Connect the Classroom – Funded Wi-Fi For Your School

What is Connect the Classroom?

Connect the Classroom is a scheme from the DfE (Department for Education) designed to provide fast and modern Wi-Fi to schools across the UK.

Schools who are eligible will receive funding to upgrade their wireless network to the latest technology. This is currently Wi-Fi 6, which is an extremely fast and reliable standard.

This scheme was relaunched in May 2022 and is scheduled to run until 2025.

Who’s eligible for Connect the Classroom?

Only certain schools in the UK are eligible for Connect the Classroom.

The DfE are prioritising the funding to schools and areas that they deem to need it the most.

These specific areas are called Priority Education Investment Areas. All schools located in these areas will be eligible for the scheme. You can see the selection process and justification on the DfE website here.

The Priority Education Investment Areas are as follows…

Blackpool, Bradford, Derby, Doncaster, Fenlands and East Cambridgeshire, Halton, Hartlepool, Hastings, Ipswich, Knowsley, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire Coast, Norwich, Nottingham, Oldham, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Salford, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent, Tameside, Walsall, West Somerset

There’s also a second group of schools that may be eligible. If any schools are in an Education Investment Area and have been rated as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ in their last Ofsted inspection, they will also apply for funding.

The Education Investment Areas are as follows…

Bedford, Blackpool, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Cornwall, County Durham, Coventry, Darlington, Derby, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Dorset, Dudley, East Sussex, Halton, Hartlepool, Isle of Wight, Kirklees, Knowsley, Leeds, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Norfolk, North Northamptonshire, North Somerset, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Oldham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stoke-on-Trent, Suffolk, Sunderland, Swindon, Tameside, Wakefield, Walsall, Wirral

How do I apply?

You should be contacted directly by the DfE if your school is eligible. They will then explain the process and how you can apply for your funding.

If you believe you’re eligible but have not yet heard, make sure to contact your DfE advisor to check your school’s status. Remember, the scheme runs until 2025. So just because you haven’t heard yet doesn’t mean you’re not eligible.

If you need help with any part of the process or have any questions about the scheme, please get in contact with us and we’ll be happy to advise further.

Why you should partner with Coretek for Connect the Classroom

Consider Coretek for your Connect the Classroom Wi-Fi install partner.

We provide managed IT services to schools across Hampshire in Dorset and have done so for over 23 years.

One thing that makes us unique is that we provide an end-to-end service. So every stage of the installation is done by us.

From initial surveys, to cabling, through to installation and configuration, nothing is outsourced and everything is managed directly by Coretek. This gives you the Peace of Mind of a smooth installation and one single contact throughout the project.

For our Wi-Fi installs, we supply the latest Ubiquiti Wi-Fi 6 technology. Ubiquiti is a leading name in wireless networking and Wi-Fi 6 is the fastest and most reliable Wi-Fi standard available. This results in fast internet for your staff and pupils. And no technical headaches for you.