Laptop, desktop and tablet standards
Find out what standards your school or college should meet on laptops, desktops and tablets.
Having the right devices for students and staff will help support the digital technology strategy of the school or college.听
Throughout these standards we refer to:听
- 听laptops, desktops and tablets as devices听
- 听the person in the senior leadership team (SLT) who is responsible for digital technology as the SLT digital lead (for more information on this role see our digital leadership and governance standards)听
- in-house or third-party support as IT support
The job titles in these standards may not fit in a school or college鈥檚 educational setting, but the responsibilities described should be applied to the most relevant person.听
You can also see more details on how to use the standards to help your school or college meet their digital technology needs.
Why this standard is important听听
Providing devices that meet educational needs and support the digital technology strategy will help:听
- curriculum planning and delivery听听
- administration, including data and financial management听听
- flexible and cross-site working听听
Devices that are not suitable may:听听
- lead to lost learning or disrupt day to day operations听
- not be safe and secure 听
- need to be repaired and replaced more often听听
- cost more in the long run听 听听听听
Who needs to be involved听听
The senior leadership team (SLT) digital lead should work with:听
- other SLT members to make sure any decisions on devices fits with the school or college鈥檚 digital technology strategy听
- IT support to assess if devices meet the needs of students and staff, and identify any additional technical requirements听
How to meet this standard听
To meet this standard, the SLT should follow this 3-step process to understand which devices are needed.听
1. Create a digital technology strategy听
For more details, see our standards on digital leadership and governance.听
2. Identify the device needs of students and staff听
The SLT digital lead should assess how devices will support the needs of students and staff, based on the school or college鈥檚 digital technology strategy.听听
They should look at how devices are being used, including who uses them, where they are being kept and what they are being used for. This will help them identify:听
- the number and type of devices needed听
- any specific physical requirements for devices听
- the level of technical support needed听
- training requirements for students and staff听
3. Assess the security and technical requirements of the devices听听
The SLT digital lead should work with IT support to assess the security and technical requirements of devices. This will help determine whether they need to buy new devices or if they can repurpose existing ones.听
When to meet this standard听
This standard should be met when the SLT review the use of laptops, desktops and tablets, or buy new devices.听
Related standards听
The following standards should also be considered when reviewing your use of laptops, desktops and tablets: 听听听
Why this standard is important听
Keeping devices safe and secure will protect those who use them, the network and the data on them. This will:听
- make it easier to apply security and safeguarding policies to each device听
- minimise the risk of cyber security incidents and data breaches听
The risks of not doing this include:听
- students accessing harmful or inappropriate material听
- lost learning due to cyber incidents or data breaches听
- difficulty managing safeguarding听听
- loss of public confidence and reputational damage听
Who needs to be involved听
To meet this standard, the SLT digital lead should make sure all devices are centrally managed and meet the needs of those using them.听
IT support should check all devices are configured securely. They should also work with the designated safeguarding lead to review the filtering and monitoring requirements of the devices.听
The data protection officer should also be involved, when reviewing data security.听听 听听
How to meet this standard听
To meet this standard, the SLT digital lead should protect all devices against the risk of data breaches, and cyber security and safeguarding incidents.听听
To do this, IT support should work with the designated safeguarding lead to check and confirm all devices meet the Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) requirements for:听
- information security and access management听
- filtering and monitoring听
All new devices must be compatible with existing filtering, monitoring and security systems.听听听
If any existing devices are not compatible with existing filtering, monitoring and security systems, you should look to alternative solutions before using the device.听
Filtering and monitoring, and cyber security for all devices must be reviewed regularly.
