I’ve always found the spring term an exciting time. It’s when ideas are planted, ready to be harvested in the summer. It’s a term full of interesting conversations, strategic thinking, and the quiet beginnings of real change.

Despite starting in the depths of winter — dark mornings, cold days, and a sense of collective exhaustion — schools return after the Christmas break renewed. There’s a feeling of life coming back into buildings that have been in a kind of winter hibernation, and with it comes momentum.

So where are schools looking for impact this year?

From what I’m already seeing, two key strands are emerging.

Using and consolidating existing technology

Many schools have now made the move to Windows 11, and a significant number are either fully cloud-based or well along that journey. As a result, much of my current work is focused on helping schools get value from that shift.

In truth, many of the benefits of cloud platforms have existed for years — but availability isn’t the same as understanding or adoption.

Now is the time for consolidation. For stepping back and focusing on the technologies that genuinely make life easier and more productive. That means working smarter, not harder: doing the basics well (sharing rather than emailing files), storing information in the right places to support collaboration, and making use of tools that are already included in existing licences.

So often, the most impactful changes come at no additional cost — just better use of what’s already there.

Infrastructure and connectivity

Infrastructure and connectivity underpin three of the six DfE Technology Standards that will become mandatory by 2030. As schools move away from maintaining on-premise server stacks — and the costs, complexity, and risk that come with them — attention is shifting elsewhere.

We’re seeing a renewed focus on wired and wireless infrastructure, with older wired networks increasingly made redundant in favour of robust Wi-Fi and more mobile-first approaches. Alongside this, broadband capacity and resilience are becoming critical, particularly as digital reliance continues to grow.

Cyber security, of course, remains an ever-present concern. But much like safeguarding, it shouldn’t be treated as a separate strand. It needs to be baked into everything we do. Encouragingly, many schools that have transitioned to cloud-based platforms are already seeing a significant improvement in their security posture compared to legacy setups.

So, 2026 looks like…

Hopefully, it looks like better use of existing technology.

Both Microsoft and Google are working hard to support education — particularly through AI-driven enhancements to platforms schools already use every day. If adopted thoughtfully, these tools have the potential to drive wider engagement from teachers, which in turn leads to more confident and consistent use by students.

That’s how digital tools become genuinely embedded across the curriculum — not bolted on, but woven into lessons in the same way technology supports our everyday lives.

Of course, increased digital adoption depends entirely on strong foundations. Connectivity and infrastructure have to keep pace, which is why these strands go hand in hand.

I can’t wait to see what grows this year