Bringing resilience, visibility and responsive support to every school in the Trust

With 19 schools across the West Midlands, Birmingham Diocesan MAT was dealing with fragmented internet provision, unreliable connections, and long delays for simple IT changes. Wave9 replaced a mix of local authority and ISP services with unified broadband, Sophos XGS firewalls, and centralised reporting; giving the Trust the resilience and visibility it needed.

Having been appointed Head of IT in 2020, Austen Puleston is supporting the schools with a strategic IT plan.

I simply cannot recommend them enough. True professionals and always there when we need them. They take ownership of the projects they deliver and work incredibly hard in a very difficult sector. Their support, advice, and above all their ethics are faultless.

Austen Puleston

Head of IT

Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust

The Challenge

Across 19 schools, the Trust faced a mix of internet suppliers and support arrangements. This created significant issues:

Fragmented services: multiple ISPs and hosted systems, poorly supported and inflexible.
Insufficient capacity and reliability: frequent outages that could take multiple sites down at once, slow connections, and limited upload speeds as more services moved online.
Limited visibility and reporting: difficult to monitor online activity consistently across sites, and limited clarity around emerging cyber-threats.
Delays and weak SLAs: long turnaround times for simple configuration changes, little escalation, and minimal service credits.
Evolving user needs: mobile staff working across sites, demand for guest Wi-Fi (BYOD), and remote access not consistently supported.

To support his objectives, there was an initial need to plan and implement a common secure, managed broadband and web-filtering service for all 19 schools.

The Outcome

Wave9 deployed a unified service across all schools, combining WaveConnect broadband with Sophos XGS next-generation firewalls and WaveProtect filtering.

Key results:

Stronger service terms: robust service level agreements with service credits, and full flexibility to self-manage backed by unlimited Wave9 helpdesk support.
Reliable, resilient connectivity: fast internet connections delivered across all 19 sites, protected by Sophos XGS Next Generation Firewalls, and designed to minimise barriers between staff, pupils and resources.
Security and compliance: DfE-compliant web filtering from Sophos with full per-user reporting, providing visibility and protection across the Trust with market-leading security tools.
Centralised management and monitoring: a single system to support the IT team with reporting and control.
Improved access for staff and pupils: enhanced functionality for guest access, remote access, and mobile working.
Future-proof scalability: services designed to grow with the Trust, with mid-term upgrade options.
Smooth implementation: delivered on time and within budget, with dedicated project management and a technical implementation team ensuring a low-risk transition.

At a Glance

19 schools upgraded with high-speed internet

Co-managed Sophos XGS Next Generation Firewalls across all sites

DfE-compliant web filtering with full per-user reporting

Centralised management

Delivered on time and within budget

Closing Note

Birmingham Diocesan MAT moved from fragmented provision to a single, education-focused partner; gaining the resilience, visibility and responsive support needed to underpin teaching and learning across every school.

Download

Download the case study in PDF format using the following link:

Wave9 Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust Case Study.pdf (416kb)

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