Why Managed IT Support Needs to be a Priority in Education

For the tech-savvy among us, the evolution of the classroom has been an obvious, necessary progression. However, there are still many schools and trusts operating in darkness with out of date technology and sub-par systems. 

In the education sector, more so than any other, the quality of the IT systems directly correlates to the quality of the service delivered since children learn much better in modern, ergonomic, and interactive environments.

Read on, then, to discover why else IT support needs to be a priority in the education sector. 

Dynamic learning 

Classrooms are spaces of inspiration where the future is shaped. Don’t hold your students back with outdated technology, instead invest in software and hardware that will aid their learning. 

Since technology has the potential to elevate academic performance and bolster a child’s learning, it is worth acquiring systems and products to do so. However, with sophisticated technology can come complex problems. 

Partnering with IT support experts like ITRM allows for a fresh pair of eyes to view your current systems and advise of any improvements. What’s more, with outsourced IT support, your systems can be monitored by specialists so you’ll never have to worry about a tech-failure mid-lesson again. 

For teachers, too, responsive software can be a lifesaver when grading, planning, and emailing parents or colleagues. But this software needs to be installed, regularly checked, repaired if damaged, and optimised which is where experts like us come in. 

Data protection 

More than any other organisation, the protection of data in schools is essential. There are a series of UK GDPR regulations that highlight the importance of protecting children’s data so educational organisations have a responsibility to honour that fully.

Poorly-managed and weakly-defended systems are vulnerable to cyber attacks, data breaches, and file corruption, putting the personal information of the children at risk. 

Since school databases contain excessive quantities of personal data for minors, selecting an IT support company you can trust to manage your data protection is crucial. Allowing IT security experts like ITRM to perform penetration testing and provide IT consultancy not only allows for an assessment of shortcomings of your current systems but also for a successful improvement plan to be made. 

Experts can advise of the steps to take to strengthen your IT data protection methods, like using remote backup and getting Cyber Essentials certified. They can also help manage any threats to your data in future. 

Multi-site connectivity 

In recent years, academics and education trusts have sprung up across the country in bands, becoming increasingly co-dependent, partnering with sister schools across multiple sites. 

This connectivity poses a whole new set of challenges for the IT systems in trusts. Data transfer must be smooth, communications should be instant and reliable, and all systems should be consistent with one another for ease of use and repair. 

Addressing these challenges on such a large scale would seem impossible without a committed team of IT experts to handle them with connectivity optimisation, network cabling, and relocation services. 

Getting the experts involved can elevate the quality of your school’s communication while introducing you to essentials such as cloud computing. Sharing resources, completing collaborative projects, and commenting on others’ work has never been easier than with cloud solutions.

Data processing systems 

With an average of at least 500 students, schools have so many active users to consider and monitor. Registration and attendance software like SIMS can sometimes be difficult to understand and fix when it’s down. 

In addition, the school’s website and other internal online processes like school dinner payments and fees can be challenging to maintain.

Recruiting a dedicated team of IT support professionals to optimise and perform these tasks, then, can be a gamechanger. 

With machine learning, an IT support team can automate those repetitive administrative tasks, send out forms and collect data on a mass scale, while advising you on how best to store your data so that it is recoverable.

Conclusions

IT support is more than just fixing computers. It can be the difference between a good and a great education; can connect classrooms across the country; it can give staff the confidence to deliver excellence.

From protecting personal student data to automating mundane administrative tasks, managed IT support is a must in schools if education is to progress.

Contact us today 

If you have any questions about managed IT support or any of our cyber security services, get in touch with the team today and we’ll find a solution for you.

IT Support London

At ITRM, we are committed to providing organisations in Kent and London with bespoke IT solutions to drive them forwards. So. if you are a school looking for IT support in London or the South East, get in touch with us. 

In the meantime, explore some of the other titles on our blog or browse our partnerships here.