What is the DfE Connect the Classroom Programme?
Long gone are the days of learning with pen and paper alone. Internet connectivity is now vital to education from primary to secondary and beyond. However, not all schools have the same resources – which is what the Connect the Classroom programme aims to tackle.
In this post, we’ll provide all the information you need about Connect the Classroom, including what’s covered, which schools are eligible and the next steps to take.
Connect the Classroom: the basics
For the uninitiated, Connect the Classroom is a Department for Education (DfE) initiative that was trialled in 2021 and confirmed in 2022. As the name suggests, it aims to ensure all classrooms are connected to enable a modern learning experience.
Why? For one, learning practices are changing. From engagement to collaboration, the merits of digital learning are hard to avoid. In a world where students use devices in every other area of their life, it no longer makes sense to completely exclude them from the classroom.
But there’s also the influence of the recent pandemic, when schools supplied devices to students to facilitate remote learning. Now, they want to incorporate those laptops and tablets into the classroom – but not all schools have the connectivity that requires.
Connect the Classroom is DfE’s way of levelling the playing field, providing around £150m in total to fund high-spec wireless infrastructure to schools across the UK.
Who is eligible?
DfE Connect the Classroom covers 55 Education Investment Areas. These are the so-called “cold spots” of the country, identified by the Government as part of their plans to “level up left behind areas”, including:
- 24 Priority Education Investment Areas
- 31 remaining Education Investment Areas
All schools from the 24 priority areas will have been contacted as part of the Connect the Classroom programme. For schools in the other authorities, it will depend on the rating from their latest OFSTED inspection. Schools rated as ‘inadequate’ or ‘requiring improvement’, within those 31 other authorities, will have also been contacted.
What to do next?
At Stone Group, we have a wealth of experience working with schools across the UK. We understand the unique challenges faced in the education sector, as well as the specific requirements for schools when it comes to connectivity. If you’d like to find out more about how we can assist with Connect the Classroom (DfE), don’t hesitate to contact us today.
