OFSTED Classroom Tech Requirements

[3s-gtech]

I agree; I wouldn’t fit a projector now apart from in our main hall.

 

Ofsted won’t care though.

[Roberto]

It depends right. I wouldn't expect to see a projector fitted where I work now, short of taking over a legacy office where they're already fitted and working perfectly... but I would defy any reseller to tell me this projector was a worse choice for a space than a ropy HiSense 70" display.

[BenQ_NicolaP]

Hi, Just jumping in here, this isn't one of the DFE digital and technology standards, I have a copy I can send you of those if you like? The DfE's guidance on digital and tech standard focuses on ensuring that devices meet certain minimum specifications to support teaching and learning, however there is no specification on large format displays. We have been a rise in popularity of the 75 inch screen but it isn't a DfE requirement. Happy to help if you would like to borrow a 75 inch to see what it looks like in your space from BenQ just DM me.

[Disease]

They may be deemed old school now but the trouble is my Head doesn't like the interactive screens plus we can get Laser projectors and 86" smartboards for the same money which last way longer than any of the TV's we have previously purchased. In the 20 Years I have been here we have replaced 1 failed interactive board but 4 interactive TV's since we put some in 6 years ago.

[APMerry]

7 minutes ago, Disease said:

They may be deemed old school now but the trouble is my Head doesn't like the interactive screens plus we can get Laser projectors and 86" smartboards for the same money which last way longer than any of the TV's we have previously purchased. In the 20 Years I have been here we have replaced 1 failed interactive board but 4 interactive TV's since we put some in 6 years ago.

That's really interesting. I've mostly found projectors a lot more high maintenance than an interactive screen.

[PotNoodleTech]

Running 86" screen here and the image quality is sooooo much better.  I mean literally no one has ever come in and asked for a projector and screen back?

 

Theres no denying that older style IWB and projectors were very reliable assuming you cleaned the filters etc.

[ITGuyNW]

We are fitted out with 5 year old Promethean boards, with no thought about a rolling programme to replace them (even though I have banged that drum in various meetings). We might be going back to projectors when they go pop as we now have no money!

[Pottsey]

28 minutes ago, APMerry said:

That's really interesting. I've mostly found projectors a lot more high maintenance than an interactive screen.

Laser Projectors are usually really low maintenance with very long running hours often in the 30,000 hours range. No blub change, no 50% loss in brightness as they get used. Almost instant on/off. Usually no filters and a vastly superior image over blub based projectors. Personally I would never go back to a bulb based projector again. Any future hall projectors are going to be all lasers for me. I use a laser at home over a TV.

Edited June 9, 2025 by Pottsey

[FN-GM]

1 hour ago, Disease said:

any of the TV's we have previously purchased.

 

1 hour ago, APMerry said:

That's really interesting. I've mostly found projectors a lot more high maintenance than an interactive screen.

 

This might be the issue. If you're using TV's they won't last. 

 

We have 7+ year commercial displays running and work just like the day they did when they were installed.

[Dan2025]

I've dealt with that company a few times in the past, had a chatty account manager that kept calling. Used them a bit as an extra quote, not once did they come close on pricing. I genuinely wondered how they had business the pricing was that bad. 

 

Get emails still about their screens which on the surface look pretty good but I'm guessing that's without installation/delivery/warranty etc. 

[Disease]

8 minutes ago, FN-GM said:

 

 

This might be the issue. If you're using TV's they won't last. 

 

We have 7+ year commercial displays running and work just like the day they did when they were installed.

When I say TV's I mean Smart Interactive Screens not just TV's.

[Rob_D]

1 hour ago, Disease said:

In the 20 Years I have been here we have replaced 1 failed interactive board but 4 interactive TV's since we put some in 6 years ago.

when you say "1 failed interactive board" does that include projector replacements. If so, then I can see why the head wouldn't want to loose that kind of reliability. 😊

[Disease]

No, but I have some projectors that are 10 years old and are fine for teaching, we carry out regular maintenance and we use a light meter to check output, we have been using LED/Laser projectors since the first Casio ones came out.

 

Listen me personally I would swap to TV's but the Head is just not into them also we have quite a few large classrooms so really need big panels which are very expensive, 75" looks small in some of our rooms.

[BenQ_NicolaP]

20 minutes ago, Danwinchelsea said:

I've dealt with that company a few times in the past, had a chatty account manager that kept calling. Used them a bit as an extra quote, not once did they come close on pricing. I genuinely wondered how they had business the pricing was that bad. 

