
| Large independent estate or college | Largest system size | Approx. 6-10 weeks |
Indicative only. Actual duration depends on access, roof complexity, and grid connection.
What happens before and after on-site installation
The on-site installation is one phase of the overall project. Most of the project happens before installation:
Months 1-3: Assessment and planning
- Initial site visit and feasibility study
- Structural survey by a qualified engineer (provided by the funder's installation partner)
- Electrical system design
- PPA proposal and approval
- Trustee board or governing body sign-off
Months 4-6: Consents and procurement
- DNO grid connection application (G99), typically 8-12 weeks
- Planning permission if required (most installations are permitted development)
- Final design and equipment procurement
- Installation contractor mobilisation
On-site installation
- Scaffolding and access setup (1-2 days)
- Mounting system installation
- Panel installation
- Electrical connections (cabling, inverter, isolators)
- Grid connection commissioning
- Testing and certification
- Site clearance and scaffold removal
From handover onwards: Operation
- System generating once commissioning is complete
- Monitoring portal active for staff and curriculum use
- Quarterly performance reports from the funder's O&M partner
- Annual O&M visit scheduled with your facilities team
Coordinating around school operations
Where on-site work coincides with school operations, the installer can adapt:
Restricting on-site work to non-classroom areas
- Roof-only work, installation can continue on the roof while classrooms operate below
- Outdoor electrical work, cabling, inverter cabinets, isolators outside the building
- Plant room work, final electrical connections in dedicated facilities areas, not classrooms
Coordinating around the school day
- Noisy work outside school hours, drilling and scaffolding adjustments scheduled before 8am or after 4pm
- Deliveries timed to avoid school start and finish, large equipment deliveries scheduled mid-morning to avoid parent traffic
- Contractor parking and welfare, set up in designated areas away from main school traffic flows
What disruption looks like in practice
Disruption is usually limited to:
- Visible scaffolding, typically around 50-70% of installation duration
- Roof access route, usually one external access stairway or scaffold tower
- Site vehicles, typically 1-3 contractor vans on site during work hours
- Brief electrical isolations, coordinated with school facilities team, scheduled outside school hours where possible
No classroom relocations are typically required. No timetable changes are needed. The pupils' day-to-day experience is largely unaffected.
Communicating installation to your community
Most schools find that solar installation is a positive PR opportunity rather than a disruption. Suggested communication approach:
Before installation
- Letter to parents announcing the upcoming installation and explaining the sustainability rationale
- Update on the school website with project timeline
- Staff briefing on what to expect during installation period
- Newsletter article highlighting the educational value
During installation
- Weekly progress updates (photos welcomed)
- Children love watching the panels go up, many schools designate viewing areas
- Assembly mentioning the installation progress
After installation
- Official switching-on event (good photo opportunity for local press)
- Foyer display unveiling
- Curriculum integration begins immediately
- Parent newsletter celebrating the milestone
What we need from the school to plan installation
- Academic calendar, confirmed dates including exam periods and special events
- Site access information, gates, parking, contractor compound location
- Key contact, facilities or estates lead who can be the primary contact during installation
- Safeguarding policy, DBS requirements for any contractors on-site while school is operating
- Any operational constraints, exam periods, special events, building works planned by others
Getting started
If you'd like to install solar before the start of a future school year, earlier decisions give more options on scheduling. The full project typically takes 4-6 months from initial enquiry to commissioning, so reaching out well in advance gives the most flexibility on timing.