£300m Government Funding

As part of their commitment to supporting all schools to harness technology for teaching and learning, the DfE has extended the Connect the Classroom programme until 2030. This makes over £300m of funding available to schools across the country – money dedicated to addressing IT inequality by bringing high-quality connectivity to every child, in every classroom, right across the country.

What is Connect the Classroom?

The DfE’s Connect the Classroom is a funded programme to improve connectivity in schools. The scheme is a response to a growing digital divide: as technology improves, and possibilities widen, schools without the right IT infrastructure can quickly become left behind.

The DfE will contact schools on a targeted basis to offer Connect the Classroom funding. Eligibility is driven by the programme’s aim of supporting schools currently not meeting the DfE Digital Standards for 2030, but as this will be targeted and multi-faceted, all schools should check for an email from the DfE.

If selected for funding, schools must procure their own supplier to carry out the work in line with DfE standards.

The programme has already seen over £200m invested into schools to level-up their connectivity infrastructure, but with so many schools still operating with insufficient Wi-Fi coverage, the programme has been extended for a further five years as part of the wider push toward achieving the DfE Digital Standards by 2030.

How can your School benefit?

If your school struggles with slow download speeds, patchy coverage inside or out across your site, or a lack of network management solution, you may be able to access DfE funding for that project.

By taking this step toward the DfE Digital Standards, you will benefit from consistent, reliable connectivity, giving your teachers the confidence they need to teach with technology.

By 2030, a baseline standard will be in place across the country – a standard which most schools are still working towards but not yet hitting.

Connect the Classroom offers a great chance to position your school among the country’s leading digital schools, allowing your teachers and learners to fully embrace the learning of today.

Connect the Classroom with inTEC Education!

Our experienced inTEC Education team are ready to support you through every step of your Connect the Classroom journey, from understanding how to access funding right through to successful delivery of the project.

inTEC are uniquely positioned to provide genuine expertise across the leading connectivity vendors, whether your requirements are best met by a solution from Aruba, Cisco Meraki, Ruckus or Ubiquiti. Across these solutions, our structured cabling offering includes:

  • Full site surveys and design
  • Installation of Cat6 / Cat6A and fibre backbone infrastructure
  • Cabinet, containment and patching solutions
  • Fully tested and certified installations to industry standards
  • Seamless integration with Wi-Fi, switching and security systems

Our team were trusted as a key partner to the DfE during the COVID pandemic, and again when schools faced RAAC concerns, giving us a great track record of working closely with central government to support schools across the country.

Throughout your Connect the Classroom journey with inTEC, you will benefit from this experience and expertise, as well as from the personal touch service on which we have always built our approach. This will ensure that your project is delivered on time and in line with DfE standards, as well as taking any opportunities to generate added value for your School.

Whether you are unsure if you are eligible for funding, or if you are ready to get out to market for a connectivity partner, inTEC Education are ready to support your School to build the infrastructure to support modern teaching and learning – making technology work for you.

Next Steps

If you would like to discuss the Connect The Classroom funding, please contact Darren Quinney, Business Development Manager, at inTEC Education via enquiries@inteceducation.com or call 0330 555 5550.