Girls’ Day School Trust Inks Deal For 26-School IT Project

Business internet, hosting and communications service provider Timico has signed a new contract with the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) to deliver a managed Private Wide Area Network, IP telephony and hosting services ahead of the new school year.

As part of a multi-million pound contract, Timico is helping the GDST to complete the biggest IT project it has ever undertaken – providing all 26 schools and academies across 42 locations with fibre connectivity and a hosted Cisco Unified Communications system as part of the Trust’s mission to become a forward thinking and technically astute organisation.

Making use of webinars from specialist teachers across the whole organisation via video conferencing, an increase in remote learning and even rolling out tablet computers to students are all among the GDST’s plans to revolutionise the way that technology is used in its classrooms, all of which will be supported by an advanced IT infrastructure.

Timico will be supporting all cross-site functions across each of the GDST’s 42 locations, allowing for always-on connectivity, ideas sharing and interactive lessons across multiple sites.

Richard Martin, Head of ICT at the Girls’ Day School Trust, said: “Technology is moving at an incredible pace, so it’s imperative that we have our finger on the pulse in order to pass on the necessary knowledge and skills to our students before they enter higher education or the job market – and equip our teachers with the facilities to do so.

Tony Tugulu, Director of Managed Networks at Timico, added: “The GDST has a fantastically rich heritage, so it’s really exciting for us to support the Trust in the next phase of its development. The implications this technology could have for the future of education are fascinating.”