The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a £45 million investment to improve connectivity and make digital standards a requirement for all schools in England.
It has also launched a consultation to gather views on its ambition for all schools and colleges to meet six core digital standards by 2030.
DfE said the investment will include £25 million to upgrade wireless networks this year to get classrooms online, and £20 million to complete the delivery of fibre upgrades to 833 schools.
The core standards outlined in the consultation are on: broadband internet; wireless networks; network switches; digital leadership and governance; filtering and monitoring; and cyber security.
These make up part of the 11 digital and technology standards published by DfE in 2022. The department said that although 72% of school IT leads were aware of the standards, only 16% reported meeting them.
The consultation will be open for eight weeks.
Classroom revolution
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We are modernising our education system with a digital revolution in classrooms - improving children’s life chances through higher standards of teaching and learning.
“I won’t tolerate a system where some children benefit from innovation whilst others are left disconnected, and I am determined to level the playing field. That means secure and accessible technology for every school and the right support for teachers and leaders to help us break the link between background and success as we deliver on our Plan for Change.”
DfE said the move is aimed at closing the digital divide in education, so that all children can benefit from a modernised system.
Research by the Education Endowment Foundation found effective use of tech can accelerate learning and we know that reliable, fast and secure internet in the classroom is essential before schools can consider fully incorporating technology into their lessons. But the 2023 Technology in Schools Survey found just 63% of schools reported having a fully functional Wi-Fi signal throughout the school.
Union support
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “It is clearly essential that every school has access to reliable, high speed internet regardless of where they are in the country.
"But, more than that, schools need reliable Wi-Fi and IT equipment that works. The pressure on school budgets has made it increasingly difficult for them to keep up with the digital revolution.
“We therefore welcome this investment from the Government and hope it is a sign of things to come.
“It is important the Government continues to provide schools with the resources they need to meet these digital standards.”
The investment and consultation have come soon after the Government published its Digital Inclusion Action Plan, with the aim of promoting inclusion across the whole of society.
