Your quick guide to the DfE IT support standard for schools and colleges

In its most recently published technology standard, the DfE says that maintaining your school's technology, planning upgrades and your technology strategy all depend on effective IT support.

The standard does not mandate how a school or college should organise its IT support arrangements. The support could be internal (someone employed by the school or its multi-academy trust), external (provided by an outside company or local authority) or a mixture of the two.

While this summary will give you the essentials, our more detailed free guide to the standard gives the full picture.

There are five areas to consider: 

Make sure IT support helps you meet the digital and technology standards

• Undertake daily activities to help schools meet the standards, in particular the six core standards

• Decision-making should support continued compliance

The school’s SLT digital lead should understand how IT support contributes to meeting the digital and technology standards.

Ensure IT support actively maintains and improves your digital technology in line with your digital strategy

• IT support should understand your support needs

• Supports and maintains your technology

• Plans upgrades and improvements 

Make sure your IT support is responsive and meets agreed service expectations

• Agree expectations for responsiveness

• Make sure IT support offers clear support channels

• Record and track all support requests

Review your IT support at least once a year

• Assess whether the support you have meets your needs

• Check how well IT support is performing

• Review contracts, procurement and value for money

• Report the findings 

Provide staff with guidance and training on using technology

• Clear instruction, documentation and policies are essential

You can read more about how to meet the DfE’s digital and technology standards in schools and colleges in our other blog posts on the topic.