DfE digital standards: where should a school start?

What are the standards?

The Department for Education, often shortened to DfE, publishes digital and technology standards for schools and colleges in England. The guidance covers areas such as internet connections, equipment, security and responsibilities.

The official pages explain each area and who should be involved. Check the current guidance rather than relying on an old summary or assuming every section changed on the same date.

Schools elsewhere may find some advice useful, but should check the guidance that applies to them.

Start with a familiar problem

Perhaps staff cannot reliably show lessons, or the office is unsure who handles a lost device. Write down what happens, who it affects and what staff need to do.

Ask IT and the colleague handling the issue which part of the guidance helps with that question. A technician can explain the setup; a bursar can check costs; the safeguarding lead handles safeguarding responsibilities.

One person may hold several of these roles in a smaller school.

Find out what is already in place

The school may have contact lists, equipment records, supplier agreements and previous checks. Use these before creating another document.

Ask which arrangements have actually been tried and which need a clearer answer. For example, a backup contract is useful, but staff may still need to know how a lost file is recovered.

Do not expect a teacher to certify technical settings they have not checked.

Choose a practical next step

Agree one action, the person arranging it and a sensible date. That might be confirming the help route or asking IT to check a particular room.

If spending is needed, get the options and full costs before approval. After the work, ask a staff member who uses it to try the relevant task.

The standards can help the school organise its questions. A useful first result is a clearer picture of one real need and the next step towards meeting it.