Connect the Classroom scheme extra funding

[ITGuyNW]

For those that have submitted their cost matrix to the DFE, typically how long do they take to reply with a funding letter?

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

1 minute ago, ITGuyNW said:

For those that have submitted their cost matrix to the DFE, typically how long do they take to reply with a funding letter?

we have done a fair few now, cost matrix we have found usually same day if done in a morning or next day.

really fast compared to last time. 

 

We havent had any take more than just a couple of days so far. 

[password1234]

I got an email come through about Webinars DFE are holding over the next few weeks 2025-26 Connect the Classroom Programme

Wonder if this is another batch of funding for new schools?

[Andycat]

5 minutes ago, password1234 said:

I got an email come through about Webinars DFE are holding over the next few weeks 2025-26 Connect the Classroom Programme

Wonder if this is another batch of funding for new schools?

 

We heard a rumour there would be more, just about to tender so would love more info!

[biggjb]

There will be more rounds to come.  Issue is the funding they offer per school isn't the same of Wave 3, 4 or 5.  The are fixing the budget so you have to match the solution to it.  This isn't as easy as it sounds, as to met the standards they have set you really do have to think on your feet with the solution

[6Foot3]

Just a heads up, a few weeks ago we had a random audit of our CTC. We finished our CTC two years ago.

 

I had two days' notice that someone was coming out from DFE to audit any item that was on the quote for CTC.

 

Literally walking around, yep that switch there, that AP there, even licenses.

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

34 minutes ago, biggjb said:

There will be more rounds to come.  Issue is the funding they offer per school isn't the same of Wave 3, 4 or 5.  The are fixing the budget so you have to match the solution to it.  This isn't as easy as it sounds, as to met the standards they have set you really do have to think on your feet with the solution

Id agree with this. ive found on the more recent waves its been alot more challenging to get within specs and budget and in some cases having to adjust the solutions slightly.

 

i know they are pushing to get all current projects finished for Feb and have a feeling it will be ready to release more around April time (ready for a summer rush availability) 

 

Be interesting to see what gets said on the webinar and if the suppliers one is any different from the schools ones

[SomeITBloke]

On 20/10/2025 at 14:29, password1234 said:

I got an email come through about Webinars DFE are holding over the next few weeks 2025-26 Connect the Classroom Programme

Wonder if this is another batch of funding for new schools?

 

Asked that question this morning, 2025-26 funding is based on a being a RISE school.

[biggjb]

@primarynetman.  This hap hazard approach isn't working that the issue.  They would be best going area by area.  Basically be a crap school get funding while the well managed school next door gets nothing

[SomeITBloke]

It could also be argued that if a failing school has decent wifi5 or and/or no wifi6 devices already, the £10Ks being thrown at it would be better spent elsewhere to improve the school....

[Andycat]

We're soon (reluctantly!) to go out to tender for quite a large WiFi refresh. Has anyone heard about the new scheme?

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

10 minutes ago, Andycat said:

We're soon (reluctantly!) to go out to tender for quite a large WiFi refresh. Has anyone heard about the new scheme?

On the last call with DfE they said there would be no more CTC moving forward, we all know how these things can change but ive not heard or seen anything from DFE that would suggest a new CTC scheme currently at this point and they did say there was no plans for further.

 

I hope this helps apologies if i misunderstood the question

[Andycat]

2 minutes ago, RedwayNetworks_Michael said:

On the last call with DfE they said there would be no more CTC moving forward, we all know how these things can change but ive not heard or seen anything from DFE that would suggest a new CTC scheme currently at this point and they did say there was no plans for further.

 

I hope this helps apologies if i misunderstood the question

 

Thanks for that, it was a different supplier that mentioned, months ago, that there was a new scheme coming.

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

Just now, Andycat said:

 

Thanks for that, it was a different supplier that mentioned, months ago, that there was a new scheme coming.

Yes unfortunately alot of suppliers live in hope and get told all sorts by the vendors too. 

I too have heard from multiple sources they expect more CTC but then when i go on the webinar with DFE they was very clear to say there wasnt plans for any more in future this was the webinar with them just a few weeks ago.

 

Still the vendors and others seem to think otherwise but im just going on what DfE have said themselves rather than Vendor talk, we all know vendors love to overhype things 😄

 

 

 

 

 

[biggjb]

@RedwayNetworks_Michael I have been on the DFE webinars.  They didn't say CTC was finished. Unless I miss understood.  This years funding is closed and all school have been notified and all orders must be invoiced in by Feb 2026

There will be a new round of funding for 2026/27 however they haven't confirmed the amount.  The funding will again be allocated to schools who are seen a RISE schools.  

 

This means you can have schools next to each other with one getting funding and the other not.  If your school hasn't been notified.  @Andycat If you are not a RISE school or hasn't been notified then you currently wont qualify.  You can try emailing the DFE CTC mail box and asking

[Andycat]

13 hours ago, biggjb said:

@RedwayNetworks_Michael I have been on the DFE webinars.  They didn't say CTC was finished. Unless I miss understood.  This years funding is closed and all school have been notified and all orders must be invoiced in by Feb 2026

There will be a new round of funding for 2026/27 however they haven't confirmed the amount.  The funding will again be allocated to schools who are seen a RISE schools.  

 

This means you can have schools next to each other with one getting funding and the other not.  If your school hasn't been notified.  @Andycat If you are not a RISE school or hasn't been notified then you currently wont qualify.  You can try emailing the DFE CTC mail box and asking

We're not a RISE school, no.

[biggjb]

@Andycat  it is unlikely that you will receive any funding for this next year then, unless they change the funding formula

 

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

15 hours ago, biggjb said:

@RedwayNetworks_Michael I have been on the DFE webinars.  They didn't say CTC was finished. Unless I miss understood.  This years funding is closed and all school have been notified and all orders must be invoiced in by Feb 2026

There will be a new round of funding for 2026/27 however they haven't confirmed the amount.  The funding will again be allocated to schools who are seen a RISE schools.  

 

This means you can have schools next to each other with one getting funding and the other not.  If your school hasn't been notified.  @Andycat If you are not a RISE school or hasn't been notified then you currently wont qualify.  You can try emailing the DFE CTC mail box and asking

Right at the end after most people left the call it was asked if CTC was planned for more rollouts after this ones ends and the response from them was there are no plans currently to do further CTC. 

Unless we getting confused as the RISE schools as you say could be different. 

Trust me as a supplier that's not what i want to hear but at the same time it would be wrong for me to give false promise. 

As i say the vendors and everyone still seem confident but what i heard at the end of the call and what some of my schools have been told is no plans to do more after it ends in Feb.

 

It is government though so anything can happen 😄

 

Edited November 14, 2025 by RedwayNetworks_Michael