FORTEM FOR EDUCATION · CONNECT THE CLASSROOM
Connect the Classroom
When a whole class connects, teachers need the lesson to keep moving. Fortem helps schools and trusts explore network improvements that support shared resources, student access and everyday learning.
ABOUT CONNECT THE CLASSROOM
Better connectivity.
A clearer way forward.
Connect the Classroom is a Department for Education programme that helps eligible schools in England upgrade below-standard Wi-Fi access points and network switches.
Fortem can help turn your school’s requirements into a practical network upgrade, from assessment and design to procurement, installation and support.
Who can take part?
- Published eligibility covers schools receiving targeted intervention through the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) programme.
- The DfE contacts eligible schools directly. Funding is provided where their network falls below its Wi-Fi standards.
- Your school should confirm its position with the DfE. An enquiry to Fortem does not establish eligibility.
What should the upgrade deliver?
Modern Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), the minimum specified in the current DfE wireless standard.
Reliable coverage
Coverage for simultaneous device use, planned with wireless heat mapping.
Central management
Tools to configure access points, monitor performance and manage updates.
Secure access
Authenticated access, secure administration and appropriate network segregation.
How the programme works
- 01
DfE contact
Eligible schools receive direct communication about participation.
- 02
Confirm the scope
Review the network gaps and project conditions in that communication.
- 03
Appoint a supplier
The school procures its supplier; the work must meet DfE specifications.
- 04
Deliver the upgrade
Agree the installation, testing and handover with the appointed supplier.
The published guidance sets out eligibility and supplier responsibilities, rather than a complete application or approval timetable. Your DfE communication governs project-specific conditions. Guidance checked on 5 October 2026; GOV.UK still says further selection criteria will be announced.
HOW FORTEM HELPS
From the first survey to ongoing support.
Choose end-to-end coordination or additional expertise alongside your IT team. We agree the scope, responsibilities and deliverables before work starts.
Assess & design
Understand the learning spaces. We review where teachers and students connect, the equipment already in place and the demands of busy lessons. Site surveys and heat mapping help identify coverage and capacity needs.
Bring the network together. We coordinate a design covering access points, switching, management and secure access, with supporting infrastructure changes documented as part of the agreed scope.
Procure & deliver
Make the options clear. Prepare an itemised quotation covering equipment, installation, licences and support. Discuss purchasing routes and the programme conditions your school must satisfy.
Plan the installation. Agree site access and installation windows, then coordinate supply, cabling, configuration and migration to minimise disruption to learning.
Hand over & support
Confirm it works. Validate coverage, device connectivity and security against the agreed scope. Provide network documentation, configuration records and an operational handover.
Keep it dependable. Set out monitoring, updates, warranty and support responsibilities. Agree training needs and optimisation as usage develops.
THE FORTEM DIFFERENCE
Technology expertise.
A personal approach.
For a school network project, Fortem connects technical scoping with equipment sourcing and specialist installation. We agree how our role fits alongside your IT team, then coordinate the work around site readiness and the delivery timetable.
People you can talk to
Approachable conversations and plain-language advice give your team space to ask questions and make informed decisions.
The right fit for you
We explore suitable technology around how teachers and students connect, with flexibility to source requirements beyond a standard catalogue.
Expertise brought together
Our team coordinates procurement and specialist delivery partners, connecting the right skills to the work your organisation needs.
A partner beyond the project
Networking sits within a wider technology picture. We can also help with devices, security and ongoing support as your needs develop.
For education, that means respecting your IT team’s expertise and how your trust operates, whether schools choose independently or follow a shared technology standard.
SUPPORT FOR YOUR NEXT STEP
Connected learning, wherever your school starts.
Schools outside the current programme may still need more dependable classroom connections. We can discuss improvements around the learning spaces affected and a phased approach that fits your setting.
Planning a programme-funded project?
Once eligibility and funding are confirmed, we can help define the scope and discuss direct purchase or Everything ICT where its current scope fits. Your school remains responsible for supplier procurement and required DfE approvals.
Existing network diagrams, equipment inventories and programme correspondence can inform that work. Early scoping allows time for approvals, supply and deployment.
START THE CONVERSATION
Talk through your school’s requirements.
Tell us the issue, the sites involved and what you want to achieve. The first discussion helps establish the right scope and who needs to be involved.
You can start with a brief description. Detailed technical information can follow once we understand the requirement.
Prefer to call?
020 3802 2000