YHGfL - Making the most of your broadband

The National Education Network (NEN), formed by the Regional Broadband Consortia (RBCs) and partners, gives you much more than just a broadband connection.

The guiding principle for the NEN is to support the creation of a network which allows schools to form a connected community of learners with access to services, content and ideas tailored specifically to their needs.

An education community

Because the NEN is a private and secure network, you can expect a fast, reliable service. It paves the way for greater collaboration through mutual access to learning resources.

When you connect to broadband through an RBC, you don't just get a connection to the Internet but also to an ever growing network of schools, universities and other educational bodies.

An expanding library of resources

The service provided by the RBCs goes beyond simply providing broadband connection to how to best utilise broadband in schools. The economies of scale created by the RBCs enables the provision of content for LEAs and schools, including a wealth of free or highly cost effective and appropriate learning material and online resources.

Through the NEN, advice and examples of how to fully utilise these resources are available and, across the UK, schools are creating innovative ways of introducing new ideas to the classroom which are then shared via the network.

Consideration for the future

The RBCs liaise regularly with the DfES and IT innovators to discuss strategic developments which will future proof the systems now being implemented. This ensures that the schools using their RBC automatically benefit from the expertise and research being undertaken, meaning that their investment will work for them both now and in the long-term as new opportunities arise.