Strategic IT Consultancy
A clear technology roadmap for your school's future
What schools face
Technology decisions made without a strategy lead to wasted budget, incompatible systems, and missed opportunities. Many schools do not have an IT Director or CIO to guide these decisions, which means headteachers and school business managers end up making technology choices without the specialist knowledge to evaluate them properly.
How We Help
Think of us as your school's virtual IT Director. We bring the strategic oversight and technical expertise that most schools cannot justify as a full-time role, but genuinely need. We start by understanding your school development plan and your priorities, then build a technology roadmap that supports them — not the other way around. Technology should serve your educational goals, not dictate them.
Our consultancy work includes IT audits to understand where you are now, gap analysis against the DfE Digital and Technology Standards, and practical recommendations with clear costs and timelines. We help you plan budgets across financial years so there are no surprises, and we evaluate vendors on your behalf so procurement decisions are informed rather than reactive.
We also support your senior leadership team and governors with clear, jargon-free reporting on IT strategy and progress. When governors need to understand why a particular investment matters or how technology risks are being managed, we provide the information in a format that makes sense. Our goal is to give your school the confidence that technology decisions are being made well — even without a dedicated IT leader on the payroll.
What's Included
Leadership and governance
The DfE expects schools to have IT leadership and strategic governance. Our consultancy service acts as your virtual IT Director, ensuring technology serves your school's goals and meets the required standards.
Learn more about the DfE standardsWhy Hurst Technology
- We act as your virtual CIO or IT Director — without the salary cost
- Our recommendations align with your school development plan, not a generic IT wishlist
- Honest, vendor-neutral advice that puts your school first
- We translate technology into language that governors and senior leaders understand