DfE Funding Forms:
With schools experiencing mounting pressure to support remote teaching, its important you find the best platform to meet your school’s needs. Trying to work out your own ways of doing this can be hard – If you have the Microsoft or Google platforms working for you though, running a class, collaboration, video links, and setting work is so simple it’s almost self-explanatory.
Just in case it is passed you by, the DfE is currently funding schools to have G-Suite or MS 365 setup for them. The funding is quick and easy to access and you could have a fully configured Cloud Learning environment setup for your school in no time at all.
For schools within an MAT, £1000 is available for each school when using a single MAT tenancy, Primary schools can receive a grant of £1,500 and secondary schools £2,000.
Which Platform is Best?
The perennial question, they both offer a very similar set of services at their core. As Google and Microsoft Partners we understand the strengths of each platform and can assure you both are great products. However, Google’s G Suite for Education has proven very popular due to its school-specific features and considerations such as Google Classroom. We find Primary Schools in particular prefer Gsuite for Education if not only for its features, for its long term affordability and value for money. This is especially relevant if you are open to introducing Chromebooks and Chrome hardware across the school.
But, if your not sure and don’t have an existing G Suite or MS 365 domain, then look at your Strategic Plan for ICT to see if there is a natural fit.
Can I get the funding?
So long as you are a registered school, and don’t have an existing G-Suite or MS 365 tenancy WITH PUPIL ACCOUNTS – then yes, you probably qualify for the funding – fill out on of the forms below and find out for sure, it costs you nothing to try.
What do I get?
Once your application has been submitted, the partner you picked co complete the work (if you’re going with G Suite we highly recommend Cygnet) will organise a virtual meeting to talk you through the process and will then set up a G-Suite or MS 365 account for your school. This will include populating all student and staff accounts, and setting up classes so that you can immediately start working with Google Classroom or MS Teams.
Oh, we almost forgot, we also provide a 2-hour introduction training session as part of the program – our Google Accredited trainer will take you through your G-Suite, show you where everything is and get you up and running – no expense added.
How do I get it?
Simple! Just complete one of the following forms for either Google G-suite or Microsoft 365.
Once your form is submitted you will then be able to choose your technology partner (don’t forget to pick Cygnet if you’re going with G-suite) who will take you through the process. Upon completing the work, your technology partner will invoice you for the DfE agreed sum, you will then receive the same sum directly from the DfE to pay the invoice with.
Cygnet is an implementation partner on the G-Suite program. If that’s the system you want to use, and you like what you have seen here, then select Cygnet IT Services as your partner – If you would like any more (unbiased) advice, then click HERE to contact us, or just give us a call – We would love to hear from you (whether you want us to set it up for you or not)
Why Cygnet?
Cygnet IT has over 25 years’ experience supporting schools with all things IT and MIS. Not only are we Google Cloud, Google for Education, and Microsoft Partners, we have a dedicated MIS support service that is SIMS, Arbor, and Pupil Asset accredited as well as a technical team providing on-site and remote support. We know schools, and we understand how to ensure you get the best value from your investments – if you want to take your first big step into cloud learning, then give us a go – at the end of the program, we hand you all the setup information and passwords, it’s entirely up to you if you want us to continue working with you, or leave you to explore your new digital domain.
