Broadband Audit

Most schools pay too much for broadband and don't realise it. Worse, many have gaps in their firewall or web filtering that they aren't aware of. We take an independent look at your setup, your costs, and your compliance with the DfE's digital technology standards.

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A Complete View of Your Network

Broadband, firewall, filtering and monitoring - reviewed as one. These services are closely interconnected and need to be assessed together to give a clear view of what you have, what you’re paying, and whether your overall setup is secure, compliant, and fit for purpose.

No Products, No Bias

We have nothing to sell you - only clear, impartial advice. We don’t promote specific suppliers or solutions, and every recommendation in your audit report is based solely on what’s right for your school.

Compliance and Cost

We assess your setup against DfE standards - not just market pricing. Speed, resilience, security, and safeguarding are all core requirements. The audit shows clearly where you stand against each, not just whether you’re paying a competitive rate.

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More Than Just Internet Speed

Broadband Is Only Part of the Picture

When reviewing broadband, most people focus on speed and price. In schools, the reality is more complex.

Your broadband provision typically consists of four key components: the connection itself, a firewall, web filtering, and monitoring. It is common for these to be delivered by different providers, on separate contracts, and implemented at different times.

The result is that many schools end up with a setup that is either more expensive than necessary, not fully compliant with DfE standards, or both.

The DfE’s Digital Technology Standards set clear expectations around speed, resilience, security, and safeguarding. A broadband audit assesses all of these together, giving you a complete view rather than looking at each element in isolation.

The Service

What the Broadband Audit Covers

The audit looks at everything connected to your school's internet and online safety setup. This includes:

Broadband connection

What type of connection you have, the speeds you're getting, and whether they meet the DfE requirements.

Resilience

Whether you have a backup connection in place, as the DfE expects all schools to have.

Firewall

The product you have, who provides it, and whether it meets the DfE's cyber security standards.

Web filtering

Whether the solution you're using is suitable for the devices your pupils use, and whether it meets the DfE's requirements for keeping children safe online.

Monitoring

If your monitoring solution is providing your safeguarding leads with timely alerts and reports to identify pupils at risk.

Costs and contracts

What you're currently paying across all of these services, and when your agreements end.

We ask for copies of your current invoices and any relevant contract information. From there, we conduct the analysis and return to you with a full written report.

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Safeguarding & Compliance

Why Filtering and Monitoring Matter

Cost is one reason to review your broadband setup. Safeguarding and compliance are equally critical, and for many schools, the more immediate priority.

The DfE sets clear expectations through both the Keeping Children Safe Online guidance and the Filtering and Monitoring Standards. These require schools to have appropriate systems in place, but what “appropriate” looks like depends on your environment, particularly the devices your pupils are using.

Web filtering solutions vary significantly. A system that performs well on Windows devices may not offer the same level of protection across Chromebooks, iPads, or bring-your-own-device environments. Without regular review, it’s common for schools to have gaps in coverage without realising.

Monitoring is a distinct but equally important requirement. Safeguarding leads require timely alerting and visibility of user activity to identify and respond to concerns. If that visibility isn’t there, it presents a risk.

The audit assesses both filtering and monitoring as part of a complete safeguarding and compliance review, not just as line items within your broadband provision.

What Schools Say

Trusted by Schools Across the UK

The initial tender process with TGE solutions was informative and simple to follow. The telephone installation went without a hitch. Overall we received an excellent service from start to finish.

TGE Solutions assisted us with sourcing a new telephone call and line rental provider and managed the transition between the old and new suppliers ensuring the process was seamless and painless.

TGE Solutions are always very friendly and professional; all the way through the process of writing a detailed tender on our behalf, to overseeing the installation of a full and modern new phone system. We are really glad we decided to work with Phil and the team, we never had any problems at all and everything was explained and documented clearly. We used to get frustrated with our old phones and phone lines but now everything has been upgraded, updated and our costs have been reduced. Thanks TGE Solutions!

Your Audit Report

The report is designed to be clear and accessible for a school business leader or safeguarding lead. It sets out what we’ve found, what it means for your school, and the actions we recommend.

Where savings are available, we outline them clearly along with practical guidance on how to achieve them. Some can be implemented quickly, while others may depend on contract end dates. We highlight these so you can plan ahead.

