So, you’ve received communication from the DfE that your school is eligible for the Connect the Classroom programme. Great! Now what?
About the programme
Connect the Classroom is well established and fully funded programme by the Department for Education. The programme helps us to provide schools in the North East with a comprehensive wireless networking solution (including a WiFi 6 upgrade) that covers cabling, core and edge switching and wireless access points.
Getting started
To get started with the Connect the Classroom programme, you’ll first need a letter from the DfE stating that your school is eligible. The DfE will have already sent you this by now, if eligible. Once you have this, you can then start looking for approved suppliers. KBR is a prime example, having extensive experience installing Connect the Classroom packages throughout schools in the North East of England. To apply for the DfE funding, you’ll need a quote from your chosen supplier. This is usually preceded by a site survey, which all good suppliers will provide.
What’s covered
When you have agreed upon a supplier, you’ll then be in a position to get started with the install. In general, the following will be upgraded:
- Wireless Network Infrastructure
- Network Infrastructure Security
- Network Switching Infrastructure
- Network Cabling
At KBR, we endeavour to work around a schedule that fits in with your school. We’re very aware that minimising disruption to class time is a priority, which is why we regularly conduct installs in the holiday periods.
Each school is unique in what the requirements will be for an install. For example, factors such as number of pupils, quantity of devices, and device type (wired/wireless) will all have an impact on what is most suitable. This is why close communication between school and provider is a key part of the process.
WiFi 6
As the core part of a Connect the Classroom upgrade, WiFi 6 provides a wide range of features perfectly suited for educational applications.
In brief, you can expect:
- Faster speeds thanks to a nearly 3x increase in bandwidth
- More capacity to handle multiple devices being connected at any one time
- Improved security via WPA3
- Better device battery life thanks to “Targeted Wake Time”
To find out more about the benefits of WiFi 6, see this post: https://www.kbr.co.uk/4-reasons-wifi-6/
Amble Links First School
Amble Links First School is a primary school on the Northumberland coast. With approximately 130 pupils all eager to learn, the network at Amble Links First School just couldn’t keep up with the increasing demands of its technology. Having worked with KBR before, Amble Links First School reached out to us in search of answers and actions.
KBR were quick at act and provided a comprehensive survey of the school, a requirement to claim funding and kick start the process.
“The work KBR have done and the service they provided was exceptional from start to finish. There was always someone available to answer any questions I had, and their experience of educational installs really shone through. Our WiFi network can now keep up the demands of the tech we have, for which we see benefits daily.”
– Paul Heeley (Headteacher), Amble Links First School
See the full case study by clicking here.
How KBR can help
KBR has proven itself as a long-standing WiFi solutions provider for the education sector and is best suited to supply your school with what you need.
Our mission over the years has been to support and enable the education sector by helping it use and embed technology efficiently. We’ve helped educational institutions cut workload, enhance efficiencies and remove collaboration barriers.
We will provide you with quotes that meet the DfE specification, so you can benefit from the full funding package.
