DfE Broadband Internet Standards
Fast, resilient, safeguarded broadband allows for an engaging, high quality learning experience.
Fast, resilient, safeguarded broadband allows for an engaging, high quality learning experience.
In January 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) updated their guidance on digital and technology standards for schools and colleges. These guidelines included the minimum requirements that your facility’s broadband should meet. The emphasis on digital learning and practices makes it increasingly more vital for schools and colleges to work towards the DfE’s Broadband Internet Standards. They emphasise the need for a full fibre connection, a backup broadband connection, to ensure resilience and maintain continuity of service, as well as appropriate IT security and safeguarding systems that satisfy both child and data protection legislation.
With over 30 years’ experience as a leading education technology specialist, Wavenet can help you align your broadband connectivity type, speed, and resilience to the DfE’s standards. We are dedicated to implementing digital strategies, tailored to each schools’ budget and size, that promotes a safe, engaging learning environment.
Find out how we can assist you in leveraging technology to both meet the DfE digital standards, as well as drive positive learning outcomes for your students. Contact us today on 0333 234 0011 or use the form opposite:
Having a full fibre broadband service (FTTP/leased line) will provide you with the capacity and speed required to effectively utilise online learning tools. By implementing the fastest speed, you can afford, you will enable teachers to make full use of online resources as part of their teaching. The use of cloud- based solutions as opposed to on-site technical infrastructure, products, and services will also save you on cost.
DfE guidelines state you should be looking to implement this standard as soon possible. Primary schools should have a minimum 100Mbps download speed and 30Mbps upload speed. Secondary schools and further education should have a connection with the capacity to deliver 1Gbps download and upload speed. Wavenet can help with this by providing a full fibre connection, suitable to your budget and requirements, that has the flexibility to future proof your school or college as demand for Internet increases.
With the increasing reliance on Internet-based services, having a robust and reliable broadband is essential. You should ensure appropriate measures are in place to mitigate a single point failure. Wavenet can help you achieve this with a combination of multiple broadband connection services (of different service types), multiple routers, and appropriate associated router programming, providing an automatic failover to backup services when required, as well as redundant power options on core active network equipment.
It’s essential that children are safeguarded from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material. An effective whole school or college approach to online safety means students and staff are protected in their use of technology. DfE guidelines state you should already be meeting this standard as part of the ongoing safeguarding requirements, set out in the statutory safeguarding guidance on keeping children safe in education.
Wavenet can help you to ensure an effective content filtering system is in place that meets the requirements outlined in the statutory safeguarding guidance. We will also ensure you have a robust firewall as part of your Internet and network system.
Cloud technologies can be transformational, but they can only be as good as your Internet connection. With Wavenet, our broadband will supply you with faster speeds, higher reliability and additional features that support both the DfE standards, and the demands of the education environment.
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