By mid-May, the summer break may still feel some way off, but for school ICT teams, this is probably the best time for preparation to begin. The final half-term is always busy, and once end-of-year activity starts to build, ICT projects can quickly be pushed down the list.
Starting now gives schools the breathing room to plan well, secure the right support and make the most of the quieter summer period.
Everything ICT can support at this early stage by providing a compliant route to trusted ICT suppliers, helping teams move from “we need to sort this” to clear, practical next steps.
Why this period matters for ICT teams
By this stage of the year, ICT teams usually know what is performing well, what is under strain and what needs attention before September.
That might be unreliable Wi-Fi in certain areas, devices that are becoming difficult to manage, software that no longer fits the school’s needs, or support requests that keep coming back. These issues are much easier to deal with when they are identified early, rather than being squeezed into the final days of term.
It is also the right time to make decisions before the summer window becomes crowded. Engineer availability, delivery lead times and internal approvals can all affect whether work is completed before the new academic year.
Start with the network
A reliable network underpins almost every part of teaching, learning and administration. Before the summer holidays, ICT teams may use the opportunity to address known pressure points and schedule any work that would be difficult to complete during term time.
Where performance issues have been reported, the quieter summer period can be used for deeper investigation, remedial work and testing before staff and students return.
Through Everything ICT, schools can access suppliers who understand education environments and can support with audits, upgrades and wider infrastructure projects.
Review cybersecurity before the break
Cybersecurity remains one of the biggest operational risks for the education sector, and the summer period can create added exposure if key checks are delayed or overlooked. With staff and students away, unusual activity may be missed for longer, and unresolved vulnerabilities can carry into the new academic year.
Before the end of term, ICT teams should make sure access, updates and recovery processes are in good shape. This includes tidying up user accounts, reviewing permissions, removing or disabling leavers, and checking that temporary accounts are no longer active.
Patching should also be brought up to date across servers, devices and key systems. Just as importantly, backups can be tested more thoroughly. It is not enough to know that backups are running; schools need confidence that data can be restored quickly if an incident occurs.
This is also a good time to review incident response processes, escalation routes and contact details, so everyone knows what to do if a security issue arises during the holiday period.
Prepare devices for September
Device preparation is rarely just a summer job. By mid-May, ICT teams could start identifying where attention will be needed, from ageing staff laptops and damaged classroom devices to shared equipment that needs rebuilding before September.
The main risk is not the work itself, but the time available to complete it. Once devices are collected, checked, repaired, rebuilt and tested, the summer window can feel much shorter than expected. For schools running shared device pools or one-to-one schemes, agreeing the process early helps avoid a rush once term ends.
Where replacements are needed, procurement should also be started as early as possible. Current device pricing is less predictable than usual, with wider supply chain pressures affecting hardware costs and availability. Building in more time gives schools a better chance to compare options, secure approvals and avoid rushed decisions close to the summer break.
Plan infrastructure work around the summer window
The summer break is often the best opportunity to complete infrastructure work that would be difficult, disruptive or impractical during term time.
Projects such as server upgrades, cloud migrations, wireless improvements, classroom technology refreshes and backup changes all need detailed scoping before they can be delivered. Even where the work itself is straightforward, approvals, supplier scheduling, site access and testing time all need to be factored in.
By mid-May, schools should ideally be confirming which projects are realistic for the summer window and which need to be planned for later in the year. This helps avoid rushed decisions and gives suppliers enough time to deliver work properly.
Everything ICT can help schools engage suitable suppliers quickly and compliantly, reducing the risk of projects losing momentum before delivery.
Technology planning and procurement timelines
Late procurement is one of the most common reasons ICT projects come under pressure. Device orders, network upgrades and infrastructure work may be discussed early, but if approvals are delayed, the delivery window can quickly narrow.
This is particularly important ahead of the summer holidays. A project that looks manageable in May can become much harder to deliver in July if supplier diaries are full, stock is limited or key decision-makers are unavailable.
Planning earlier gives schools more control. It allows time to confirm budgets, compare options, secure approvals and schedule delivery before demand increases. It also gives ICT teams more time to test new equipment or systems fully before staff and students return.
A practical pre-summer checklist
Before the end of term, the focus should be on turning planned work into a deliverable schedule. That means confirming priorities, ownership, dependencies and any deadlines that could affect September readiness.
Key areas to confirm could include:
- Network remedial work and any required downtime
- Cybersecurity tasks, including access reviews, patching and backup testing
- Device repair, replacement, rebuild and redistribution plans
- Infrastructure projects that need summer delivery
- Software renewals, licensing changes and system updates
- Supplier bookings, delivery dates and site access requirements
- Testing windows before staff return
The earlier these points are confirmed, the easier it becomes to schedule work around exams, site access, staff availability and supplier lead times, giving ICT teams a much clearer path from planning to delivery before September.
The benefits of getting ahead
Early planning reduces the number of issues competing for attention in September, when ICT demand is already high.
If devices are rebuilt, access permissions are correct, core systems have been tested and known infrastructure issues have been addressed, the first few weeks of term are less likely to be taken up by avoidable support requests.
It also gives ICT teams more capacity to support staff, resolve genuine new-term issues and focus on planned improvements, rather than revisiting work that could have been completed during the summer window.
Planning ahead for September
The summer holidays give schools a valuable opportunity to complete ICT work with less disruption, but the groundwork needs to happen before term ends.
By planning now, schools can address known issues, reduce delivery risks and make better use of the summer window. That applies across network performance, cybersecurity, devices, infrastructure and procurement.
