Initially, each iPad needed to be synced to a machine running iTunes, renamed (I named that schoolname01 - 10), and then it was a case of updating the firmware as there had been an update since they were sent to us. Wi-fi set was a doddle, it found the network, I added the password, added the proxy address and it was done. Beyond that it was mainly cosmetic changes - altering the brightness, time before it turns off, adding an email account (I set up a school_ipad account on googlemail, and used the +1, +2, +3 trick to give each iPad an accountable address (oh, and I also have the ipad account on my machine so I can see what was sent / received on those email addresses)), and re-arranging and adding some apps on the docking bar.
That was it in terms of set-up. App adding is done on a single machine or via iTunes (only me and the HT have the password to sign into and download apps). Once new apps are added, a weekly sync ensures that all iPads are updated with the same apps.
Interestingly we had the technician in on Friday to update some things on the school network and laptops we have, and it took him significantly longer to each machine than it takes to sync an iPad.