Case Study

For nearly 20 years, CTS has supported the school as its Managed Service Provider. Over this time, we’ve maintained responsibility for all aspects of ICT, delivering dependable support within a strict budget. The relationship is close and well established; we work directly with the Headteacher and Business Manager to plan improvements in line with the school’s wider priorities.

In recent years the school has faced several familiar pressures: increasing demand on digital services, a need for more flexible access to systems and resources, and a desire to reduce the costs and complexity of legacy infrastructure. Many of the school’s systems had been in service for a long time, and patchy wireless coverage was beginning to limit its options.

Rather than taking an ‘all-at-once’ approach, we worked with the school to plan a phased set of improvements. We began by addressing the school’s wireless provision, designing and installing a full-site Wi-Fi network that now supports stable, secure connectivity across classrooms, offices and communal spaces. This made it possible for staff to teach more flexibly and improved access to the tools students need.

Next, we helped rationalise the school’s server infrastructure. Working within an agreed budget, we migrated several key services to the cloud and decommissioned legacy systems. This reduced the school’s exposure to maintenance issues, improved resilience, and made it easier to manage systems remotely. Support and troubleshooting are now quicker and more predictable, and internal teams have greater confidence in day-to-day operations.

Looking ahead, we’re preparing for the rollout of Windows 11 across the school’s estate. As with earlier projects, our focus is on practical delivery—timing the transition to avoid disruption and making sure devices are upgraded or replaced in a manageable way. We’re also reviewing longer-term lifecycle planning for hardware, and exploring how cloud-native tools can further simplify the IT environment.

What’s been important throughout is the continuity of approach. There’s been no push for expensive and unnecessary upgrades. Instead, we’ve helped the school make informed, pragmatic decisions about technology. Because we’ve worked together for so long, there’s trust on both sides—we understand the school’s needs and they know we’ll deliver.

Today, Chis & Sid has a more reliable, adaptable IT setup than it did a few years ago, and those improvements have been delivered steadily with no surprises on cost. It’s a good example of how a long-term MSP relationship can quietly but significantly improve a school’s ability to meet modern teaching and learning expectations, without overcomplicating.