Osbaldwick Primary Academy infrastructure upgraded through Connect the Classroom initiative

Through the governmentโ€™s Connect the Classroom initiative, we worked alongside Ebor Academy Trust in York and TP-Link, helping Osbaldwick Primary Academy transform its wireless and network infrastructure, eliminating outdated technology and connectivity constraints.

Osbaldwick Primary Academy was identified as eligible for Connect the Classroom through the regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) programme and turned to Vital York as their trusted IT partner, to help them roll out the upgrade.

Russ Goodwin, Vital Yorkโ€™s Technical Services Manager said โ€œThe school had aging infrastructure, Wi-Fi 5 access points and switches that were ten years old which couldnโ€™t be centrally managed. We wanted to bring them into the modern era.

Working with TP-Link to create a wireless design, weโ€™ve ensured full site coverage, from making sure we had density where it is needed to full coverage for outdoor spaces. With the hardware specifications we have installed, the school will be future proofed for up to ten years. Weโ€™ve helped the school meet the latest DfE standards, using a combination of Wi-Fi 7 and new Cat 6a cabling allowing 10GB connections between the access points and switches.

With the warranty that Omada provides, there should be no ongoing costs – the school can have faith in the system weโ€™ve put in and know thereโ€™s no further expenditure.

From a Managed Service Provider point of view we would recommend Omada by TP-Link for all education institutions for schools of any size.โ€

Matt Brown, Headteacher at Osbaldwick Primary Academy said โ€œWe have an ambitious curriculum at Osbaldwick Primary and a lot of that content is digital, but because the old network was fragile and unreliable, teachers were preparing quality lessons and it would be frustrating for them and the pupils when the Wi-Fi dropped out. It meant lost learning. What weโ€™ve got now is a more robust system where teachers can deliver with confidence at the front of lessons whilst also enabling pupils to use 30 devices at the same time, which all sync together.

One of the other really important things that Omada has been able to help us with is having separate guest access and pupil access, and segregating those for safeguarding purposes.

For us, the technology upgrade isnโ€™t just an IT refresh, itโ€™s an invisible facilitator. So, for outside learning, which is particularly pertinent for early years, teachers are able to think โ€˜how can we get that digital content in all lessons across the curriculumโ€™, regardless of their location.

Everything went seamlessly with the install and itโ€™s already made such a difference. Teachers are now more confident, itโ€™s reduced workload and weโ€™ve seen an increase in staff wellbeing. Iโ€™d highly recommend both Vital York and Omada by TP-Link.โ€

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Further information

As a TP-Link Platinum Partner, Vital can take on projects of any size, with the full support of the Omada team. Contact us If you are looking to upgrade your IT infrastructure, we can help.

Please contact us:ย T: 0344 873 6100 | E: info@vitalyork.com