ICT Infrastructure Audits for Schools and MATs

Understand Your Current Infrastructure and Plan Future Improvements

Is your school’s technology infrastructure reliable, resilient and ready to support future demand?

Tel Group’s ICT Infrastructure Audits provide a detailed assessment of the network, connectivity, security and communication systems across your school or Multi-Academy Trust.

Following an on-site survey, we produce a clear RAG rated report showing what is currently installed, what is working well and where improvements may be required. We also provide practical recommendations to help leadership teams prioritise projects and plan future technology investment.

A Complete View of Your School’s Infrastructure

School infrastructure often develops gradually. New equipment is added, buildings change and temporary solutions can remain in place for years.

Without a detailed review, schools may be unaware of outdated cabling, limited Wi-Fi coverage, ageing equipment or single points of failure until they cause disruption.

Our audits provide an accurate overview of your current environment and assess whether it can continue to support teaching, operations, security and communication.

What Does an ICT Infrastructure Audit Cover?

Broadband and Resilience

We review the school’s primary and backup broadband services, available speeds, connection types and resilience.

The audit considers:

• Primary and backup broadband provision
• Available upload and download speeds
• Automatic failover
• Service termination points
• Power resilience for critical network equipment
• Alignment with relevant DfE guidance

This helps establish whether the school has sufficient capacity and suitable backup arrangements to maintain access to essential services.

Network Infrastructure

The performance of your network depends on the cabling, cabinets and switches connecting equipment across the site.

We assess:

• Backbone connections between network cabinets
• Copper and fibre cabling
• Horizontal cabling to classrooms and devices
• Network topology and daisy-chained connections
• Cabinet size, security and ventilation
• Cable management and labelling
• Power distribution, surge protection and UPS provision
• Switch age, support and capacity
• Fibre and copper uplinks
• Power over Ethernet requirements
• Potential single points of failure

The audit can identify infrastructure that is restricting performance, approaching the end of its supported life or unable to support future upgrades.

Wireless Network and Heat Mapping

Slow or unreliable Wi-Fi may be caused by poor access point positioning, interference, limited capacity or gaps in coverage.

Our wireless assessment reviews the existing access points, their locations and the performance experienced across the school.

Where required, we produce detailed Wi-Fi heat maps showing:

• 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz coverage
• Wireless signal strength
• Weak or inconsistent coverage
• Primary and secondary coverage
• Access point locations
• Recommended access point positioning

This provides an evidence based foundation for improving or redesigning the wireless network, rather than adding access points without understanding the underlying issue.

CCTV and Door Access Control

We document the school’s existing CCTV and door access control systems to identify current provision and possible gaps.

The assessment can include:

• Camera numbers and locations
• Internal and external CCTV coverage
• Non-operational cameras
• Blind spots and uncovered areas
• Camera and recording equipment
• Image quality and recording capacity
• Existing access-controlled doors
• Entrance and perimeter coverage
• Equipment condition
• Opportunities for standardisation or expansion

Site photographs and coverage plans can be included to show the existing provision and any recommended improvements.

Lockdown and Emergency Communication

We assess whether the school has an effective way to communicate during a lockdown, invacuation or other emergency.

The review considers:

• Existing lockdown alert methods
• Separation between fire and lockdown signals
• Activation points
• Classroom, office and corridor coverage
• Communal and outdoor areas
• Live and pre-recorded announcements
• Telephone system integration
• Internal and external speaker requirements

Where improvements are recommended, the report can include proposed locations for speakers, horns or other alerting equipment.

Classroom Audio Visual Equipment

The audit can also include a review of interactive boards and displays across teaching spaces.

We assess the condition, installation, positioning and cable management of existing equipment, helping schools identify safety concerns and future replacement requirements.

Although classroom audio visual equipment is not part of the DfE’s core digital standards, reviewing it supports wider technology planning and reliable classroom delivery.

Clear RAG Rated Reports and Recommendations

Following the survey, your school will receive a comprehensive infrastructure report providing a clear overview of the findings.

Each area is assigned a RAG rating, making it easy to identify what is performing well, where improvements are required and which issues should be prioritised. The report explains the current position and provides clear, practical recommendations to support future planning and investment.

Your Infrastructure Report Includes

• Existing infrastructure overview
• Executive summary and key findings
• RAG rated infrastructure overview
• Detailed observations for each area
• Assessment against relevant guidance
• Site photographs
• Wi-Fi heat maps where required
• Coverage and equipment plans
• Practical recommendations
• Prioritised improvement plan
• Summary of the main priorities

This gives school and Trust leaders a clear evidence base for budgeting, procurement and long-term technology planning.

Presenting the Findings to Your Leadership Team

Alongside the detailed written report, Tel Group can produce a tailored PowerPoint presentation summarising the audit findings for school or Trust leaders.

The presentation can include:

• Overall RAG position
• Highest-priority risks
• Key findings across each infrastructure area
• Immediate actions and longer-term improvements
• Strategic projects and quick wins
• Resource and investment considerations
• Recommended improvement roadmap

For MATs, the findings can be combined to compare sites, identify common infrastructure issues and establish which schools or projects should be prioritised first.

The presentation can also be used to communicate the findings clearly to senior leadership teams, trustees, governors and other decision makers.

Supporting the DfE Digital and Technology Standards

The Department for Education advises schools and colleges to work towards meeting six core digital and technology standards by 2030.

Our infrastructure audits directly assess several relevant areas, including:

• Broadband connectivity and resilience
• Wireless network coverage and performance
• Network switching
• Network cabling

Recommendations are based on the school’s existing infrastructure, operational requirements and relevant published guidance.

CCTV, door access control, lockdown systems and audio visual equipment are assessed as part of the wider site survey. Where these areas are not covered by the DfE digital and technology standards, they are reviewed against their intended purpose and relevant good practice.

Infrastructure Audits for MATs

For Trusts, Tel Group can survey multiple schools using a consistent assessment and RAG rating process.

This provides Trust leaders with a clearer understanding of infrastructure across the entire estate, helping them:

• Compare performance and risk across schools
• Identify common infrastructure weaknesses
• Prioritise high-risk sites and urgent improvements
• Standardise technology across the Trust
• Plan phased investment
• Create a Trust-wide infrastructure roadmap

The detailed reports and summary presentation provide both the technical evidence and leadership-level overview required to support informed decision making.

Door Access Control

• Which entrances and internal doors are controlled?
• Is all access control equipment operating correctly?
• Are important entrance points included?
• Are multiple, disconnected systems in use?
• Can the system support future expansion?

A site review can document existing access-controlled doors and identify areas where coverage or standardisation may be improved.

Plan Your Next Technology Improvements

Schools do not always need to replace everything at once. The first step is understanding what is currently installed, where the risks are and which improvements should take priority.

Tel Group’s ICT Infrastructure Audits provide the evidence needed to plan budgets, reduce unexpected costs and develop a realistic improvement roadmap for your school or Trust.

Contact Tel Group today to arrange an ICT Infrastructure Audit.

Enquire Today