Education (EYFS-KS5)
2,800 endpoints
 | Core & Edge scalable Cisco Meraki network delivering expanded future-proof connectivity and mobility, with IoT Smart School sensor solutions that support student wellbeing. |
 | Enhanced network security and performance to support and protect academic excellence. |
 | Simplified network management with secure segmentation and clear visibility of use via the Meraki Dashboard single pane view. |
“The team simply loves the intuitive real-time insights that the Meraki Dashboard provides. Without the Meraki solution, we would never have had this freedom and control.”
Established in 1495 – Loughborough Schools Foundation (LSF) is anything but old-school, having continually adapted to meet the evolving needs of modern education, while staying true to its core values. Through its innovative teaching approaches, state-of-the-art facilities, and vibrant school culture, the Foundation has earned its reputation as a centre for academic excellence that is driven to help students be world ready.
LSF is a foundation of four schools comprising: Fairfield Prep School (boys and girls 3–11), Loughborough Amherst School (boys and girls 4–18), Loughborough Grammar School (boys 10–18), and Loughborough High School (girls 11–18). The schools operate under one governing body and are situated on two neighbouring campuses in the town.
The Foundation also includes The Loughborough Nursery for children from 6 weeks to 4 years. As one family of Schools with a pedigree stretching back several hundred years, the Foundation shares some wonderful traditions and timeless values of courtesy, kindness, confidence and academic excellence. Renowned for its commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity, personal development, and ethical leadership, the Foundation is a thriving hub of learning and growth for over 2,000 students, enriched by the support of pioneering technology in their educational journey.
LSF faced several challenges with its existing network infrastructure, including disparate systems, integration and operational issues, aging hardware, manual system inventory, and a lack of support. The foundation required a future-proof network to support its broader digital transformation strategy, ensuring expanded network coverage, improved security, network segmentation and zero-trust access control. All of these requirements needed to be managed seamlessly and efficiently.
“It wasn’t that we had weaknesses, it was that we had very specific requirements.
Whilst we are highly driven achievers, we are a relatively small team who lacked the support and expertise that an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP), a trusted partner, can provide. Then we met Advantage Cloud Solutions, and our transformative partnership began. From the very start it felt like we were starting something beyond the first project.”
James Leeson, LSF Head of Information and Network Services
To meet their requirements, LSF sought a harmonised single manufacturer environment with a strategically staged deployment. They required complete visibility of the network infrastructure from a unified live single pane of glass management interface to ensure smooth operations across the Foundation, to provide uninterrupted access to resources for staff and students to support inquisitiveness and inspiring education. Additionally, LSF wanted to explore the opportunity to leverage IoT (Internet of Things) technology that would empower the network to support student and staff wellbeing.
Advantage Cloud’s primary response was to question the requirements to ensure they were optimised to meet the future needs of the Foundation, within budget. This vital activity, conducted through the holistic Advantage Discovery™ process, took into consideration the broader impact across the organisation, forming the foundation for optimal solution recommendations. James adds,
“The Advantage team helped us pull every thread until we had all the answers. It was liberating and filled us with confidence for the journey ahead. Tim’s methodical nature really stood out.”
From this point, the best outcome became clear with Advantage Cloud recommending a comprehensive Cisco Meraki cloud-managed solution. This included Catalyst enterprise-grade core, with Meraki MS edge switching and robust MR wireless networking. Meraki MT sensors, MV cameras, and a 10-year licensing agreement completed the solution that supported long-term reliability and cost-effectiveness.
“We were confident that the exceptional technology from Cisco Meraki would precisely meet and exceed LSF requirements with ease, providing the full Core to Edge network performance and scalability to support digital learning and communication. We knew that centralised control and simplified management provided by the Meraki Dashboard – effectively a single pane view – combined with in-house expandable Smart Schools IoT integration, would be desirable key components of the solution that James and his team would extract increasing benefit from.”