For more details see the standard topics:听听
- Filtering and monitoring standards for schools and colleges听
- Cyber security standards for schools and colleges听
Configuring devices securely听
IT support should also check all devices are configured securely:听
- with a protective firewall on the network or device 听
- by using virtual area local networks (VLANs) which add separate layers of protection on the network between different types of devices and users听
- with managed anti-virus and anti-malware software听
- with enterprise or education-grade operating systems, including support and up-to-date security patches听
- with labels or tags to keep track of them when you buy them and add them in an asset register 听
- with accessibility features that are not blocked by security policies听
For further support, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published 听
Centrally managing devices for greater security听
Devices should be centrally managed by IT support. This includes:听
- making sure security and safeguarding policies are applied consistently听
- updating and applying security patches to software and applications听
- recording up-to-date information about the device in the asset register听
- restricting and monitoring access to browsers by making changes to the technical policies and settings set on core systems听
Mobile and portable devices should have mobile device management to minimise safeguarding and security risks. This means IT support can remotely manage devices, including:听听
- locking or wiping them听听
- securing apps and software听
Carrying out a data protection impact assessment听
The data protection officer should support the creation of a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for all existing devices and whenever new ones are bought. This assesses the risk:听
- to personal or sensitive data听
- of taking school or college owned devices offsite听
- of bring your own device strategies, making sure they comply with security and safeguarding requirements听
When to meet this standard听听
This standard should be met now for all laptops, desktops and tablets currently used.听
Related standards听
When disposing of devices, see the standard in this topic, 鈥�Make sure devices are energy efficient, and they are bought and disposed of sustainably鈥�.听
The following standard topics should also be considered when reviewing the safety and security of your devices:听
Devices should be assessed against the needs of students and staff. All devices should also meet or exceed the minimum requirements set out in this standard.听听
This will make sure devices are:听
- safe and secure听听
- stable and reliable听听
Not meeting these requirements could mean your devices:听
- negatively impact teaching and learning听
- are at risk of malware, ransomware and potential data breaches听
- are not value for money听
IT support should work with the SLT digital lead to make sure all devices meet the requirements in this standard.听
How to meet this standard听
IT support should review the minimum requirements set out in this standard.听
Devices should also be reviewed once a year to take account of any changes to the minimum requirements set out in this standard.听
Minimum requirements听
The purpose of the requirements in this section is to make sure schools and colleges have reliable and durable devices which support curriculum delivery.听听
This is not a fully inclusive list for all device requirements, as these will depend on specific needs.听听
IT support should make sure all devices meet or exceed the minimum requirements set out in this table.听
| Minimum requirements | What you need |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Enterprise or education-grade operating systems, which means they are designed for professional rather than home use. |
| Support and security | When repurposing, upgrading or buying new devices tablets should have 3 years of manufacturer support and security patches. Laptops and desktops should have 5 years of听 support and security patches. |
| Warranty length | 3 years for laptops and desktops 2 years for tablets The warranty durations listed here have been set to cover the minimum amount of time manufacturers usually offer support for security updates and bug fixes. |
| Wirelessly connecting to the IT network (for portable devices) | Devices should support the wifi standard 802.11ac Wave 2. But it鈥檚 recommended that devices meet wifi 6 (802.11ax). |
| Screen size (for tablets only) | 9.7 inches |
When to meet this standard听
Laptops, desktops and tablets should be replaced or upgraded now if they do not meet the operating system requirements of this standard.听听
For everything else:听
- check whether they can be upgraded or repurposed before choosing to buy any new devices听听
- make sure this standard is met when investing in new devices听
Related standards听
The following standard topics should also be considered when reviewing device requirements:听
Why this standard is important听
Devices can be one of the biggest sources of energy use in schools and colleges. Taking an energy efficient approach to the buying, setting up, using and disposal of devices will help with cost savings and sustainability.听听
If this standard is not met, there is a risk of:听听
- increased costs by using more energy than you need听
- creating unnecessary waste听
- it negatively impacting the environment听
Who needs to be involved听
To meet this standard the senior leadership team (SLT) digital lead should work with:听
- the school, college and trust business professionals听
- IT support听听
How to meet this standard听
The SLT digital lead should review the use of both existing and new devices.听
For existing devices make sure they:听
- are switched off when not in use听听
- automatically power off when they do not need to be used out of hours听
- are only using the tools needed听
When buying new devices check whether:
- existing ones can be repurposed
- they are rated with a low energy certification, such as Energy Star听
When disposing of devices, IT support should make sure that:听
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations and data protection requirements are met听听
- they have certificates for WEEE, disposal and destruction of data 听听
- the IT asset register is updated听
- action is taken to prevent security incidents by removing or destroying any data on the devices听
听For more information refer to the National Cyber Security Centre鈥檚 (NCSC) guide to the 听
When to meet the standard听
The WEEE regulations are a legal requirement. The SLT should consider energy efficiency the next time they invest in new devices. They should also review how existing devices are used, as set out in this standard.听听
Related standards听
The following standard topics should also be considered when reviewing device requirements:听
For more details on asset registers visit the digital leadership and governance standard, 鈥楰eep registers relating to hardware and systems up to date鈥�.