IT support for London schools: what your provider should be doing in 2026

The landscape has changed. Has your school's IT?

Managing IT for a school in 2026 looks nothing like it did a decade ago. With staff and students using cloud platforms, remote access tools, and personal devices alongside school-issued hardware, the complexity of a school's IT environment has grown significantly. And yet, many UK schools are still working with IT support models that haven't kept pace.

This guide is for school business managers, headteachers, and governors who want to understand what genuinely good IT support looks like in 2026 and what to expect from a provider who takes your school's digital safety seriously.

1. They help you get Cyber Essentials certified

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification that is now recommended by the Department for Education (DfE) as a baseline cybersecurity standard for all schools. Schools that achieve Cyber Essentials demonstrate to Ofsted, parents, and the DfE that they take data protection and digital safety seriously.

A good IT provider won't just mention Cyber Essentials; they'll actively guide you through the process, close any gaps in your current setup, and manage the certification from start to finish.

2. They understand GDPR as it applies to schools

Schools hold more sensitive personal data than almost any other type of organisation: student records, safeguarding files, SEN documentation, health information, and staff HR data. A good IT provider understands the specific GDPR obligations that apply to schools and helps ensure that

• Devices are encrypted and access-controlled

• Data is not stored on personal devices without protection

• Staff are trained to recognise phishing and data breaches

• There is a clear incident response process if a breach occurs

3. They proactively manage your devices, not just fix them when they break

Every device connected to your school network is a potential entry point for a cyberattack. A proactive IT provider will monitor your devices remotely, push security updates automatically, and flag issues before they become problems, not after a student or staff member has already clicked something they shouldn't.

4. They support your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for Education environment

Most schools now run on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for Education. A good IT provider should be a certified partner for whichever platform you use, able to:

• Set up and manage staff and student accounts

• Configure Teams or Meet for secure remote learning

• Enable multi-factor authentication for all staff

• Manage device enrolment through Intune or Google Admin Console

5. They give you a clear, fixed monthly cost

Schools operate on tight budgets with limited flexibility. The last thing a school business manager needs is a surprise IT invoice at the end of the term. A well-managed IT provider charges a fixed monthly fee per device or per user, so you always know what you're paying, and your IT budget is predictable.

How Brili Supports UK Schools

BrilitSolutions has supported schools across London, Kent, and Essex for over a decade. Our school IT service includes managed Microsoft 365, device management, Cyber Essentials certification support, GDPR compliance guidance, and a fixed monthly fee with no hidden costs.

We also offer a free school IT audit, a no-obligation review of your current setup, identifying gaps in security, compliance, and infrastructure. It takes 45 minutes and can save your school from a costly incident.

Book your free school IT → www.brilit.com/survey