DfE’s Connect the Classroom is a program funded by the Department for Education (DfE). It aims to help schools across the country to access an effective and comprehensive, education-focused wireless networking solution.
The funding is designed to enable a modern and robust network infrastructure to be implemented. This will enable connectivity for staff and students to deliver an improved learning experience.
Furthermore, the scheme has been implemented due to the many schools having to issue their students with laptops and tablets. These were issued to enable learning from home during the pandemic.
These devices need to be incorporated into classroom learning which has in turn placed higher stress on many school wireless infrastructures.
The need for a high speed network and wireless network infrastructure within schools is now paramount to ensuring an effective teaching and learning environment.
Which areas are eligible?
There are forty priority education investment areas that have been identified by the Department of Education and are eligible for funding, these are Blackpool, Bradford, Derby, Doncaster, Fenlands and East Cambridgeshire, Halton, Hartlepool, Hastings, Ipswich, Knowsley, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire Coast, Norwich, Nottingham, Oldham, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Salford, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent, Tameside, Walsall, West Somerset.
Schools in the education investment areas (highlighted in light blue on the map below), who have also been evaluated as “Requires Improvement” or “Inadequate” in their most recent Ofsted inspection are also eligible.
What does it include?
The funding includes:
- upgrades to the network infrastructure
- new wireless access points
- installation costs
- configuration costs
- licensing for the first five years as a minimum
We have helped many schools across Norfolk and Suffolk to successfully apply for the funding. We have over 20 years experience working with schools and have delivered multiple ICT projects from new school builds to network upgrades.
Get in touch to find out how we can help your school.