DfE Grant Funding

When schools and colleges closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers needed a way to continue teaching students at home. The solution was to provide digital education platforms. This is the name we give to a set of tools and technologies that together enable pupils to learn online in virtual classrooms.
Digital education platforms are purpose-built for remote learning and they are so much more than just a school website.
Funding is available for schools to help them get set up on one of two platforms, either G Suite for Education (Google Classroom) or Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams). Both are free to use.
While face-to-face provisions have returned for many, it remains a legal requirement for schools and multi-academy trusts in England to offer immediate remote learning access for pupils who need to learn from home, for reasons such as self-isolating.

Indeed, many classes and year groups across the country are sent home every day, so you must have a Digital Education Platform up and running to ensure your pupils keep up with curriculum.

The benefits of a digital education platform

Using these platforms, teachers can:
• teach classes as well as smaller groups of pupils
• communicate with their pupils
• set tasks for individuals as well as for larger groups
• let pupils work together
• give feedback
• share useful links to digital learning resources
• collaborate with their colleagues on lesson planning and related administrative tasks

Unlock Learning with Microsoft

Wondering how to support remote learning for all pupils in your educational establishment? You’re in luck. We’re working alongside Microsoft and the Department for Education (DfE) to help schools enjoy a seamless digital learning experience. While the DfE is delivering financial aid, Stone Group is offering eligible organisations 60 days’ worth of free technical support, in partnership with Microsoft.

We harness the power of Office 365 Education (which includes Microsoft Teams) to help teachers and pupils share documents, collaborate, and communicate effectively. Forget uninspiring worksheets and procrastination – Microsoft’s seamless digital learning platform offers dynamic educational experiences that will help your students thrive.

Am I eligible for DfE support?

Schools hoping to access grant funding must meet minimum criteria. Here is a brief outline of requirements:

• Schools in England without full access to Microsoft Office 365 or Google Suite are eligible for a grant of up to £2,000 for the sole purpose of implementing a Digital Education Platform.
• Schools in England that are part of a multi-academy trust are eligible to claim £1,000 per school, with a view to configuring a trust-wide solution.

What to Do if You’re Eligible for the Scheme

Applying for a grant is easy. Simply log into the portal and select Microsoft and Stone as your preferred technical partners. We will take the reins when it comes to implementing your Digital Education Platform - no IT skills required

How Stone Group Can Help

At Stone Group, we’ve been supporting the education sector for almost 30 years, delivering dynamic IT and AV solutions to a wide array of institutions including schools and colleges. As such, we’re committed to supporting the education of young people and helping disadvantaged pupils reach their full potential.

We are delighted that the DfE has arranged an initiative that will benefit school pupils across the country. After a tough year, they deserve high-quality educational experiences that will help them to build promising futures.

To ensure we do our bit for the next generation, we are supporting the DfE initiative with 60 free days of technical support for any eligible school that decides to partner with us. We are a Microsoft Gold Partner and Cloud Service Provider, meaning we can help your school get to grips with the Microsoft Office Digital Education Platform.