How can you meet digital and technology standards in your school?

As an increasing number of schools are developing a digital infrastructure, what standards must they follow to support them as they transition?

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on gov.uk

Government IT service and digital equipment standards span a number of areas. These include:

• Broadband standards.
• Networking switching standards.
• Network cabling standards. 
• Wireless network standards. 
• Cyber security standards.  

These standards should be used as guidelines to support your school or college to use the right digital infrastructure and technology; more digital and technology categories will be added to the service over time.

Meeting these standards can help you make more informed decisions about technology – leading to safer, more cost-efficient, practices and new learning opportunities for students. The standards are to be used by everyone involved in the planning and use of technology within schools and colleges, including:

• senior leadership teams;
• IT staff;
• suppliers;
• technical advisers;
• teachers.

The standards can help your school or college with:

• budgeting for technology procurement and maintenance;
• buying technology equipment and services;
• renewing a contract with a technology provider to ensure their purchases meet your needs;
• correctly installing new equipment.

You should:

• read each technology category and its standards carefully;
• review the standards to see if your school or college meets them;
• speak with your ICT supplier, or in-house support team, to find out what can be done if you’re not currently meeting the standards.

To find further information these standards, click here.