Connect the Classroom

Wi-Fi for schools

The Connect the Classroom scheme enables schools to enjoy the benefits of

state-of-the-art
Wi-Fi solutions to provide rich educational student experiences.

ABOUT
CONNECT THE CLASSROOM

The Department of Education (DfE) is currently offering Connect the Classroom funding to schools that were eligible for the Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) Programme, commonly known as the rural gigabit scheme.

Schools will need to search for suppliers that can install and support the right equipment to meet the standards of the funding, such as Wi-Fi 6 access points and a minimum five-year warranty.

This may seem a very high spec for a smaller secondary or primary school, but while new tablets, laptops, PCs and phones may be compatible with the new Wi-Fi 6 standards, they will revert to the lower standards when they are connected to older access points and will be less efficient.

Here are a few signs that your Wi-Fi hardware is no longer working well enough:

Dead spots with no coverage
Inability to connect to the Wi-Fi network
Slow speeds
Security breaches
Lack of guest access/guest management
Limited network management tools

Dead spots and a lack of coverage can only be fixed by increasing the number of Wi-Fi access points on site and in the grounds.

Modern Wi-Fi networks will also benefit from better management tools and will allow IT managers to identify areas that are struggling to handle high volumes of users and bandwidth use.

If you need help finding a Connect the Classroom solution, please do hesitate to contact us at education@swcomms.co.uk to organise an initial site survey and to get our help with your funding application.

Marland School

swcomms listened to the schools’ growing needs and designed a solution that meets our requirements now and into the future. We now have a full communications solution from one supplier, so we only need to every turn to them if an issue arises or if we need to expand further. swcomms has been a pleasure to deal with.

Addington School

swcomms found a solution that allowed us to expand our school and broaden our Wi-Fi coverage for a fraction of the cost competitors were asking, because they listened to what we required.

Icknield Community College

From start to finish, swcomms ensured this project went smoothly; from detailed heat maps of the final design, through to a hassle-free installation. The Meraki system gives a great deal of transparency to my network. A highly recommended product and provider.

Blog

Connect the Classroom update: Wi-Fi for schools

The Connect the Classroom scheme is not just a case of adding a few more access points here and there. Schools are being fitted out with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi solutions to provide rich educational experiences for students using mobile devices, such as laptops and tablets.

Connect the Classrooms funding pilot offers improved Wi-Fi to schools_edited_edited.jpg

Blog

Connect the Classroom funding pilot offers improved Wi-Fi to schools

This Connect the Classroom pilot scheme will help schools fund new access points and switches to meet the extra strain being put on Wi-Fi solutions by the introduction of new tablets, laptops & IT equipment.

Case Study

Cheselbourne Village School

We recommended a Cisco Meraki solution which met the funding criteria in three main ways: The Meraki access points are Wi-Fi 6 standard, the solution comes with a 10-year licence and Meraki also support multi-gig connectivity with speeds of 2.5Gbps between the access points and the switch.

Case Study

Piddle Valley First CE School

Following a site survey, we proposed and subsequently deployed a Cisco Meraki solution to replace the school’s existing wired and wireless networks to provide the following benefits: Wi-Fi 6 access points, use wireless handsets with voice handover, be supported at manufacturer level for a decade, free licence for their Cisco Umbrella security platform and a web-based admin portal.

Video

Video guide to Connect the Classroom

Make the most of your Connect the Classroom funding by choosing the right Wi-Fi solution supplier. swcomms can help with your school’s application and install you with a state-of-the art Wi-Fi solution that will provide a rich learning experience for your students.

Watch here

Blog

Get help with your Connect the Classroom funding application

If you are one of the schools that have been invited onto the scheme, all you need to do is engage with us to get a quote for a new local area network (LAN) and Wi-Fi solution and we will complete all the paperwork and provide the response that you need to pass onto the DfE.