DfE Digital & Technology Standards · Education
Meet the DfE digital and technology standards with confidence
The Department for Education expects schools, colleges and trusts to be working towards its core digital and technology standards by 2030. As education IT and safeguarding specialists, we make compliance practical — and turn it into safer, more reliable technology for your setting.
Overview
What are the DfE standards?
‘Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges’ is the DfE’s guidance — developed with the NCSC — on what good technology looks like in education. The Academy Trust Handbook 2025 expects trusts to be working towards six core standards by 2030: broadband internet, wireless networks, network switching, filtering and monitoring, cyber security, and digital leadership and governance — alongside standards for cloud, servers, devices, accessibility and a new IT support standard. They are tied closely to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), UK GDPR, Ofsted expectations and funding routes such as Connect the Classroom. Cyber Essentials is required for colleges under their funding agreement.
The mapping
How we help you meet each standard
| Requirement | How Foresight delivers it |
|---|---|
| Cyber security (core) | Annual and termly risk reviews, MFA for leaders, staff and IT, managed patching including DfE-issued updates within 5 working days, Cyber Essentials/Plus, 3-2-1 immutable backups and a tested Cyber Incident Response Plan. |
| Filtering and monitoring (core) | Age-appropriate web filtering and effective monitoring with reporting and incident response, BYOD controls and safe-search enforcement — aligned to KCSIE and the UK Safer Internet Centre. |
| Broadband, wireless & network switching (core) | Resilient business broadband and full-fibre, standards-compliant Wi-Fi coverage and centrally managed, secure switching infrastructure. |
| Digital leadership and governance (core) | vCIO-style technology strategy, clear reporting to governors and trustees, and disaster-recovery and business-continuity plans. |
| Cloud, servers and devices | Secure Microsoft 365 and Intune, server support with restore testing, and managed device standards. |
| IT support standard (new, Nov 2025) | We are your standards-compliant IT partner — a Cyber Essentials-accredited provider with qualified engineers, asset and contract registers, clear SLAs and staff training. |
Speed
How quickly can you be ready?
Week 1 · Standards audit
We benchmark your current provision against the DfE standards and flag the biggest safeguarding and cyber gaps.
Weeks 2–6 · Priority remediation
Cyber security and filtering/monitoring first — the standards that protect pupils and data most.
Ongoing · Reviews & evidence
Termly filtering and monitoring checks, annual risk assessments and a clear evidence log for Ofsted and safeguarding audits.
To 2030 · Roadmap
We phase the remaining infrastructure standards to your budget and funding windows such as Connect the Classroom and CIF.
Priority safeguarding and cyber gaps are usually closed within weeks.
The infrastructure standards are then phased across a costed roadmap to 2030, aligned to your budget and available funding.
Why Foresight
Education is our specialism
We already support schools, academies and multi-academy trusts across Greater Manchester — and are the named IT partner on many of their websites. With a dedicated IT & Safeguarding Lead in Amanda Nellist and Cyber Essentials Plus certification, we understand the safeguarding stakes, not just the tech.
In practice
Typical engagements
Primary school
Passed its filtering and monitoring safeguarding review after we aligned systems to KCSIE and set up clear reporting.
Multi-academy trust
We built a costed 2030 roadmap across all six core standards and report progress to trustees each term.
Sixth-form college
Achieved Cyber Essentials to satisfy its funding agreement, then layered on staff training and resilient backups.
Make meeting the DfE standards simple
Talk to our team for a free, no-obligation gap review. We will show you exactly where you stand and how quickly we can close the gaps.
Book a free consultation