DfE digital standards
Benchmark broadband, wireless, switching, digital leadership, filtering and monitoring, and cyber security.
EDUCATION CONSULTANCY / IT
Technology that supports learning, safeguarding and value for money.
Review IT standards, cyber resilience, contracts and the future digital roadmap.
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Education IT Strategy & Procurement
CIOs, IT directors, CFOs and trust leaders. We focus on practical advice, clear accountability and proportionate assurance.
Procurement and contracts
Review MIS, cloud services, licences, supplier resilience, data processing and total cost of ownership.
Technology roadmap
Prioritise infrastructure, security, accessibility, training and sustainable investment.
DfE standards & assurance
Requirements, audits and useful reviews
A required statutory audit or inspection is different from a recommended management review. Applicability depends on the trust, buildings, systems and activity. The 2026 Academy Trust Handbook is effective from 1 October 2026.
Safeguarding and security checks
Regular filtering and monitoring effectiveness reviews, cyber risk assessment, access and backup recovery testing as appropriate.
Procurement assurance
Check procurement decisions and approvals against trust obligations, including applicable MIS procurement requirements.
Recommended consultancy review
DfE digital standards gap assessment, supplier and licensing audit, security and data protection review.
Official guidance
How an engagement works
01 · Discover
Understand the trust structure, objectives, current assurance and key constraints.
02 · Review
Examine documents, interviews, data and evidence against the agreed scope.
03 · Improve
Present a prioritised action plan, ownership, timescales and optional implementation support.
Frequently asked questions: education IT strategy and procurement
Practical answers for academy trust leaders. Check current DfE guidance and obtain professional advice for trust-specific decisions.
What are the DfE digital and technology standards?
They set out recommended expectations for school technology, including infrastructure, leadership, filtering and monitoring, and cyber security. Review the current standards individually on GOV.UK.
Are all DfE digital standards statutory?
Not all DfE digital standards are statutory duties. They should be distinguished from legal safeguarding, data protection and other obligations.
How should schools review filtering and monitoring?
Review appropriateness and effectiveness regularly, including leadership ownership, user groups, alerts, escalation, safeguarding oversight and the impact on access to learning.
What should a MAT cyber risk review cover?
Identity and access, MFA, device security, backups, recovery testing, patching, incident response, supplier access, training and governance.
How often should school backups be tested?
Testing should follow a risk-based schedule and confirm that critical systems and data can be restored within agreed recovery objectives.
How should a trust evaluate MIS procurement?
Assess functionality, data migration, security, interoperability, implementation capacity, contract terms and whole-life cost.
What should be included in an IT asset register?
Device or service owner, location, lifecycle, support status, licence, security controls and replacement planning.
What are the risks of fragmented IT suppliers?
Potential risks include duplicated spend, unclear accountability, inconsistent security, difficult support escalation and limited visibility of contractual commitments.
Should schools conduct a data protection impact assessment?
A DPIA is required where processing is likely to result in high risk to individuals. The trust should assess proposed systems and consult its data protection lead.
Can a consultancy review replace penetration testing?
No. A strategic review identifies governance and control gaps; specialist security testing should be commissioned separately where appropriate.
How can schools reduce IT costs responsibly?
Review licences, device lifecycle, procurement frameworks and duplicated services without weakening security, accessibility or teaching continuity.
What does a DfE digital standards gap assessment deliver?
A documented baseline, evidence gaps, prioritised actions and an achievable investment and governance roadmap.