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          6
          core DfE standards
          to work towards by 2030
          12
          digital and technology
          standards areas in current guidance
          2026
          Wi-Fi 7, cyber and
          generative AI guidance updated
          £325m
          Connect the Classroom funding
          available across 2025 to 2030
          01 · DfE 2030

          The six core standards are the foundation

          The Department for Education says all schools and colleges should be working towards six core digital and technology standards by 2030: broadband internet, wireless network, network switching, digital leadership and governance, filtering and monitoring, and cyber security.

          They are not just infrastructure specifications. Together they cover the connection into the school, what happens across the network, how users and data are protected, how safeguarding controls are governed and who is responsible for the technology strategy.

          Broadband internetFull fibre where available, appropriate speed, resilience and safeguarding support.
          Wireless networkReliable coverage, central management, current standards and security.
          Network switchingFast, secure, resilient switching with suitable management and capacity.
          Digital leadership & governanceNamed leadership, accurate registers, continuity planning and a digital strategy.
          Filtering & monitoringAppropriate controls, clear roles, annual review and safeguarding oversight.
          Cyber securityRisk assessment, access controls, secure configuration, backups and incident readiness.
          Primary school pupils using technology supported by DfE digital standards
          The standards are there to support reliable teaching, safeguarding and secure use of technology, not technology for its own sake.

          Our IT support for schools connects the day-to-day support work to these longer-term standards, so the roadmap does not sit separately from the systems staff actually use.

          02 · Current guidance

          The 2026 changes matter

          The DfE standards are live guidance and they changed several times during 2026. A checklist written a year ago can now miss requirements that school leaders should know about.

          Wi-Fi 7 guidance

          In April 2026 the DfE updated the wireless standard with Wi-Fi 7 requirements. It also clarified that schools only need to replace wireless when the existing network no longer meets their needs.

          Cyber Essentials 2026

          Cyber security guidance was updated in June to reflect new NCSC technical requirements introduced through the 2026 Cyber Essentials standard.

          Generative AI risk

          Filtering and monitoring guidance was updated to make schools consider the risks around generative AI, with further product-safety references added in August.

          Do not treat “2030” as permission to wait

          Some standards already say they should be in place now. Filtering and monitoring is tied directly to safeguarding duties, while the cyber security guidance says schools should already be meeting core security requirements or implementing them as soon as possible.

          03 · Outreach resource

          DfE digital and technology standards checklist 2026

          This is the section Josh can link directly from outreach using /dfe-digital-funding-and-standards#dfe-checklist. It gives a school a useful self-assessment before they ever speak to us.

          50 practical checks across all 12 DfE standards areas

          Tick what is already in place. Your progress is saved in this browser only and is not sent to Remedian.

          Turn this into a scored assessment
          0%
          0 / 50
          checks complete
          Broadband & internetCore standard
          Wireless networkCore standard
          Network switchingCore standard
          Digital leadership & governanceCore standard
          Filtering & monitoringCore standard
          Cyber securityCore standard
          Cloud solutionsWider standard
          Digital accessibilityWider standard
          IT supportWider standard
          Laptops, desktops & tabletsWider standard
          Network cablingWider standard
          Servers & storageWider standard

          Important: This is a practical Remedian self-assessment based on current DfE guidance. It does not replace the official DfE standards, safeguarding guidance or professional advice. Individual technical requirements should always be checked against the current GOV.UK standard before procurement or implementation.

          04 · Infrastructure

          Broadband, Wi-Fi, switching and cabling need to work as one system

          Weak school networks rarely have one cause. A fast leased line does not solve poor Wi-Fi. New access points do not solve old cabling or underpowered switches. The DfE standards therefore separate broadband, wireless, switching and cabling, but the assessment has to look at how they work together.

          Broadband and resilience

          We check connection type, speed, backup connectivity, filtering path and whether the contract still fits the school. Primary schools should have at least 100Mbps download and 30Mbps upload under the current DfE broadband standard.

          Wireless design

          Coverage, density, management, security and device demand matter more than simply counting access points. The 2026 guidance now includes Wi-Fi 7 requirements for new or replacement networks.

          Switching

          We review uplinks, firmware, PoE, management, security and resilience so wireless, CCTV, phones and classroom devices are not competing on an under-sized core.

