Hiring a school hall: the dos, don’ts and everything in between

What to consider when hiring a school hall

Whether it’s for a corporate event such as a conference or a personal event like a birthday party, hiring a school hall can be the ideal choice of venue for many reasons and, before, during and following your hall booking, you may wish to consider the following… 

What to consider when hiring a school hall 

Do know your budget: school halls are extremely affordable and a great choice for a variety of events; knowing at least roughly what you want – or are willing to – spend will help you make the right decision for your requirements. 

Do know your location: knowing the location or general area you’d like your event to take place will help you choose the perfect venue. It’s important to remember that, one of the many benefits of hiring a school is the location; schools are typically easy-to-find, often offer free on-site parking and are close to transport links such as bus routes and train stations, making them a great choice for visitors. 

Do consider accessibility: accessibility and ensuring your event venue is accessible to all – especially those with limited mobility – is paramount to the success of your event and, often, school facilities offer fantastic amenities for people with disabilities and limited mobility such as disabled parking spaces, disabled and wide access toilets, and ramps. However, it’s always a good idea to check with the school exactly what they offer in terms of accessibility, as every school is different! 

Do ask what equipment and/or amenities come with the booking: every school lettings programme is different and every school offers something different to their community so, checking what equipment and amenities – such as a projector or access to a kitchen/kitchenette for making teas & coffees – is good practice. 

Do familiarise yourself with your contract: if and when you’re provided with a hiring contract, you should read it carefully and make sure you’re happy with everything included. If you’re not happy with something mentioned within the contract, or you don’t understand any one of the points made, talk to your contact – your contract covers both you as the hirer and the responsibilities you’ll have, and the venue. 

Consider visiting the venue: a picture paints a thousand words and viewing a school hall online will provide you with a really good idea of how it looks and how big it is. However, especially if you’re hosting a recurring event, it can be a good idea to visit the venue in person before or even shortly after you make your booking; not only to get a real, in person feel for what it’s like and how you’d like to configure it, but also to ask questions about the venue and your booking in person. 

Don’t make any assumptions: especially if you’re unsure about something, don’t make an assumption – always ask! Especially here at Schoolhire Solutions Ltd., our team are on hand to answer any questions our hirers have, either before making their bookings or after; our job being to ensure our hirers have the greatest experience when hiring their ideal venue! 

Don’t ignore any health & safety measures: health & safety measures are in place to ensure everyone is safe and protected during your event; therefore, it’s incredibly important that you do not ignore any health & safety measures in place such as hall capacity or blocking fire exits. 

Don’t damage the property or leave a mess: it’s good practice to ensure you leave the school hall in good condition; ensuring you don’t damage any walls, doors or the floor (for example) and you don’t leave a terrible mess! 

To browse our growing directory of school facilities for hire, please click here or contact us.