Record number of schools give county’s fast fibre partnership full marks

A unique collaboration that delivers gigabit fibre, cyber security training and digital network design support to North Yorkshire schools has been given full marks by education leaders with 212 schools now signed up to the service.

In the first quarter of this year a record number of schools signed contracts under the partnership, which brings together the digital expertise of North Yorkshire County Council’s NYES Digital service and the infrastructure capabilities of NYnet, a wholly owned subsidiary of the council which owns and manages the full fibre network that connects schools.

Fifteen new circuits were installed and 12 schools took the opportunity to upgrade their services significantly, ensuring they have capacity to meet their future needs.

A further partnership between NYnet and local cyber security experts BoxPhish provides education in online safety and security for staff and students at high schools across the region.

North Yorkshire was recently ranked third in the country for high speed school broadband following work by NYnet to expand its gigabit fibre network.

NYnet CEO Alastair Taylor said the uptake this year from schools had been the highest ever, with existing school customers keen to resign and new sites and academy trusts coming on board.

Alastair said: “Having our own fast and robust fibre in the ground puts North Yorkshire County Council and its education sector in an enviable position and gives students a clear advantage in a fast-moving digital age.

“The fact that the infrastructure and connectivity is managed locally by us is a significant benefit and our team has the expertise to work closely with schools and academies to design bespoke networks that operate with optimum speed and reliability.”

Claire Preston of NYES said the collaboration with NYnet and other partners made it easier for the region’s schools to access premium digital services.

She said: “The collaboration between NYES Digital and NYnet now offers 29 product lines that allow schools to choose the best product for their needs and budget, recognising that one size does not fit all.

“Thanks to the fact that we have our own fibre network supported locally by a team that understands how school need it to work, plus added value services such as the cyber security training provided by BoxPhish, North Yorkshire’s education sector is leading the way when it comes to connectivity and digital resilience.

“We are delighted that more schools than ever have signed up to take advantage of the offering we have brought together for them and that they can benefit from premium and cost-effective services that are designed specifically to make life easier and more efficient for school leaders.”