Any compliance gaps against the DfE standards for broadband, filtering or monitoring are identified and clearly explained.

If your current setup is already effective and compliant, we’ll confirm that as well.

The Investment

A Clear View of Cost and Value

Schools that haven’t reviewed their broadband and associated services for some time are often where the greatest savings are found. Contracts roll over, pricing becomes uncompetitive, and with broadband, firewall, filtering, and monitoring commonly split across different suppliers, total spend is rarely viewed as a whole.

The audit brings everything together. It provides a clear picture of your total spend across all four areas, benchmarks this against the current market, and highlights the gap between what you’re paying and what you should be.

As with all our audits, the fee is fixed and based on school type. In most cases, the savings identified cover the cost of the audit.

What Happens Next

After The Report

The audit is a standalone piece of work. Once complete, you receive your report and the project is concluded.

If the audit identifies that your school would benefit from a broadband procurement exercise, whether that’s a new contract, an improved setup, or both, we’ll outline the opportunity and what it would involve. Any next steps are entirely optional, with no obligation to proceed.

Where contracts are due to end, we clearly highlight key dates so you can plan ahead and act at the right time.

How It Works

What the Process Looks Like

Getting started is simple. Here's how it typically works:

Initial conversation

A short call or Teams meeting to understand your current setup and confirm what information we'll need from you.

You share your bills

We ask for current invoices covering your broadband, firewall, filtering and monitoring costs, along with any contract information you have. This is usually all we need from you.

We carry out the analysis

We review your costs against the current market, check your setup against the DfE standards, and identify any gaps or savings.

You receive your report

A clear written report covering our findings, what they mean, and what we'd suggest doing next.

Follow-up

We'll follow up after the report to make sure everything is clear and to answer any questions.

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For Multi-Academy Trusts

A Note for Multi-Academy Trusts

Broadband, filtering, and monitoring are often areas where trusts see significant variation across their schools. Different connections, suppliers, and safeguarding solutions are frequently procured independently, with limited trust-wide oversight.

An audit across your estate provides a clear view of each school’s position on cost, compliance, and safeguarding. It highlights opportunities to consolidate suppliers, standardise your approach, and align contracts—enabling more effective procurement across the trust.

We produce individual reports for each school, alongside a trust-wide overview—giving you both detailed insight and a clear strategic picture.

Common Questions About Working with Us

Questions We're Often Asked

Our broadband seems fine. Is there still a reason to get it reviewed?

Often yes. Schools that haven’t had an independent review in a few years frequently find they’re paying above-market rates, even if the service feels adequate day-to-day. Beyond cost, the audit also checks your setup against current DfE standards, which have been updated and tightened in recent years. You may be compliant, but it’s worth knowing for certain.

What's included in the audit - is it just broadband, or does it cover other elements such as web filtering and monitoring?

It covers your broadband connection, your firewall, your web filtering, and your monitoring setup. These are reviewed together because they’re closely connected, both in terms of cost and in terms of whether your school is meeting DfE requirements.

We use a mix of devices - Chromebooks, iPads and laptops. Does that affect the audit?

It’s relevant, yes. Different filtering products work differently depending on the devices pupils use, and the audit takes that into account. If your current filtering solution isn’t providing consistent coverage across all your devices, we’d flag it in the report.

What if we're already in a contract?

That’s fine and very common. Knowing your contract positions is part of what the audit covers. If savings are available but you’re locked in for another year or two, we’ll set out the timeline so you can plan and act when the time comes.

We don't know much about DfE digital technology standards. Does that matter?

Not at all. That’s what we’re here for. The audit checks your setup against the relevant standards and explains clearly in the report where you’re meeting them and where there are gaps – without assuming any prior knowledge on your part.

How much does the audit cost?

We charge a fixed fee based on the type and size of school. We’re happy to give you a figure straight away, with no obligation. Get in touch, and we can confirm the cost for your school in the same conversation.

We're a small primary school. Is this relevant for us?

Yes. Every school needs a broadband connection, a firewall, and appropriate filtering and monitoring in place. The DfE standards apply regardless of school size, and the audit fee for a primary reflects the scale of the work involved.