MASS - Your Department for Education ICT Services Framework Partner

Who are we and what can we do for your Academy or School?

We specialise in the development, integration and support of secure ICT services and solutions across a variety of sectors. We have a successful track record of working in sensitive areas of government where ICT dependability and security is critical…and now, we can bring that expertise and experience to your Academy or School.

MASS has over 28 years of systems integration experience. Now we pride ourselves in providing ICT solutions for all areas of education.

Using our partnership working approach, we can help your Academy or School achieve real educational transformation, through the use of ICT in your learning and teaching spaces.  

How can we help you to achieve success?

To help you choose the best ICT solution for your Academy or School, MASS has formed a consortium of ‘best-in-class’ partners, to deliver total ICT and education solutions for Academies and Schools. 

This means that we can provide an ‘education best’ solution that relies on the most cost effective ICT products and services available; we are not tied to one manufacturer or supplier.

The MASS winning formula is built on proven success in North Lincolnshire, where we are the BSF ICT provider.

What is the Department for Education ICT Services Framework? 

The framework has been structured to help you avoid hassle when you want to invest in, and maintain, effective ICT systems in your Academy or School.

The framework is divided into two distinct lots:

Lot 1 - focuses on ICT infrastructure and mobile/bundled connectivity services. This is designed to help you buy these core services individually or in combination.

Lot 2 - focuses on ICT service integration. This is designed to help you when you need a supplier to fulfill a core ICT requirement and integrate it with your learning and teaching practice and any legacy systems you may have.

What do you have to do to get on the Framework?

• Pass the Pre-Qualification Stage (including references)
• Submit a 50,000 + word response to the ITT
• Design, Build and Deliver an Integrated School’s ICT System for a 3 month evaluation
• Carry out a site visit to a designated school and produce a costed design for an ICT infrastructure/systems implementation
• Deliver a webex presentation of the completed design and costings
• Have the company’s Quality Management system and child protection procedures successfully externally audited
• Comply with a wide range of ICT and professional standards
• Comply at all times with a minimum financial rating
• Submit quarterly returns to the Department for Education

How many companies are on the Framework?

MASS is proud to be one of only 15 companies approved to provide products and services under both Lots. 

As an approved Framework supplier, we can offer your Academy or School total support in all ICT needs, both now and in the future.

How can we add real value to your ICT solution?

MASS believes that your Academy or School is unique - one size does not fit all.

The MASS consortium can provide you with a wide range of ICT solutions, all aimed at the delivery of the curriculum and achieving real educational transformation.

We are able to offer you complete or modular solutions to suit the particular needs of your Academy or School.

You can benefit either from a complete ‘end to end’ ICT and education solution, or by selecting from a range of modular options that will fulfil your own specific requirements. The choice is yours.

How can we make a difference to the educational experience?

MASS has extensive experience in the implementation of secure networks, learning platforms, the management of personalised learning, interactive whiteboard technologies, 3D Technology video conferencing, virtual learning environments, parental accessibility, child protection (including cyber bullying), distance learning techniques, teacher support and CPD …and much more!

By mixing and matching technologies and techniques to satisfy individual needs of both learners and teachers and by working in partnership with you and your team, we can genuinely help to transform the educational experience.

How can we help with the ‘big ticket’ items?

In our experience school’s and academies expend a large proportion of their staff resources and ICT budget on MIS systems and Learning Platforms, for good reason as they can deliver enormous benefits to every aspect of daily educational life! Whilst acknowledging their importance and the resources they absorb, in today’s challenging financial environments it is even more important that each institution ‘sweats these assets’. This is where an experienced system’s integrator can add considerable value. OK good words but how? Most academic institutions are very familiar with the concept and benefits of ‘enter data once use many times’. How many can hold their hands on their hearts and say yes we have got this working well through all of our administrative and academic systems? The MASS approach to this is fundamental. Systems are servants to the user’s and not the other way around. Systems should support users so that can maximise their time and energies on their primary roles and minimise the time spent on ‘back office’ activities.

It is equally important that the full potential of the Learning Platform and MIS are fully exploited. For this to happen it is essential that the system’s users are fully trained and supported in their use. Another fundamental to the MASS approach is that systems implementation and integration does not stop at getting everything working. System’s implementation at MASS includes ensuring that all users are fully trained on how to use them and understand the scope and scale of capability that they can deliver. This approach does not stop after installation, it is important that users are supported throughout service life and regular reviews are conducted to further improve their adoption and refine their use. 

What about dependability and security of ICT? 

As the use of ICT increases in education, so does the responsibility to protect learners and others from the many threats that they may face when using networked computer technology.

In a modern educational environment it is essential that a safe ICT infrastructure is provided for all users, and that information remains secure while also being immediately available.

MASS has many years experience of providing and supporting ICT systems in sensitive government operations, where the highest levels of security, availability and quality assurance are required.

This means that you can depend on us to ensure that your Academy or School ICT systems are designed to meet the highest and most rigorous standards of reliability and security.

What about quality?

MASS has a robust and world class quality assurance system. This comes from our long track record of satisfying government contracts. Our quality assurance is achieved through the use of ISO 9001:2008 accredited processes to perform:

• Requirements capture
• Analysis and system design
• Systems development
• Customer review, approval and sign off.

Please see MASS Case Study - Brumby Engineering College and Mass Case Study - Melior Community College in North Lincolnshire.

We are providing services to 5 other secondary and over 12 primary schools in North Lincolnshire.

We are the ICT Prime Contractor for the Chelsea and Kensington Academy.

We have provided ICT Design Services to Takeley Primary School.