A GUIDE TO COMMUNICATIONS & IT FOR MULTI- TRUSTS (MATS) COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS HELPING YOUR MAT BE THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE

We have been supplying communications solutions to schools for more than 35 years. From small primary schools and academies to large colleges and universities and, latterly, multi-academy trusts (MATs), we have worked to find education-focused solutions that suit their specific environments.

We understand how your pupils’ and colleagues’ work can be really affected by the efficiency of your communications infrastructure, so it is important to find a supplier that can help your MAT be the best that it can be.

The aim of this guide is to give you an insight into the benefits of using a supplier like us to find cost savings while enjoying the benefits of improved technology.

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EDUCATION

With schools joining or forming MATs to share educational expertise, many of them will also hope to gain enhanced support and better access to more resources.

We understand improving teaching and learning standards is always at the forefront of senior management and governors’ minds, while school business managers and finance directors will also want to achieve cost savings.

It makes sense to assume that buying in bulk will reap economies of scale, so MATs should be looking to consolidate as many costs as possible. COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

“THE MEASURE OF A NEW SYSTEM IS HOW OFTEN PEOPLE MENTION IT AND NO-ONE HAS BECAUSE IT WORKS SO WELL! “IT IS A LOT EASIER TO MANAGE WHICH IS A MASSIVE BENEFIT FOR US WHILE THE STAFF BENEFIT FROM ALL THE EXTRA FEATURES IT PROVIDES.” STEVE GRIFFITHS, FAREHAM ACADEMY COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

THE CHALLENGES

Consolidating costs can be tricky when it comes to Trying to bring all these contracts into line to make IT and communications. Suppliers and contract end it easier for your accounts staff and to reap savings dates vary from school to school. A single school does not look easy! within a MAT might have multiple suppliers providing And while MATs would like to centralise some of their their IT, telephone system support, lines and call services, such as their telephone system, this can be charges, web and content filtering, and internet and difficult when some of the connections required to network connectivity. Some of these services may link sites together are seemingly unsuitable, e.g. rural also be provided by not-for-profit organisations, such schools with challenging connectivity. as Grid for Learning businesses, too.

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

THE SOLUTION

Don’t be put off by the apparent complexity of the multiple supplier situation. swcomms regularly collates all the relevant bills from prospective customers to see where we can find them savings and to find a way to bring all their end dates in line to make their contracts co-terminus. We can also do a lot of the legwork for you in terms of chasing incumbent suppliers for switchover dates and ensuring the transition between suppliers is a smooth as possible.

Don’t to be afraid to seek out an alternative to achieve your goals. It is perfectly acceptable to look to the commercial marketplace to find better solutions. Challenge prospective suppliers; do not assume nothing can be done. “Right from the initial consultation through to project delivery and installation, it was a painless and straightforward process. At every stage, we were kept informed of progress of the project and would highly recommend swcomms for your next comms project.” Ozan Pakyuz John Kyrle High School & Sixth Form Centre, Ross-on-Wye

TELEPHONE SYSTEMS INTERNET CONNECTIVITY We link MAT schools with future-proofed VoIP and hosted telephone Traditionally purchased from council-backed providers, we supply systems that can cope with the heavy demands placed upon them. MATs with dedicated internet access that will only be used by your schools. You will no longer share your bandwidth with other schools Our solutions will connect your schools as one while retaining their in your area, which means its performance won’t be compromised. independent identity. Calls between sites are free, calls can be Once in place, you can use your connectivity to run multiple cloud- transferred and picked up with ease, and resources can be shared based applications, e.g. telephony, web filtering, etc. while each site continues to benefit from all the usual call handling capabilities including automated attendant, absence line and In addition, our flexible internet services for schools mean you only messaging features. All these will serve to reduce the strain felt by pay for the bandwidth you require. Previously, schools have had to school reception teams and to provide better communications access. pay for enough bandwidth to accommodate term times and spikes in internet use, e.g. results days, throughout the entire year, including By gradually bringing every school online under your telephony holidays when usage is very low. This means schools have paid over solution, you can eliminate the risk associated with out-of-date and above for their connectivity; our variable bandwidth helps equipment and share the benefits of a wholesale upgrade. We can control costs. add schools as and when they join your MAT, so you do need to delay upgrade decisions.

