Hendon School is a 1,200 pupil single-academy trust secondary school with sixth-form in north-west London. It describes itself as a family, albeit a very large and diverse one, where students and staff care immensely about what they are doing, about the school's values and about each other.
How the school has progressed strategically with technology and the contribution of RM as IT support partner
Hendon School has transformed its technology setup over the past three years, driven by a clear strategic vision to improve teaching and learning outcomes while achieving long-term cost efficiencies. Three major initiatives epitomise the modernisation journey - a comprehensive audio-visual refresh, migration to cloud-based systems, and infrastructure upgrades. RM's managed service provision has underpinned this transformation.
Audio-visual transformation
The most visible change is the replacement of traditional desktop computers and projectors with ViewSonic smart boards in every classroom. This strategic decision delivered dual benefits of enhanced teaching capabilities and significant cost savings by removing the need for teachers to have both desktop and laptop devices.
The impact on classroom practice has been transformative. Staff and pupils engage with content on the board as standard practice, something that was impossible with the projectors. The school runs training sessions to help teachers realise the full potential of the embedded software, building on this already successful foundation.
“There's a clear shift in how teachers are delivering lessons and engaging with students. The quality of interaction and learning has noticeably improved, and the introduction of this technology has been incredibly successful.”
Craig McGuire, Headteacher, Hendon School
This approach has been supported by RM's partnership with ViewSonic, with training sessions both on-site and at ViewSonic's offices, showing the value of the networking opportunities that RM provides with its partners.
Cloud migration and digital collaboration
Perhaps the most strategically significant change has been the school's move from physical on-site servers to cloud-based systems. This included moving from a server-based management information system (MIS) to a cloud-based alternative and maximising the use of Microsoft 365.
This shift has delivered multiple strategic benefits. It has enabled repeatable cost savings by reducing warranty and licence fees for physical servers, while improving staff flexibility and building resilience into the school's systems. The collaborative possibilities of cloud-based working have been particularly transformative, with OneDrive and Teams enabling staff to share and develop resources together in real time.
The school's leadership emphasised the distinction between efficiency and effectiveness this has brought:
“It’s more effective because the feedback is happening in real time. That immediacy allows for much richer conversations, and the gains in effectiveness, far beyond just efficiency, have been remarkable.”
Craig McGuire, Headteacher, Hendon School
Computer room and infrastructure modernisation
The school has reinvested savings from the desktop reduction into updating computer room equipment. Using HP's Brighter Futures trade-in scheme via RM has reduced costs when refreshing devices. The school has also refreshed its wifi infrastructure with more access points across the site, supported by a new core network with fibre optic cables and modern switches. This infrastructure investment has been fundamental to supporting the move away from desktop computers and enabling the use of laptops across the school.
RM's strategic contribution
RM has played a crucial role in providing strategic direction and technical expertise. The school's leadership is clear about the value of this support.
“We don't have the technical knowledge within the leadership team or in fact, anyone in school. We really rely on RM for that strategic direction and helping us to form roadmaps so that we can make the right decisions in the right order and prioritise how to spend the money right first time.”
Ron Spicer, Assistant Headteacher, Hendon School
RM has provided multi-layered support, from on-site engineering, backed up by monthly service meetings, to high-level technical consultancy and strategic digital guidance from its educational consultant team. This comprehensive support enables the school to navigate complex decisions about server lifecycle management, cloud migration strategies, and infrastructure investments with confidence.
Day-to-day IT support through a service desk and on-site engineer
Hendon School benefits from a hybrid support model that combines on-site presence with remote capability, creating a responsive and effective support system that staff have come to rely upon.
The on-site engineer role
Devan, the school's on-site engineer, serves as the first line of support, responding to day-to-day issues. Devan's integration into the school community has been particularly effective.
“Most of the staff see him as an employee of Hendon School, which is probably the highest compliment I can give him.”
Ron Spicer, Assistant Headteacher, Hendon School
Remote support infrastructure
Devan is supported by a remote engineer squad based in India, providing a further layer of expertise and support coverage. The school reports a high level of support requests being either proactively resolved or resolved offsite, showing the effectiveness of this remote support team.
