The DfE Connect the Classroom scheme is the UK Government’s programme to upgrade school WiFi and network connectivity speeds. Extended to 2025 and with a budget of £200 million, schools can use the information here to determine if they are eligible for the funding.
Classroom365 will help schools get the DfE WiFi funding they need:
- Advice on the application process and eligibility for the scheme.
- The best network and wireless solution for your school using the latest WiFi 6 hardware that meets the DfE standards.
- Wireless site survey and no obligation quotation.
Please get in touch with our contact form below, and let us help improve your school’s WiFi and internet speeds for wireless devices with the WiFI funding scheme from the DfE.
Act Now – The DfE Connect the Classroom Grant for Schools
Try Us - Info, Quotes & Support
Applying for the Connect the Classroom Grant is simple. You should have already been contacted by the DfE confirming your eligibility. If you haven’t, please get in touch with us.
Once your funding is confirmed, you need a quote for a new wireless installation and possible network infrastructure upgrade. This is where the WiFi specialists at Classroom365 can advise on a Ruckus Wireless network or, alternatively, an Aruba or WatchGuard solution.
We will need some details, but don’t worry if you are not technical; our team has installed managed wireless networks in schools for nearly 20 years. For example, we need to know the number of classrooms and basic information about your current wireless setup.
We will then book a free wireless site survey to determine wireless hardware, cabling and network infrastructure hardware requirements.
Finally, we will provide a DfE-compliant bid and support you in submitting it to your delegated DfE advisor.
The DfE advisor will perform the final quality and specification compliance check. On approval, we can book the wireless installation at your convenience.
The Classroom365 Promise as a Preferred Supplier:
- A reliable and secure managed wireless network installed and configured by experts.
- A competitive quotation using the latest Ruckus WiFi, WatchGuard or HPE Aruba wireless solutions. All of whom are Classroom365 partners.
- We will work closely with your incumbent ICT service provider with training and handover to support the new wireless network infrastructure.
Connect the Classroom Funding: What you Need to Know
The Connect the Classroom scheme was developed by the DfE to address the growing need for high-speed and reliable WiFi in schools across the UK. Several geographical areas, explained below, have been outlined in the project. These schools are receiving the funding required to upgrade their wireless infrastructure.
This initiative provides schools with the necessary funding and resources to ensure every student benefits from a modern and innovative learning environment.
Why is the CTC Initiative Needed?
With teaching ICT primarily using wireless devices, reliable WiFi is a necessity. The initiative targets inner-city and rural schools and ensures that all students have high-speed WiFi in their schools.
With the CTC scheme, the Department for Education provides targeted funding to the Education Investment Areas. It gives eligible schools the hardware and resources to transform their learning environment with high-spec wireless solutions.
TABLE 1: Priority Education Investment Areas (EIA)
Listed in Table 1 are all priority funding areas, and all schools in these areas can get funding now. If a DfE advisor still needs to get in touch, please contact us.
| Blackpool | Hartlepool | North Yorkshire Coast | Salford |
| Bradford | Hastings | Norwich | Sandwell |
| Derby | Ipswich | Nottingham | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Doncaster | Knowsley | Oldham | Tameside |
| Fenlands and East Cambridgeshire | Liverpool | Portsmouth | Walsall |
| Halton | Middlesbrough | Rochdale | West Somerset |
TABLE 2: All DfE Education Investment Areas (EIA)
Table 2 lists all the Education Investment Areas. Eligible schools that are not on the priority list, but are included in Table 2, will be able to get funding if their Ofsted rating is “Requires Improvement” or “Inadequate” at their last inspection.
| Bedford | East Sussex | Middlesbrough | Sefton |
| Blackpool | Fenlands and East Cambridgeshire | Norfolk | Somerset |
| Bolton | Halton | North Northamptonshire | South Gloucestershire |
| Bradford | Hartlepool | North Yorkshire Coast | South Tyneside |
| Bury | Hastings | Norwich | St. Helens |
| Central Bedfordshire | Ipswich | Nottinghamshire | Rotherham |
| Cornwall | Isle of Wight | Luton | Stoke-on-Trent |
| County Durham | Dudley | Oldham | Suffolk |
| Coventry | Kirklees | Peterborough | Sunderland |
| Darlington | Knowsley | Plymouth | Swindon |
| Derbyshire | Leeds | Portsmouth | Tameside |
| Doncaster | Lincolnshire | Rochdale | Wakefield |
| Dorset | Liverpool | Salford | Walsall |
| Dudley | Manchester | Sandwell |
Connect the Classroom Programme & Project Gigabit
The CTC scheme is for upgrading your school’s internet network infrastructure. It is a separate project running alongside the Government’s Project Gigabit broadband upgrade for rural and hard-to-reach areas nationwide. However, the benefits for rural schools are obvious.
Upgrades of the core broadband service, with a new wireless network, will transform teaching ICT and using MIS software for school administration, especially if cloud-based. This will benefit Classroom365’s school broadband and content filtering for schools services, which are fully compatible with the Gigabit and GigaHub projects.
Post Connect the Classroom Support
So you have a new wireless network, and everything is running smoothly. What happens next?
Your new wireless network will have a minimum 3-year warranty, so that any hardware problems will be resolved with the manufacturer.
Your existing ICT provider will be able to support the new WiFi with weekly maintenance checks. This will involve logging into the onsite or cloud controller and checking all wireless access points are running optimally.
The latest firmware updates should be applied to enhance performance and compatibility. Our third-line ICT support for schools will be available to assist your incumbent ICT provider as necessary.
Further Information - Get in Touch
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Connect the Classroom Scheme?
Connect the Classroom is an initiative launched by the UK Department for Education to upgrade schools’ network infrastructure to provide fast, reliable and secure wireless connectivity.
Who is eligible for DfE Connect the Classroom?
All state schools in Priority EIAs and schools in the remaining Education Investment Areas with an Ofsted rating below ‘Good’ can apply for funding.
What technology is provided with Connect the Classroom?
The latest WiFi 6 hardware, if implemented professionally and strategically, will provide reliable, secure, and fast wireless across school sites. This may require a network infrastructure upgrade, structured cabling, and new network switching.
How do I apply for DfE funding?
Check Table 1 for the priority Education Investment Areas. All schools listed here will be upgraded with a new wireless installation. Table 2 shows all the locations of eligible schools. If your Ofsted rating is below “Good,” you will get WiFi infrastructure funding.
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.