In partnership with South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL), BT will deliver education cloud services via a new framework, offering schools a new way to purchase ICT.
Over a four-year period, the national framework aims to provide flexible, secure, cloud-based services, including the virtualisation of desktops, applications, learning content and user storage.
All services can be tailored to meet individual school requirements and will be accessible from any teacher or student’s device in the classroom or at home.
Paul Taylor, vice-president, Local & Devolved Government and Health, BT Global Services, said, “Using feedback from teachers, pupils and school IT managers, we’ve designed services to help improve educational outcomes at reduced cost – available from any location, at any time, on any device. Combining these services with the education expertise and eSafety capabilities of the SWGfL, we’re excited to help schools realise the possibilities of the cloud.”
Requiring no up-front capital payments, schools can access the range of services and will benefit from simplified billing and predictable budgeting.
Cloud-based web filtering, using the best online safety guidance from SWGfL, will help to ensure all learners using the service are kept safe online, whether at school or anywhere else.
Paul Hancock, Commercial Manager, SWGfL, said: “The benefits available to schools through the use of cloud ICT services are becoming apparent, but the ways in which schools can realise them, and translate them into real improvements in educational outcomes, aren’t so clear. SWGfL is delighted to be partnering with BT to change that – we’re here to find ways for ICT to advance education, and these new services will help us achieve that objective.”
A free self-review tool underpins the services, helping schools make the right decisions on the suitability and efficacy of their existing ICT provision. It will also offer advice on ways to improve their ICT schools, including how the education cloud services can help deliver on-going improvements.
The new cloud services will be available over the coming months.