Tim Browne, Advantage Cloud Technical Director
LSF are equally confident in their commitment to best-of-breed technology, trusted expertise, and support. The cost-effective unified Cisco Meraki solution resolves previous disparate network issues, delivering secure and reliable expanded coverage that is manageable and technically supported for future-proof network performance. Additionally, the live system inventory provided within the powerful Meraki Dashboard delivers the infrastructure estate overview LSF desired.
“Advantage invested a significant amount of their own time ensuring we were certain of our requirements and confident with the solution. From the very start of the enlightening Advantage Discovery process, Tim continuously challenged our strategy with thoughtful yet simple ’Why’ questions. This fostered a friendly collaborative relationship that built trust and ensured the best outcomes for us. Quite simply, the Advantage Cloud and LSF teams truly worked as one.”
James Leeson
LSF now have a transformative next-gen network that delivers expanded future-proof connectivity and mobility across 58 buildings, with IoT Smart School sensor solutions supporting student wellbeing. The new network supports the Foundation’s pioneering digital educational experience that embraces sensory learning, VR, and 1:1 strategies, by providing secure and reliable connectivity for over 2,800 devices both inside and outside the classroom.
The consultative professional services provided by trusted IT partner Advantage Cloud Solutions ensured delivery of a solution perfectly tailored for the unique Foundation, with holistic expertise and knowledge transfer that extended beyond prescriptive recommendations.
Tim explains,
“We quickly recognised and supported James’ desire for the LSF IT team to remain as independent as possible, which is why our own drive to provide meaningful real-world knowledge transfer for every project was so well received. Essentially, we drive solutions and support outcomes whilst sharing our expertise to empower internal IT teams and the C-suite.”
The Cisco Meraki network and tools now provide LSF with the network performance and stability they desired. James champions the new functionality saying,
“The team simply loves the intuitive real-time insights that the Meraki Dashboard provides. The AI-driven data now enables us to confidently action network adjustments before they become an issue, such as cabling problems and firmware updates, empowering us to manage the continued health of our network whilst freeing up our time for other responsibilities. Without the Meraki solution, we would never have had this freedom and control.”
James Leeson
The Loughborough Schools Foundation is delighted with their new Cisco Meraki network infrastructure, with the performance, security and control it provides. They have completed the successful journey driven by mutual openness that fuelled collaborative debate and a genuine best practice recommendation-driven outcome.
Advantage Business Development Director, Jonathan Brown, quickly formed a very strong connection with James and his team, ensuring expectations were exceeded, driven by Prince2 project management from inception through to completion and beyond.
“With James I found a like-minded kindred spirit who is focused on requirement-driven results to provide the best tools that will make a real-world difference to people.”
“For our mutual success, the depth of response and relentless attention to detail are my own primary requirements to be met every time.”
LSF’s early astute understanding of the importance of a high performance network infrastructure meant it became the key element of the pyramidal education framework. Fulfilled with excellence and marked as green (complete) by LSF, the Cisco Meraki infrastructure is the foundational support at the pyramid base that supports technology such as AI utilisation and ultimately teaching always at the apex. As a forward-looking Foundation, LSF have several digital plans in action that will continue to reinforce their reputation as a centre for academic excellence driven to help students be world ready.
Reflecting on the previous few months, James shares
“I’m proud to have confidently delivered the excellent network infrastructure appropriate for our unique Foundation. It feels reassuring to know that it will digitally support our brilliant teachers long into the future as they continue their mission to help every student thrive”.
He continues,
“I now have peace of mind of what we want to do next, whatever it is, and I’m confident that this is just the beginning of our pioneering journey with the Advantage Cloud team. The solution strengthened the Foundation for further innovation with ongoing collaboration. And as for the Cisco Meraki product and their unwaveringly resolute support, personally I would walk into any business and deploy.”
From his office in the beautifully historic Loughborough grounds alive with exceptional sporting activity, with his team each in front of their green glowing Meraki dashboards, James concludes with a knowing grin,
“When it comes to IT networks, if no one complains then it is working. No one is complaining anymore.”
“Now let’s connect our excellence to other great projects.”