 

Get emails still about their screens which on the surface look pretty good but I'm guessing that's without installation/delivery/warranty etc. 

Are you referring to us at BenQ? if so I would love to get a re quote for you, things have changed a lot in the last few years with interactive screens and all our screens can be installed, delivered and come with a 5 year warranty. Happy to chat and lend you a screen to try, please feel free to DM me?

[Dan2025]

Just now, BenQ_NicolaP said:

Are you referring to us at BenQ? if so I would love to get a re quote for you, things have changed a lot in the last few years with interactive screens and all our screens can be installed, delivered and come with a 5 year warranty. Happy to chat and lend you a screen to try, please feel free to DM me?

 

Nope, the company that sent the email this thread is regarding

[BenQ_NicolaP]

5 minutes ago, Disease said:

No, but I have some projectors that are 10 years old and are fine for teaching, we carry out regular maintenance and we use a light meter to check output, we have been using LED/Laser projectors since the first Casio ones came out.

 

Listen me personally I would swap to TV's but the Head is just not into them also we have quite a few large classrooms so really need big panels which are very expensive, 75" looks small in some of our rooms.

You are right there is sometimes a need for a interactive screen or a projector, it depends on what you are trying to achieve? We provide both screens or projectors. We don't do TV's as this is where you will have problems with them not lasting as they were not built for a classroom. Happy to have a chat and loan you a screen or projector so you can see what works best for you in your space and compare pricing too. DM me 

[BenQ_NicolaP]

1 minute ago, Danwinchelsea said:

 

Nope, the company that sent the email this thread is regarding

Thanks for confirming. Here if you need anything

[ICT_GUY]

On 09/06/2025 at 10:33, Rob_D said:

when you say "1 failed interactive board" does that include projector replacements. If so, then I can see why the head wouldn't want to loose that kind of reliability. 😊

In my schools we havearound 40 boards.

The older promethean ones, the ones that must weigh 70kgs or more. No lie two of struggle to move them. seem to have lasted 10 years with only a acouple of issues. Though they are definitely on their last legs.

The new promethean boards last 5 years before the back light fails. We have tried to get someone to fix them but no joy, our local TV repair shop doesn't want to know. 

The main issue is that to cut prices they are not putting the same quaility displays in there.

However the original boards cost £3k 10 years ago, the new ones £1k now. So all in all even though they don't last as long they are still much better value. They are also 4k displays.

[Andycat]

On 09/06/2025 at 09:22, ITGuyNW said:

We are fitted out with 5 year old Promethean boards, with no thought about a rolling programme to replace them (even though I have banged that drum in various meetings). We might be going back to projectors when they go pop as we now have no money!

 

Speaking from current experience, it's cheaper to put an 86" screen in than a projector!

[Dos_Box]

2 hours ago, Andycat said:

 

Speaking from current experience, it's cheaper to put an 86" screen in than a projector!

Out of interest, what kind of power draw do you get from large screens compared to projectors, any idea?

[Andycat]

1 hour ago, Dos_Box said:

Out of interest, what kind of power draw do you get from large screens compared to projectors, any idea?

 

Projector 215W, 86" Screen 100W. We're having mostly screens put in this summer, but 12 projectors too so I have the figures to hand!

[ITGuyNW]

3 hours ago, Andycat said:

 

Speaking from current experience, it's cheaper to put an 86" screen in than a projector!

They only see headline figures though. They don't plan long term gains.

[Andycat]

3 minutes ago, ITGuyNW said:

They only see headline figures though. They don't plan long term gains.

 

Projectors here have done between 6-8 years before being almost unusable. I've installed 3 lots in my time here so far.

 

Our CTouch original screens (only a few) are 10 years old and still fine, but being replaced anyway this summer as a whole site refresh.

[BenQ_Royce]

18 hours ago, Andycat said:

 

Projector 215W, 86" Screen 100W. We're having mostly screens put in this summer, but 12 projectors too so I have the figures to hand!

Whilst our boards have some of the lowest out of box wattage, you can get that IFP number down by 70% using tools that weren't possible with 'always on' projection, we had a white paper written (link below). @BenQ_Chris is off this week but he can be a bit more specific on latest numbers for anyone interested.
https://www.benq.eu/en-uk/education/edtech-blog/8-ways-reduce-power-consumption-benq-boards.html