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

“I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE SERVICE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM SWCOMMS. I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM. THE SUPPORT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC, BILLING IS VERY EASY AND CONSISTENT, AND EVERYBODY HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP.” AMY VINE, KINGSKERSWELL C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL “swcomms helped us pick the right telephone system for our needs. The project management and engineers were fantastic and bent over backwards for us. The training day spent at swcomms was invaluable and all documentation provided was excellent.” Stuart Wilkie, Marine Academy

WEB FILTERING FOR SCHOOLS DATA NETWORKS Once almost exclusively provided by Grid for Learning organisations, We deploy fit-for-purpose wired and wireless local area networks our web filtering solution protects teachers and MATs from the (LANs) to provide the backbone of the IT-rich environment your increasing threat of litigation from inappropriate or illegal online schools need to connect PCs, tablets, laptops, printers, telephone activities, while shielding pupils and staff from harmful content in line handsets, whiteboards and much more for improved mobility and with the Prevent Duty Guidance. enhanced learning and communication.

Our web content filtering and security service includes intuitive swcomms links school sites to share internet connectivity, web reporting and management to provide filtering by year group, time filtering services, telephony and access to shared resources to of day and location of device while offering secure virtual learning truly unite your MAT and to find the cost savings afforded through environments, defined networks for academic and administration economies of scale. purposes, and dynamic content analysis.

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS “WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR INSTALLATION. IT HAS SAVED US A LOT OF VALUABLE TIME. WE WOULD HAPPILY RECOMMEND SWCOMMS TO OTHER SCHOOLS.” MIKE NEWBY MBE,

WI-FI FOR SCHOOLS NETWORK SECURITY & MANAGEMENT Mobile and smart devices are revolutionising the way schools are run We size the most appropriate firewall to detect and block web-borne and the way pupils learn, with schools either investing in multiple malware and viruses, as well as other malicious hidden content. tablets and laptops – some on a 1:1 basis – or allowing pupils to use We give you visibility of all the devices using your network too for their own devices on site. effective trouble-shooting and enhanced control.

It is not as simple as plugging in a few wireless routers. We use a We also use a web proxy cache to help to reduce bandwidth consultancy-style approach to establish current and future needs to utilisation by storing and retrieving frequently accessed web pages. propose technically and commercially suitable Wi-Fi solutions that This is of benefit in a classroom environment where many users will give IT teams full visibility of devices on the network. be looking at the same material. “THE TRANSITION OVER TO OUR OWN LEASED LINE WAS SMOOTH AND THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY SWCOMMS HAS BEEN EXCELLENT! SMOOTHWALL IS ALSO A FANTASTIC PRODUCT AND WELL WORTH THE MONEY.” GLENN TRACEY, ANSFORD ACADEMY CASTLE CARY

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

WHY US? The honest answer would be because we are decent, well-trained, highly certified and truly pleasant people. Our people are our strength and the reason our business has been successful for more than 35 years.

But we cannot prove that to you until you meet us. Our proof comes from the number of schools who refer us or come back to us for repeat business plus those who are willing to be subjects of case studies and to send us testimonials. COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS FOR MATS

CONTACT US WHAT NOW? 0800 054 6789 When MATs have achieved the educational support [email protected] and excellence they seek from linking with other www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools schools, attention will turn to cost savings and resource management. You will need to find a supplier who is willing work hard on your behalf to help you achieve your goals. Remember, you’re in powerful purchasing position; you’re a MAT!

We would love to talk to you about competitive pricing for your internet connectivity, web filtering, data networks, Wi-Fi, telephony and IT support needs. With 35 years’ experience working in the education sector, we will give you the benefit of our sound advice.

0800 054 6789 • [email protected] • www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Comms National Awards Enterprise Reseller of the Year and Best Enterprise Cloud Solution Winner

Comms Business Awards Apprenticeship Scheme Winner

CRN Sales and Marketing Awards Best Sales Team Communications House Comms Dealer Sales and Marketing Awards Moor Lane, Sowton Reseller Sales Team of the Year Exeter, EX2 7JF Exeter College Apprentice & Employer Awards Castle Court New Employer of the Year Castle Street, Portchester Portsmouth PO16 9QD 0800 054 6789 [email protected]

www.swcomms.co.uk/swcomms-for-schools