DfE Connecting the Classroom project funding

[DrCheese]

ooo - we're in an EIA area so if I understand it right, it means we can access this funding? I'm about to replace my 11 year old core switch out of my normal capital spend, but I've still got 35 odd edge switches (Horrible laid out school site) that need replacing & I don't have the budget to...

[saggu]

Sorry to jump in the thread.

We are RI school with 12 years old switches.

Which area DfE is funding? how to contact DfE? Anyone got contant details?

 

Many thanks.

[mullet_man]

FTFY!!

Thank you [emoji23]

 

Am sure that's why I typed originally haha

[HereIGoAgain2601]

Schools or trusts that are eligible will be contacted by the Dfe to let them know. Sadly just being in the investment area isn’t enough. There is some top secret criteria as one of our trust schools desperately needs the investment and is in the area but isn’t getting it. We were told by DfEit is also based on the OFSTED rating and RI or inadequate schools are getting priority. Meanwhile we have several good or outstanding schools who are eligible. Quite annoyed about the whole thing and the lack of transparency around the criteria.

 

I have the contact for the head of the CTC programme at DfE if anyone wants it. He is quite good at replying re eligibility.

[saggu]

Schools or trusts that are eligible will be contacted by the Dfe to let them know. Sadly just being in the investment area isn’t enough. There is some top secret criteria as one of our trust schools desperately needs the investment and is in the area but isn’t getting it. We were told by DfEit is also based on the OFSTED rating and RI or inadequate schools are getting priority. Meanwhile we have several good or outstanding schools who are eligible. Quite annoyed about the whole thing and the lack of transparency around the criteria.

 

I have the contact for the head of the CTC programme at DfE if anyone wants it. He is quite good at replying re eligibility.

 

Yes please!

Could you PM me?

 

Thanks

[DrCheese]

Aye likewise if you've got it please - Can't hurt!

[speakercon]

Does anyone know who the DfE email if you are eligable? I'm conscious it may get missed depending on where it goes.

[TIOAOA]

I believe it will go to the heads registered email.

You could check these documents to see if you might be eligible.

 

The Connect the Classroom programme is open to the following types of school:

 

• Schools in Priority Education Investment Areas.
  
• Schools in the remaining Education Investment Areas that were evaluated as Requires Improvement or Inadequate at their most recent inspection.
  

[ifarmery1234]

We have received and email late Friday to our CEO regarding some of our schools in one of the PEIAs. This was sent from a @Education.gov.uk account.

 

Ill not share the full account as the signature relates to him being a 'Regional Delivery Office' for a set area. I just thought this might help some of you track the emails down.

 

The schools have not had any direct contact regarding this only the CEO and we have schools in one of the EIAs but nothing regarding these was mentioned so I'm assuming they are going through in a set order.

 

Ian

[ifarmery1234]

Did anyone else get an email about this? I got an email about some schools and emailed as requested to be booked on to webinars etc but haven't heard anything at all since.

 

Ian

[bitznpcz]

Did anyone else get an email about this? I got an email about some schools and emailed as requested to be booked on to webinars etc but haven't heard anything at all since.

 

Ian

Not heard anything this time round, but had two schools in phase one. Are you in a priority education investment area? Derbyshire is the next tier down so probably only RI and Inadequate schools will be contacted if there's any money left over.

[Wave9_Lee]

I believe they are approaching this in geographical phases, I guess to manage the workload, so it could be quite a while to get to some areas.

[atcoates]

I believe they are approaching this in geographical phases, I guess to manage the workload, so it could be quite a while to get to some areas.

Our LA has been chosen and we have been advised to expect the emails in Jan/Feb 2023.

[ifarmery1234]

I am across 2 areas Doncaster (PEIA) and Rotherham (EIA). I have had an email with links to webinars for the first phase which is for the PEIA areas, all schools in this areas will be able to access funding I understand. Rotherham being in a EIA will be targeted at Failing and RI schools only.

 

Our email went to the CEO of the Trust only.

[DrCheese]

Had the Ofsted requirement confirmed to us, which rules us out of getting the funding.

 

Mildly annoying - Just because we're "Good" doesn't mean we're rolling in cash and don't have ancient switching infrastructure.

[Sylv3r]

I have had confirmation yesterday that one more of our schools qualifies - that takes us up to 15 since the whole programme started.

