A large number of schools currently outsource their catering or cleaning services, because these tasks aren’t an integral part of the skillset of the school staff team; they call in specialists to take away the hassle of these tasks, and let them worry about the processes, laws and risks.

Today, 15% of schools are enjoying the improved provision, cost savings and teaching and learning benefits that a specialist technology partner can bring.

According to a BESA survey from October 2017, 27% of schools are planning to review their support options this year as they become more forward-thinking. This will enable them to achieve a high level of ICT delivery and support whilst also keeping costs down.

The highest spend in most schools is on staff salaries, and when pressures are put on budgets, the thought of having to make teaching staff redundant to save money is a choice that no school wants to make. If you have a skills gap in your IT team you could continue to pay these cost by recruiting a like-for-like technician or work with an IT partner who can provide this service for you, utilising a range of more cost-efficient on-site and remote support services.

Keeping your network, school data, teachers and learners safe in a digital age is a complex and never-ending task as the technology landscape and associated risks constantly change. A specialist IT partner is much better placed to keep abreast of the latest security risks, and will ensure that your infrastructure, data security and pupil access to appropriate materials are all kept as secure as possible.

A school IT technician knows a little bit about everything, but rarely do they have in-depth expertise in all areas of technology. This means IT issues can take a long time to resolve, and often it’s a symptom that gets fixed, not the root cause.  An IT partner can help identify the root cause of the problem, so you see fewer IT issues in the future.

By partnering with an IT support provider your IT costs become predictable, and your technology is cost effective and future-proofed. It also helps stop those expensive IT investment mistakes that must be avoided as we try to cope with ever-increasing budget pressures.