School Broadband Buying Guide

A clear guide for schools and MATs choosing the right broadband solution

Reliable broadband is one of the most important digital infrastructure decisions a school or Multi Academy Trust (MAT) can make. It underpins teaching, cloud services, safeguarding, MIS systems, communication, telephony, and online learning. This buying guide outlines the key DfE compliance standards, core connectivity options, and the essential considerations when upgrading school broadband.

Understanding DfE Broadband Standards

The Department for Education (DfE) has set clear expectations for how schools should approach broadband. These standards exist to ensure that schools have the capacity, speed, and security needed for a modern digital environment.

This standard is one of the 6 core standards. You should be working towards meeting it by 2030.

• Use a full fibre connection for broadband service.
• Have a backup broadband connection to ensure resilience and maintain continuity of service.
• Ensure appropriate IT security and safeguarding systems in place, under both child and data protection legislation.

Schools are encouraged to upgrade when contracts end, or as soon as fibre connectivity becomes available.

School Broadband Options Explained

Schools vary in size, device use, and digital strategy, so selecting the right connection type is crucial. Below are the most common broadband solutions used in the education sector:

FTTP (Fibre to the Premises)

• Ultra-fast, reliable full-fibre connection
• Ideal for most primary and secondary schools
• Cost effective and future-proof
• Meets the DfE expectation for full-fibre connectivity

Leased Line

• A dedicated fibre line used exclusively by your school
• Guaranteed bandwidth and robust SLAs
• Highly reliable and scalable
• Best suited to larger schools, high traffic environments, or MAT central offices

SoGEA

• Commonly used as a backup / resilience connection
• Broadband without the need for a traditional telephone line
• A useful option where full fibre is not yet available

Resilience: Why Schools Need Backup Broadband

A broadband outage can disrupt learning, disable phone systems, prevent access to safeguarding tools, and interrupt cloud based teaching resources. Because of this, DfE standards now recommend every school has a resilient broadband setup.

A resilient connection should include:

• A secondary broadband line (preferably a different technology to the main line)
• Automatic failover, ensuring the school stays online if the main service fails
• Backup power for critical networking and telephony equipment

Resilience is not an optional extra, it’s essential for safeguarding, continuity, and operational stability.

Safeguarding & Security Requirements

Every school broadband package should include secure online safety and cyber protection measures.

Core recommendations include:

• Content filtering to block harmful or inappropriate material
• Monitoring tools to detect unsafe or concerning behaviour
• Compliance with statutory guidance such as KCSIE and UKCIS filtering & monitoring standards
• Secure firewalls and network protection

These elements protect pupils, support compliance with safeguarding policy, and ensure the school network remains safe and secure.

Choosing Tel Group as Your Broadband Provider

At Tel Group, we specialise in providing fast, secure, and DfE aligned broadband solutions tailored specifically for schools and MATs.

• Education-Focused Solutions

Our solutions are designed exclusively for the education sector, ensuring schools receive the reliability, safeguarding, and performance they require.

• Full Fibre Connectivity Options

We deliver a full range of broadband services including:

• FTTP for rapid, cost-effective full-fibre connectivity
• Leased Lines for dedicated, ultra-reliable bandwidth
• SoGEA and alternative options for backup and resilience

This allows schools to meet DfE broadband standards both now and long-term.

• Built-In Resilience & Failover Options

We provide backup broadband solutions and automatic failover support, ensuring your school remains online at all times, even if your main broadband line experiences an outage.

• Fully Compliant Safeguarding & Security

Our services include:

• Advanced content filtering
• Real-time monitoring
• Firewalls and network protection
• Solutions that meet or exceed statutory safeguarding guidance

This supports a safe digital environment across the entire school.

• End-to-End Service & Support

From installation and configuration to ongoing monitoring and technical support, we offer a complete lifecycle service, making broadband management simple for busy school staff.

Key Points

When upgrading school broadband, you should prioritise:

• A full-fibre connection (FTTP or Leased Line)
• Backup broadband for resilience
• DfE-aligned safeguarding and security
• A provider that understands the unique needs of education

We deliver all of this through secure, future-ready broadband solutions built specifically for schools and trusts, ensuring your digital infrastructure is reliable, compliant, and built to support modern teaching.

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