          Cabling

          The DfE specifies Category 6A for new copper cabling and a minimum 16-core multi-mode OM4 standard for optical fibre where applicable.

          Primary pupils using tablets on a school network planned around DfE standards

          For connectivity work, see our broadband and leased line services and Connect the Classroom support.

          05 · Cyber security

          The DfE cyber standard is much more than antivirus

          The current standard covers governance, user access, secure configuration, patching, anti-malware, firewalls, backups, training and incident response. It also expects cyber risk to be reviewed regularly rather than treated as a one-off project.

          Backups are now a board-level resilience issue

          The DfE points schools to the 3-2-1 approach: at least three copies of important data, on at least two separate devices, with at least one copy offsite. Current guidance also calls for immutable backups where possible and termly restore testing with evidence that recovery actually works.

          We link this work to school cyber security, Cyber Essentials and secure backup rather than treating each product as an isolated purchase.

          Students using digital technology in a secure school learning environment
          06 · Safeguarding

          Filtering and monitoring now has an AI dimension

          Filtering is preventative. Monitoring is about identifying concerning activity and making sure the right people can act on it. The DfE says schools and colleges should already be meeting the filtering and monitoring core standard.

          The 2026 changes are particularly important for DSLs, governors and IT teams because the guidance now explicitly addresses generative AI risk. That means reviewing how AI services fit into filtering rules, monitoring strategies, approved applications and the wider safeguarding process.

          Technical controls

          Filtering policies, categories, SSL inspection where appropriate, alerting, device coverage and reporting need to match the school's risk profile.

          Governance

          Schools need named responsibilities, regular review and a clear route from technical alerts into the safeguarding process.

          Where schools use Smoothwall, see our Smoothwall Monitor information. We do not treat the product itself as the whole safeguarding strategy.

          07 · Leadership and operations

          The bit many technical audits miss: governance, continuity and IT support

          One gap in the old Remedian checklist was that it did not give the DfE core standard for digital leadership and governance its own section. The current DfE guidance does, so this version corrects that.

          Named SLT digital lead

          Someone at senior leadership level owns the strategy and connects IT decisions to teaching, safeguarding, finance and the school development plan.

          Registers

          Contracts, hardware assets and information assets should be current enough to support purchasing, security and lifecycle decisions.

          Disaster recovery

          Digital technology belongs in business continuity and disaster recovery plans, with annual testing rather than documents that have never been exercised.

          IT support

          The DfE added a dedicated IT support standard in November 2025. Support provision should have the skills, processes and review needed to help the school meet the standards.

          This is where a dedicated account manager and regular school engineer are useful: someone owns the roadmap while the support team sees what is happening day to day.

          08 · Funding

          Connect the Classroom is real funding, but it is targeted

          The current page talks too broadly about schools “qualifying” for DfE digital infrastructure funding. That needs tightening. The live DfE programme is Connect the Classroom, which funds eligible schools to improve Wi-Fi access points and network switches.

          Current position

          The DfE states that £325 million is available for the 2025 to 2030 financial years. Eligible schools are contacted directly by the DfE and must meet the programme criteria. It is not a blanket grant that every school can claim for any technology purchase.

          Remedian can still help before funding lands: audit the current environment, document coverage and switching, identify standards gaps and prepare a technically sensible plan. When a school is eligible, that evidence makes procurement and delivery much easier.

          Read more about Connect the Classroom.

          School technology project planned against DfE digital infrastructure standards
          09 · The output

          A checklist is useful. A scored roadmap is more useful.

          The example standards report you supplied already has the right basic idea: overall compliance, a score by standards area and a list of what is complete, in progress or not started. We should use the public checklist as the entry point, then turn an assessment into a school-specific report.

          1. Current position

          Evidence from networks, accounts, filtering, backups, contracts, devices and governance documents.

          2. Standards score

          A simple view of what is complete, partly complete and not yet started, with evidence behind the score.

          3. Priorities

          Separate urgent security or safeguarding gaps from lifecycle work that can be planned and budgeted.

          4. Roadmap

          Actions for the next term, next budget cycle and longer-term work towards the six core 2030 standards.

          The school example report provided for this project contains 46 checks across 11 areas. This website version has been updated to include digital leadership and governance explicitly, bringing the self-assessment to 50 practical checks across all 12 current DfE areas.

