Classroom365’s experience, not just in delivering technical ICT services and support, runs through to project management for new school builds and school refurbishment projects for MATs. Recent ICT projects for Southwark LEA and the DfE school building programme are detailed below.
Our ICT project management for schools includes the following:
- ICT consultation with school management, architects and LEA advisors.
- IT specification documentation and planning with third parties, such as the electrical team.
- Advice on ICT procurement and best value for money.
With our ICT Project Manager and Solutions Architect at your side, we can guide you through the complex process of large ICT projects for schools.
Please complete the form below to find out more information.
What is ICT Project Management?
ICT project management involves everything from ICT project planning to implementing the latest ICT technology for a new school, academy or MAT.
The initial stage will include planning with the client, appointed architects and LEA advisors. For ICT, some of the following critical decisions need to be made that affect the design process:
- Classroom layout. The location for the interactive whiteboard and teacher’s computer.
- Electrical and network points. The classroom design needs to account for all technology devices.
- Building materials. If the building project refurbishes a Victorian or new school building, the school wireless network design will be very different. The RAAC in schools crisis is critical to the planning process if the site to be redeveloped is affected.
- Telephony and school broadband services. Planning is vital if the school is with Virgin Media on the London Grid for Learning.
There are too many critical decisions to be made to be listed here. Book an initial free consultation with us for further information.
Project Management for Schools - Find Out More
ICT Project Planning Needs a Dedicated ICT Project Manager
Our ICT project managers have been involved from the initial IT strategy and roadmap stage to the completion of the entire project, culminating in the handover to the school and incumbent ICT provider. In many cases, we have been involved in the installations and implementation of the programme.
- Your dedicated project manager and ICT solutions architect will help with the following:
- Help with writing a tender to quote for ICT procurement and installation services.
- Virtual and onsite meetings to discuss the ICT project planning process.
- Liaison with third parties who provide the specialist services such as air conditioning for schools and lighting installations for large halls and drama studios.
Please find out more and book an informal, no-obligation chat with one of us.
ICT Projects and Classroom365
ICT projects for clients that have been completed or are currently in progress:
ICT Case Study 1 – Charter School Bermondsey in Southwark, London
Compass School in Southwark is moving to a new site and has recently rebranded as The Charter School Bermondsey. The project is a DfE school build, and we have been involved from the beginning. We will complete the delivery of the proposed technology solution for the new school build in late 2023.
- ICT consultations and meetings were both virtual and onsite.
- Planning and design of the network infrastructure.
- ICT tender for the school and the ICT implementation plan.
- Wireless network infrastructure with a Ruckus Wi-Fi installation and HPE Aruba switching.
- Interactive Clevertouch screens in each classroom.
- New school web design by our website designer.
- Advised on the school hall projector installation as part of the audio-visual solutions for the new site.
ICT Case Study 2 – Kidbrooke Park Primary School in Greenwich, London
The Royal Borough of Greenwich appointed our ICT Project Manager and Systems Architect as Lead ICT Consultants for all aspects of technology for the new site and overseeing the ICT infrastructure implementation in the new building.
The project management and consultancy were tendered as part of an ITT (Invitation to Tender), and we won the tender bidding process.
We oversaw as part of this ICT case study:
- Data cabling for the active network.
- Wi-Fi services with Ruckus and the server infrastructure upgrade with resilience scalability.
- WAN services, including broadband connectivity, VLAN configurations and IP security.
- Assistance with the migration to a cloud school management software solution.
- Email migration to an Office 365 solution.
- School CCTV system and access control.
- Cashless catering.
- A new digital VOIP system with BT.
- Installation of a new visitor sign-in solution with an InVentry system.
- Server backups and a school disaster recovery plan.
- Digital signage, specialist audio-visual solutions and Clevertouch screens for classrooms.
- A PaperCut Find-Me printing solution.
- Mobile Device Management for the school’s iPads and mobile devices, along with charging trolleys for secure storage.
ICT Planning for Schools and MATs - Further Information
ICT Case Study 3 – Arch Bishop Tenison School in Southwark, London
After a successful tendering process, Classroom365 won the ICT contract to support this large secondary school. This included a full audit of the entire school and proposals for significant ICT improvements, including the digital strategy for the next 5 years.
Before we took over the support, the school faced several challenges. As the appointed ICT partner, we oversaw the entire server/network/Wi-Fi infrastructure overhaul and have since provided first-class ICT support.
Challenges Faced by the School and Classroom365:
- Slow logon times with intermittent access to the network, disrupting lessons. Logon times were around 15 minutes.
- Network resources were decentralised.
- Accessing the Internet was very slow.
- Software across the entire network was out of date and had an impact on teaching and learning for the students.
- Wi-Fi was unreliable across the school; some areas had significant Wi-Fi connectivity issues.
- Out-of-date Cat5 cabling across the school. ICT hardware could not connect at optimal speeds.
- Remote learning during the pandemic to ensure the school could effectively engage with pupils and parents.
Proposed and Implemented ICT Solution:
- Complete rewiring of the school’s network cabling infrastructure with Cat6e. Consolidation of active hub locations into one centralised server cabinet location.
- We replaced the legacy Wi-Fi system with an enterprise Ruckus Wi-Fi solution with blanket fast coverage across the school. You can read more about the wireless solution we installed.
- Managed change control of various minor works where room use was changed.
- Installation of interactive boards and audio-visual hardware across the school.
- Maintaining the system and hardware on contract across the school.
- Network design, procurement and installation of new virtualised server infrastructure across the school and consolidation of file storage.
- Providing backup systems for both in-house and cloud-based solutions.
- Migrating the School Management System to a virtualised server.
- Providing emergency ICT support as needed.
- ICT strategy planning and auditing the infrastructure for the current lifespan to support budget planning for future years.
- Supporting asset management of ICT hardware across the school.
- Set up a digital remote learning platform using Office 365.
Results & Transferable Benefits:
Classroom lessons could then be completed in an error-free environment where login times were reduced. Students and the school community could use Wi-Fi devices throughout the school without any issues.
Successful implementation of Office 365 to enable successful remote learning and use in school.
Further details and references are available on request for all our completed ICT projects.
Mark Friend, BSc (Hons), is a Company Director at Classroom365 and has worked in technology for nearly 30 years. His IT career started with Rothschild Bank in Sydney, Australia, before working as a Global VPN Project Manager for the British Council. Mark has 20 years of experience in the UK education sector, helping schools integrate the latest tech into their curriculum and ICT vision.