Staff reporting mechanisms
Staff primarily report IT issues via email. The school has also adopted RM's Rapid Response app, where remote engineers can access a user’s device and fix it in real time. This method provides access to immediate support.
The support arrangement provides essential fail-safes for a busy school environment. Staff can report issues knowing that whether on-site or remote support is needed, their IT problems will be addressed promptly and effectively.
What has dependable technology made possible in the school?
Reliable technology infrastructure has transformed multiple aspects of school life at Hendon, from classroom teaching to administrative efficiency, and has been particularly important given the school's diverse student population.
Supporting diversity and inclusion
Hendon School serves a remarkably diverse community. It has an autism unit, a unit for deaf children and 68% of students have English as an additional language. Technology plays a vital role in supporting this diversity. For example, the school provides specially configured mobile phones, older devices with all technologies removed except translation software, to help new students who may not speak, read, or write English. RM’s on-site technical support has been crucial in configuring these phones for student use to ensure they don't have problematic smartphone capabilities. Each one has a bright orange case so teachers can recognise them as school-issued devices.
The ViewSonic boards also support these students by displaying translations simultaneously, making lessons more accessible to those learning English.
Enhanced teaching and learning
The ViewSonic boards have revolutionised classroom delivery. Teachers can now write interactively on boards and use embedded software to create engaging lessons in ways that were impossible with traditional projectors.
“We're running training sessions to be able to take it further and use the embedded software to be able to really realize the full potential.”
Craig McGuire, Headteacher, Hendon School
This technology is universal across the school. Every classroom has a ViewSonic board, meaning every lesson can benefit from this enhanced capability. The impact extends beyond classrooms into leadership meetings, where the boards enable higher-quality discussions and focus.
Flexible and mobile working
The robust Wi-Fi infrastructure and cloud-based systems have liberated staff from being tied to specific locations. Teachers can now take registers using the cloud-based MIS on laptops whilst out on the playground, in assemblies, or on trips - something that would have required writing information down and returning to a desktop computer previously.
The ability to access files remotely through OneDrive and collaborate in real-time through Teams has transformed how staff plan lessons, communicate and work together. This flexibility has been liberating for many staff members who are no longer confined to offices or classrooms with wired connections.
Cost-effective resource management
Dependable technology has enabled the school to eliminate redundant systems and maximise the value of existing licences. By using the full capabilities of Microsoft 365, the school has been able to retire the Frog platform. SharePoint provides the same functionality more effectively, and staff find it more intuitive because they understand how Office software works.
“What I love about it is that we’re driving real progress, improving efficiency, strengthening teaching and learning, and saving money at the same time.”
Craig McGuire, Headteacher, Hendon School
Plans for the future
Hendon School's future technology strategy is focused on benefitting from RM’s expertise to deepen its cloud transformation, embed collaborative platforms further and continue making informed, cost-effective decisions.
Strategic planning
Key decisions on the horizon include deciding whether to extend warranties on existing servers or decommission them in favour of cloud solutions, understanding the best sequence for migrations, and ensuring the school maximises value for money in all technology investments.
Advancing cloud adoption
The school plans to continue increased use of the Microsoft Office 365 platform. Specific initiatives include developing a new intranet through SharePoint and further embedding collaborative working through Teams. Staff are comfortable saving files on OneDrive and sharing resources.
The value of external expertise
Perhaps most fundamentally, the school's technology future rests on continuing to work with RM to navigate the rapidly changing digital landscape. As a standalone academy, the school recognises the critical value of this relationship.
“RM is the brain behind the body of the school in terms of our IT strategy. In all areas of technology, RM provides us with that knowledge and support to help the school achieve what it needs to achieve.”
Ron Spicer, Assistant Headteacher, Hendon School
This mindset reflects a strategic choice to focus school resources on teaching and learning while partnering with specialists for technology strategy. The school believes that this approach delivers better long-term value than trying to build the necessary ability in-house.
“We’re incredibly pleased with our relationship with RM and the value it brings. While doing this in house might appear cheaper in the short term, the long-term benefits are clear. When people question the cost, their guidance proves priceless because it consistently sets us on the right path.”
Craig McGuire, Headteacher, Hendon School