          10 · MATs and federations

          Trusts need one standards view without losing school-level detail

          A MAT can have five schools with five different switch estates, backup arrangements, filtering policies and device lifecycles. A trust-wide assessment should show where the same risk exists everywhere and where one school needs a different response.

          Central dashboard

          Compare standards status and high-risk gaps across every school.

          Common standards

          Define what “good” looks like for Wi-Fi, switching, identity, backup and support across the trust.

          Shared procurement

          Use lifecycle data to group projects and avoid emergency purchases site by site.

          Local delivery

          Keep named engineers and school-level actions while reporting centrally to trust leadership.

          11 · Schools we support

          What schools and trusts say about Remedian

          “The expertise and support provided by Remedian, where we lack in-house capabilities, have been invaluable. We have been with Remedian for over 10 years, and their proactive, personal service has significantly enhanced our IT infrastructure and security.”
          Whittaker Moss Primary School · Rochdale
          “Fast to respond, proactive, and invaluable for strategic direction across the Trust. Remedian feel like part of our team, not just a supplier.”
          BEBCMAT Trust · Multi-Academy Trust
          “Remedian have provided IT support to our school for a number of years. The service is excellent and I would have no hesitation in recommending them.”
          Christ Church Primary School
          “Remedian took the stress of IT completely off our plate. Our staff can focus on the children, knowing everything is being looked after in the background.”
          St. Mary's CE Primary School

          Read Remedian case studies or see the full school IT support service.

          Turn the checklist into a school-specific DfE standards roadmap

          We will review the current position, identify the gaps that matter most and give you a clear plan for immediate risks, budget planning and longer-term work towards the DfE standards.

          • Useful for headteachers, business managers, SLT, governors and trust leaders.
          • Covers infrastructure, safeguarding, cyber security, governance and support.
          • No need to change IT provider just to understand where the gaps are.

          Book a DfE standards assessment

          13 · FAQs

          DfE digital standards questions

          What are the six DfE core digital and technology standards?+
          The six core standards are broadband internet, wireless network, network switching, digital leadership and governance, filtering and monitoring, and cyber security. Schools and colleges should be working towards meeting all six by 2030, while some security and safeguarding requirements should already be in place.
          Is Wi-Fi 7 now required by the DfE?+
          The DfE updated its wireless network standard in April 2026 with Wi-Fi 7 requirements. The guidance also says schools do not need to replace a wireless network simply because a newer standard exists; upgrades should be planned when the current network no longer meets the school’s needs.
          Does DfE funding pay for every school technology upgrade?+
          No. Funding is programme-specific. Connect the Classroom is targeted, and eligible settings are contacted directly by the DfE. Other work may need to be planned through school, trust or capital budgets.
          What does the Remedian DfE checklist cover?+
          It covers the six core standards plus cloud solutions, digital accessibility, IT support, laptops/desktops/tablets, network cabling, and servers and storage. It is a practical self-assessment and does not replace the official DfE guidance.
          Can Remedian assess our school against the standards?+
          Yes. We can review evidence, score the current position, identify gaps and create a prioritised roadmap covering immediate risks, planned upgrades and longer-term work.
          Can you assess a multi-academy trust across several schools?+
          Yes. We can combine a central trust view with school-by-school findings, helping leaders standardise technology, prioritise risk and plan procurement across the estate.
          Does the checklist cover filtering, monitoring and generative AI?+
          Yes. It includes the technical and governance elements of filtering and monitoring, including the need to review emerging risks such as generative AI as reflected in the 2026 DfE updates.
          Can we use the checklist without becoming a Remedian customer?+
          Yes. The online checklist is designed as a useful self-assessment. A formal Remedian assessment adds evidence, scoring and a prioritised roadmap, but using the checklist does not commit you to changing provider.

          Official guidance and useful links

          1. Department for Education: Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges — current standards hub, updated 25 August 2026.
          2. Department for Education: Connect the Classroom — eligibility, scope and funding.
          3. DfE Cyber Security Hub: Meet the Cyber Security Standards.
          4. DfE: Prepare your education estate for the PSTN and ISDN switch-off.
          5. Remedian: IT Support for Schools and Multi-Academy Trusts.
          6. Remedian: Connect the Classroom support.

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