Choose classroom hardware around the teaching activity: managed pupil access, teacher-led presentation, shared demonstration or an identified accessibility need. For schools in England, the Department for Education advises considering devices alongside existing systems, connectivity and support; check how the proposed setup will work with the school’s filtering and monitoring arrangements before committing to it.
School or trust teams choosing laptops or tablets for regular pupil use, shared schemes or class sets need to plan accounts, charging, storage and ongoing support alongside the devices. Department for Education guidance also calls for wireless provision that supports concurrent use.
Teams equipping rooms for display, annotation or demonstrations need to check installation and connections to existing teacher devices. A visualiser for showing physical materials serves a different task from a device issued to each pupil.
Teams reviewing hardware against accessibility and SEND needs should check the features and compatible tools required by their users. Department for Education guidance says personalised assistive technology should be addressed case by case.
For an England school or trust, establish the main classroom task before comparing hardware, then check the systems and people needed to keep it in use.
| Concern | Buying checks | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Managed pupil access | Define whether devices are assigned or shared; check account management, charging, storage and repair responsibilities. | With a shared class set, I need pupils to get onto the right device and account without losing lesson time to handovers. Around 36% of consumers would put managed pupil access first. |
| Infrastructure, safeguarding and support | Check simultaneous wireless use, filtering and monitoring arrangements, and who maintains the devices. | If several classes connect at once, I need the network and school controls to cope before adding devices. Infrastructure, safeguarding and support come first for around 29% of consumers. |
| Whole-class presentation | Identify whether the task needs a teacher-device connection, touch annotation or a visualiser; check room installation. | When the lesson centres on showing or discussing material together, I need a setup that works with the room and teacher device. Around 21% of consumers would make shared presentation their primary concern. |
| Accessibility-compatible access | Check required input, display or audio features and compatibility with any individually identified assistive technology. | If a pupil or member of staff needs a particular way to use the hardware, I cannot assume a standard setup will suit them. Accessibility-compatible access would lead the decision for around 14% of consumers. |
Department for Education buying guidance links hardware, software and broadband decisions. A device that does not fit existing systems can require further configuration or changes to the setup.
Map the lesson activity, current systems, account arrangements and IT support before comparing models.
Department for Education guidance says school wireless provision should support concurrent logon and use. The number of devices in one classroom is not the only demand on the network.
Ask IT support to assess coverage and simultaneous use across the rooms involved, including connected network infrastructure.
Devices, accounts, browsers and applications all affect how the school’s online-safety arrangements operate. Department for Education guidance calls for appropriate filtering and monitoring.
Involve the designated safeguarding lead and IT support when checking the intended device and account configuration.
A classroom setup also depends on deployment, installation and support. Department for Education device guidance advises considering whether hardware remains suitable over its working life.
Review charging, storage, licences, maintenance, repair and replacement needs before settling on a configuration.
Relevant to schools considering iPad or Mac deployments, including shared-device and centrally managed arrangements.
Relevant where Windows devices or Microsoft 365 already form part of a school’s working environment.
Relevant to schools assessing education-focused Chromebook and Windows laptop ranges for pupils or teachers.
Relevant to a shared, touch-enabled classroom-display project rather than a pupil-device fleet.
Plan the teaching use and supporting systems together. Department for Education guidance says hardware, software and broadband should not be bought in isolation, so check compatibility, configuration and support before selecting devices.
Check coverage and capacity for the number of people expected to connect and use devices at the same time. Department for Education wireless guidance also points schools towards planning for concurrent logon; ask IT support to assess the connected network infrastructure as part of the rollout.
Yes: assess whether the proposed devices and account setup will work with the school’s filtering and monitoring arrangements before rollout. Department for Education guidance treats appropriate filtering and monitoring as part of keeping children and young people safe online.
Not necessarily. Department for Education accessibility guidance distinguishes general digital accessibility from personalised assistive technology, which should be considered case by case; check identified needs with relevant users and SEND, curriculum and IT leads.
Define the hardware requirement and check which buying route applies to that purchase before ordering. Department for Education buying guidance describes procurement-route considerations and provides a Get help buying for schools service; the appropriate route depends on the individual purchase.