[allers61]

We had our invite several weeks ago along with the usual webinar session. We were told that the audit/application documentation would be with us in the following week - nothing yet.

[Sylv3r]

We had our invite several weeks ago along with the usual webinar session. We were told that the audit/application documentation would be with us in the following week - nothing yet.

 

I chased them and managed to get an answer in the end. I am not sure what the hold up was with.

[DJ_MonkeyBoy]

Is anyone concerned about the long-term cost of replacing Unifi with Meraki? Whilst I appreciate we get 10 years of free kit and support, the replacement cost is quite substantial, worse still in one giant hit, albeit in 10 years' time. But! The networks I look after tend to evolve. Upgrade slowly and at a manageable pace. Considering the UNIFI kit is more than good enough for schools of any size, easy to replace and provides good performance. I am left wondering if the Dfe funding programme is too prescriptive and could cause a financial bleep in years to come. Whilst I am still awaiting the paperwork to see the detail, My initial feeling is that the Dfe should be just giving us the cash and letting us decide how we spend the money. First glance at the funding looks to me to favour the Rolls Royce brands of networking and not the actual cost of a school to service the Roll Royce in years to come.

 

Thoughts...?

Edited July 8, 2022 by DJ_MonkeyBoy

[speakercon]

I don't suppose many will think too much (or care) about what is going to happen in 10 years’ time as the imediate hole has been plugged / box ticked.

 

I guess you could just buy new Unifi kit in 10 years (if it still exists!). I imagine any Unifi kit that is currently installed would need replacing by that point anyway. If the hit in one financial year is a concern then it could be purchased over a few years if necessary (prior to the Meraki licences expiring).

 

I don't think the licencing models are the same on the other compliant systems which I believe are Zyxel, Aruba and Ruckus?

[StevieM]

Thoughts...?

Lots of them...but they're mostly too political for this forum!

 

On a personal level, at least I don't have to worry about our network for the next 10 years - and I doubt it will be my problem by that time, anyway.

[Primus]

Is anyone concerned about the long-term cost of replacing Unifi with Meraki? Whilst I appreciate we get 10 years of free kit and support, the replacement cost is quite substantial, worse still in one giant hit, albeit in 10 years' time. But! The networks I look after tend to evolve. Upgrade slowly and at a manageable pace. Considering the UNIFI kit is more than good enough for schools of any size, easy to replace and provides good performance. I am left wondering if the Dfe funding programme is too prescriptive and could cause a financial bleep in years to come. Whilst I am still awaiting the paperwork to see the detail, My initial feeling is that the Dfe should be just giving us the cash and letting us decide how we spend the money. First glance at the funding looks to me to favour the Rolls Royce brands of networking and not the actual cost of a school to service the Roll Royce in years to come.

 

Thoughts...?

 

This happened with the BSF builds - loads of new kit with no budget for replacing it at the end of its lifetime and with it all being new at the same time it all fell due for replacement at the same time. You could argue schools should have budgeted for this but lots of schools received bad or no advice from managed service providers etc etc.

[DrCheese]

This happened with the BSF builds - loads of new kit with no budget for replacing it at the end of its lifetime and with it all being new at the same time it all fell due for replacement at the same time. You could argue schools should have budgeted for this but lots of schools received bad or no advice from managed service providers etc etc.

 

I've banged on about this repeatedly over the years - If you're going to ask for something, then it's replacement needs budgeting in/planning properly

We're PFI so have this problem as most of our kit was replaced in one hit - Lovely, but it means it all ages at the same time.

[DJ_MonkeyBoy]

It's nice to be offered to swap out all your kit for this best gear on the market. It appears to be free, but being locked into the top-class enterprise solution could in theory cost you more over the 10-year period when compared with other network solutions (unifi) I need to get some quotes and do a cost comparison over a number of years. The licensing model is something I'm not a fan of. I'm yet to be convinced.

[StevieM]

It's nice to be offered to swap out all your kit for this best gear on the market. It appears to be free, but being locked into the top-class enterprise solution could in theory cost you more over the 10-year period when compared with other network solutions (unifi) I need to get some quotes and do a cost comparison over a number of years. The licensing model is something I'm not a fan of. I'm yet to be convinced.

The funding includes the licences for the full 10 years. The other thing is, we don't know what kind of standards in technology we'll be replacing it with, in 10 years time, as it probably hasn't been invented yet.