RM Tech Talk issue 6

Welcome to issue 6 of RM Tech Talk, our monthly roundup of insights to help inform your school or trust’s digital strategy. Don’t forget to share Tech Talk with colleagues who might find it useful, and let us know what you think by adding a comment.

From classrooms to the front office: your buyer’s guide to VoIP systems for multi-academy trusts

The deadline for complete migration from analogue telephone lines has been moved to January 2027. The extension is primarily intended to accommodate specific exceptional cases and ensure a smooth transition for vulnerable customers. For the majority, the December 2025 deadline still stands as the goal for migration.

Don’t delay if you need to install a new digital telephone system to replace a legacy analogue system. Start planning now with our buyer’s guide to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone systems, created by RM Technology's VoIP specialist Amos Arowolo .

You can download the guide from the RM website.

How do you follow CC4? With CC5, of course!

RM Technology’s Community Connect (CC for short) has been the foundation for networking in hundreds of schools since the mid-1990s. Throughout its life our intention has always been to provide an off-the-shelf education-specific option, eliminating the need for schools to have independent system maintenance and development, with the associated financial and resource costs.

The current iteration, CC4, is scheduled to be replaced with a new one. It’s called Community Connect 5, and it’s designed to enhance support for current education technology and adapt swiftly to new advancements. We plan to begin CC5 installations in March 2025, and security updates for CC4 will stop in October 2025.

RM’s Product Manager for CC5, Michael Oakes , commented:

"Community Connect 5 is the new generation of RM's rich history in systems management. It builds on CC4's strengths and will simplify how schools and trusts manage their systems. We’re looking forward to supporting existing customers through the transition and bringing the benefits to new customers."

To provide the flexibility and management standards schools and trusts need CC5 will be cloud-based. It will bring the management of different systems like backup, device management and security software into one platform, simplifying tasks.

There’s more detail in the announcement on the RM blog.

Cashback schemes - making your budget go further and other benefits

So far this year, RM Technology has helped 75 schools obtain over ￡206,000 cashback when they bought new HP laptops and desktops under the Brighter Futures scheme.

In addition to the cashback element, Brighter Futures gives participating schools carbon credits to use toward their own environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and reporting. HP offsets the carbon footprint of every new device purchased through one of the scheme’s leading partners, such as RM Technology, for three years. The offset is converted to ESG credits donated to Forest Carbon . HP notifies participating schools quarterly of how many ESG credits their purchases have generated.

Using one of the scheme’s leading partners also gives schools access to the community trade-in element. Schools can collect devices from their community, such as parents and carers and local businesses. Adding these devices to those already in school increases the cashback paid. Community trade-in reduces the amount of e-waste going to landfill locally and enables responsible recycling.

Alfie Beckett , RM Technology’s main Account Manager working with the Brighter Futures scheme, explained what schools have told him they like about it.

“They are often impressed with how quick and efficient it is to make a claim and return their old devices, creating a positive experience using the scheme.”

He also gave some tips to schools wondering how to use the scheme.

“The online eligibility checker is a good way to establish if your school qualifies to claim cash back, and the Windows 11 compatibility tool is a helpful way to see if your devices need upgrading.”

Alpha Academies Trust has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the scheme with RM Technology?in 2024. You can read the case study on our website.

The eligibility checker and Windows 11 compatibility tool are on the Brighter Futures website.

How does upgrading network connectivity benefit a school?

One of the most impactful investments schools can make is to upgrade their network infrastructure to improve connections for everyone around the site. Customers tell us that the resulting improvements can be transformational, both in the classroom and for non-teaching activities.

Steve Millmore, IT Manager at Europa School, confirmed that when he told us:

“It has lifted our headroom – we now know that 30 people in the same classroom will all have a great experience online, which opens our eyes to what is available to us”.

Our recent blog post by RM Educational Consultant Michelle Baldwin explains some of the specific benefits of upgrading wired and wireless network connectivity. It also describes the factors you need to consider when planning a network upgrade project, including fair access, coverage, and the relevant standards.

Read the blog post, and if it inspires you to improve your school’s network get in touch to explore your options.

Two trusts choose RM as their broadband supplier

Following its selection of RM Technology as its technology services provider, the University of Chichester (Multi) Academy Trust (UniCAT) recently also awarded RM Technology the contract for broadband across the trust.

Following a similar tender process to UniCAT, Rise Multi Academy Trust selected RM? Technology to provide broadband and internet content filtering for its 25 schools across Leicestershire and Derbyshire.

We’re delighted to welcome both trusts to our family of connected schools as we prepare to celebrate 30 years as an internet service provider for the education sector.

We’re also proud to start providing managed IT support to another new customer Saint Francis Xavier (SFX) Sixth Form College in south-west London.

Events and webinars

The events page on our website gives details of events we’re attending and our ongoing series of webinars on relevant topics. Forthcoming highlights include:

Unlocking the Potential of Google Workspace for Educators Google Certified Trainer and one of RM’s Senior Educational Consultants, David Fitzpatrick will cover essential tips and tricks, explore lesser-known features, and identify common areas where educators may be missing out on the vast capabilities of Google’s free powerful suite of tools. Hosted on Teams: Tuesday, 15th October, 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm.

Future Schools: Using broadband to bring your curriculum alive. This hour-long session will include tips on integrating broadband connectivity across your curriculum. A secondary school Network Manager will also give a first-hand account of what the school uses RM broadband to do. Hosted on Microsoft Teams: Thursday 17th October 10.00 am – 11.00 am

Confederation of School Trusts Annual Conference Join us at CST's annual conference at the ICC in Birmingham. Visit RM's stand to explore how we can support your digital transformation strategy. In addition, RM Technology’s Mel Parker and Michael Oakes will be joined by United Learning’s Lauren Thorpe to deliver a workshop on how you can build an environment that is safe for AI. Venue: The ICC, Birmingham 7th-8th November.

That’s all for this month. We’ll be back with another RM Tech Talk around the October half-term holiday. Until then, follow us on LinkedIn to keep up with the latest on technology for schools and trusts.

If you missed any previous issues of RM Tech Talk, you can read them in the archive.