Connect the Classroom 2026

Suppliers of the government funded Connect the Classroom scheme, upgrading networking infrastructure in schools to improve connectivity.

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£325 million of Connect the Classroom funding

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced £325 million of Connect the Classroom funding for 2026, following on from the successful phases of the scheme that have been running since 2021. The announcement came as part of the governments recent press release.

The Connect the Classroom scheme provides grants to help schools improve their wifi networks, which includes upgrading switches and wireless access points.

The 2026 funding

Details of the 2026 funding and selection criteria are expected to be released in summer 2026. It has also been noted that the DfE will also provide targeted support for digital connectivity, ensuring that where commercial fibre plans have not progressed, schools and the communities they serve are not left behind.

Connect the Classroom Evolution Research Report

The funding announcement comes after the publication of the Connect the Classroom Evolution Research Report, released in February 2026. The report was commissioned by the DfE to evaluate the Connect the Classroom second phase - exploring both the changes within schools and the experiences of the process. Some of the key findings are:

  • Overall, experiences were positive and 76% were satisfied with the process
  • Significant improvements in connectivity were noted by 91% for both speed and reliability
  • 40% of schools have increased their use of cloud-based storage or systems due to these improvements
  • 61% of schools believed that CtC2 had helped them utilise the technology in their school to its maximum effect

Benefits of Connect the Classroom

Unreliable connectivity has a negative impact in schools, impacting on outcomes, teaching and learning and hindering the use of other technologies. The Connect the Classroom scheme has brought many benefits to schools who have been involved in the upgrades so far:

  • Improving internet speeds and reliability
  • Installing centralised cloud management
  • Improving network security
  • Adhering to the latest wireless standards
  • Enhanced wifi coverage across the school
  • Improving wifi coverage outside the classroom

Register your interest in the CTC scheme

As we wait for the announcement of further details for the next round of funding, please register your interest if you think your school would benefit from Connect the Classroom funding, or if you have any questions about Connect the Classroom or your network infrastructure.

Trusted by our customers

We’re the trusted IT partner to organisations working across a wide range of sectors, ranging from small business to enterprise and public sector environments.

  • I can highly recommend Primary Technology. Dan was amazing to work with and helped us to achieve an efficient and workable solution for the school.

    Fiona Parker, School IT Manager

  • We had been planning to try and upgrade our wireless in the coming years, so it was fantastic to learn about the DfE funding that was available. Primary Technology helped guide us through the complete process and completed the works to a very high standard. We are delighted with the end result. We now have great Wi-Fi coverage, especially in areas where our old Wi-Fi struggled due to the number of mobile devices we have in school.

    Carolyn Tuscher, Business Manager

Choosing the right supplier

Choosing a trusted, reputable and experienced supplier is an important first step in the process - Primary Technology have supported over 100 schools with Connect the Classroom projects gaining lots of amazing feedback.

Proven track record

We have supported over 100 schools undergoing Connect the Classroom upgrades, including audits, design, implementation and ongoing support. We have gained some amazing feedback. Our experience with the programme means we have a familiarity with the DfE process and its requirements. In the latest phase, we were even contracted to remediate issues for schools who have used other suppliers and experienced substandard installations due to external contractors.

Enterprise-level partnerships

Our years of experience has brought us partnerships with leading suppliers enabling us to supply enterprise-grade solutions. We build strong partnerships, committing to earning accreditations and certifications to ensure we have the knowledge and tools to deliver the best solutions to our customers.

In-house installations team

We have our own in-house installations team, so you can be confident that we don’t use third-party contractors for any aspect of the installation. We have a dedicated, knowledgeable team who can help schools through every step of the process and get excellent feedback on our standard of work.

Experience in education

We have worked with schools for over 20 years, meaning we have a wealth of experience and expertise. We know how schools operate and what’s important to them, meaning we do a lot of our installations out of school hours, and security and compliance are at the forefront of all that we do. We are a supplier on one of the recommended DfE procurement frameworks widely used in education.

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