Client Background
Marden High School in North Shields has specialist status as a Media Arts, Science and Maths College and is one of 31 schools across the North East to be rebuilt through the £4.4 billion priority school building programme (PSBP). More than £14 million worth of construction has delivered a new three-storey block for the school.
The Challenge
UCS Technologies were able to assist Marden High School as they required a specialist IT company for the job. UCS Technologies fit the criteria and were required to plan and install infrastructure/communication systems for the new school building.
As a specialist Media Arts school there was a significant reliance upon ICT in comparison to other schools. The overall challenge was to ensure a seamless transition between the old and new school building.
What UCS Technologies Did
UCS worked closely with various groups to deliver the ICT infrastructure for the school and ensure it met the needs of the staff and students. The initial stages involved setting out a clear perspective of the school’s current ICT use from a teaching and learning point of view. It was necessary to highlight improvements that could be made for the new building.
The next step involved UCS completing an audit of existing ICT equipment to identify items that could be re-used within the new school building to reduce costs.
It was critical that ICT services remained in the old building while work was carried out to complete the new school building, this included use of internet and telephony systems.
The Technical Solution
Leading-edge passive cabling and active equipment infrastructure were installed throughout the new state of the art school building.
The cabling system included category 6 UTP and OM3 fibre optic backbone. This was paired with an active equipment LAN switching solution from Hewlett Packard. Internal and external teaching area wireless LAN coverage was provided by an Aerohive wi-fi solution.
Additionally, a Mitel IP telephony solution was installed within office areas with wi-fi handsets for key staff members.
Key Features
- Category 6 UTP outlets
- OM3 fibre backbone cabling
- 40GBPS backbone
- Cabled and wireless IP telephony
- 802.11ac wave 2 wi-fi
- UPS protection for switches & servers
The Outcome
The installation of a scalable, high performance wired and wireless infrastructure has provided the schools staff and students with a reliable, secure network that operates at peak performance 24/7.
The integration of high definition projectors and interactive screens alongside a speedy performance, multi-gigabit network supports the ability to play video content throughout the school.
Wi-fi allows staff and students to access demanding content wirelessly. Wireless coverage allows for flexible learning and improved access to technology.
"Thanks to hard work and determination Marden High School students and staff will have a brand new, state-of-the-art building from September 2016. There has never been a more exciting time in the school's history and I am very proud to be a part of it."
Alison Jackson, Head, Marden High School
