St Teresa of Calcutta Multi Academy Company
Primary school completes network infrastructure upgrade with a new Ubiquiti installation, meeting DfE technology standards
THE CLIENT
Committed to a secure, compliant estate
St Teresa of Calcutta Multi Academy Company is committed to improving the security and infrastructure of its schools, in line with the technology standards set out by the Department for Education (DfE). As part of this ongoing commitment, the Trust partnered with DMS on a network infrastructure upgrade at St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School, one of the schools within the Trust, with a new Ubiquiti network installation designed to meet the specific demands of a busy primary school environment.
THE CHALLENGE
Meeting DfE standards without wasting budget
St Vincent’s needed a network refresh that would bring its infrastructure up to the DfE’s Digital and Technology Core Standards. The challenge wasn’t just compliance — it was making sure every pound spent delivered maximum value, rather than over-specifying hardware the school didn’t need or under-specifying and falling short of the standards.
THE SOLUTION
The right hardware for the right need
DMS were professional from the outset, taking the time to understand the school’s requirements before recommending anything. The school’s account manager, Ellie, arranged for a member of the DMS technical team with in-depth knowledge of Ubiquiti hardware to meet the team at St Vincent’s directly.
Together, they identified the best hardware for the school’s needs from within the Ubiquiti range, and DMS put together a quote covering everything required for the project — specified to meet DfE Core Standards without over-buying. The final specification included 24 Wi-Fi 7 access points for full wireless coverage, three managed PoE switches, a redundant power supply to protect against interruption, centralised cloud-based network management, and a fibre bridge extending connectivity to the school’s nursery — plus all the UPS and cabling needed to complete the installation.
THE PROCESS
Survey first, install second
Before any work began, the DMS team visited the school to carry out a full site survey, so they understood the building and exactly what the installation would involve.
A smooth, low-disruption install
On the day, the school was able to leave the DMS team to get on with the work, with only periodic check-ins to confirm progress. The installation was completed to a high standard and slightly ahead of schedule.
“The work was completed to a very high standard and slightly ahead of schedule — the highest praise I can give is that, apart from the new hardware, you’d never know they had been there,” said James Wilson, ICT Service Delivery Manager.
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BENEFITS INCLUDE
Future-proofed technology
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) gives the school headroom for the devices and bandwidth demands of the next several years, rather than a network that’s outdated the moment new equipment arrives.
Simplified ongoing management
Centralised, cloud-based network management means the school’s IT support can monitor and manage the whole network — including the nursery — from a single dashboard, rather than juggling separate systems.
Ahead of the 2030 deadline
Bringing the network up to DfE Digital and Technology Core Standards closes the compliance gap now, ahead of the DfE’s 2030 deadline for all schools and colleges to meet the six core standards.
THE RESULT
A network the school can rely on
St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School now has a fully resilient, DfE-compliant network in place — including secure Wi-Fi coverage throughout the school and its nursery — installed to a high standard and ready to support the school for years to come.
“We will definitely be looking to work with DMS again in the future,” said James Wilson.