Star Academies is a national Multi-Academy Trust of 38 schools educating around 23,000 pupils. As their strategic delivery partner, we delivered a full Wi-Fi 6E refresh across nine academies under the DfE Connect the Classroom programme, replacing ageing equipment with 502 Aruba access points managed centrally, and timed entirely around the school holidays.
Star Academies is a high-performing national Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) of 38 primary and secondary schools, educating around 23,000 pupils and employing approximately 3,100 staff. The trust is headquartered in Blackburn, with school clusters across Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and East London.
Several of the trust's sites were running ageing wireless equipment that no longer met the demands of modern teaching. The trust set out to refresh that infrastructure to the Department for Education (DfE) wireless connectivity standard, funded in part through the Connect the Classroom (CTC) programme.
We were already the trust's preferred delivery partner when this programme began. We worked with both the individual schools and the Central IT Team from the initial design stages through to final implementation, coordinating third parties and cablers as the single point of accountability.
"Their team worked collaboratively with both our schools and the Central IT Team from the initial design stages through to final implementation."
Central IT Team, Star AcademiesPhase 1 covered nine academies across 13 buildings, each carrying ageing wireless equipment. The trust needed a full refresh to the DfE Wi-Fi 6E standard, delivered with minimal downtime and timed around term dates, with several sites adding contractual complexity.
Existing access points and switching across the phase 1 sites were at the end of their useful life, limiting the connectivity that classrooms and devices could rely on.
The refresh had to meet the DfE wireless connectivity standard and qualify under the Connect the Classroom programme, with Wi-Fi 6E delivered to specification across every site.
Some sites operate under Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangements, adding access and contractual considerations that had to be managed alongside the technical delivery.
Work had to fit a three-week installation window across holiday periods, with around one week of downtime per larger site and two to three days per smaller site.
"They demonstrated a strong commitment to understanding our specific needs and delivering solutions that met our objectives."
Central IT Team, Star AcademiesWe managed the programme as the single point of accountability, including third-party cablers and contractors, from the initial design through to centralised handover. The work was sequenced into holiday windows to protect teaching.
We worked with the schools and Central IT Team from the outset, surveying sites and designing a 502 access point Wi-Fi 6E solution across 9 sites and 13 buildings to the DfE standard.
176 Cat6A copper runs and 5 OM4 fibre runs installed to support the new wireless, coordinating third-party cablers under Medhurst project management.
Full replacement of switching (9 core, 38 edge) and 502 access points, sequenced across the May half term and summer holidays within a three-week installation window.
All switching and access points enrolled in Aruba Central, giving the Central IT Team a single view and consistent policy across the refreshed estate.
Sequenced to protect teaching: The installation ran to a three-week window, with around one week of downtime per larger site and two to three days per smaller site. Working across the May half term and summer holidays kept disruption to teaching to a minimum.
Why the HPE Aruba partnership mattered: Our HPE Aruba platinum partner status helped secure the initial contract, though we were already the trust's preferred delivery partner. All of our engineers are accredited across multiple Aruba examinations, giving the trust confidence in both the design and the delivery.
The programme moved from joint design, through cabling, into two holiday installation windows, and on to centralised handover, all coordinated by Medhurst as project manager.
Site surveys and a 502 access point Wi-Fi 6E design across 9 sites and 13 buildings, built to the DfE connectivity standard and agreed with the trust.
176 Cat6A copper runs and 5 OM4 fibre runs installed to support the new wireless. Third-party cablers coordinated under Medhurst project management.
Switching and access point replacement begins across the larger sites, with around one week of downtime per site, scheduled to fall within the half term break.
The remaining academies are completed across the summer holidays, with two to three days of downtime per smaller site, inside the three-week installation window.
All sites enrolled in Aruba Central. A DfE-compliant Wi-Fi 6E solution is live across the nine academies, managed centrally by the trust's Central IT Team.
The refresh gave the nine phase 1 academies a modern, DfE-compliant wireless platform, managed from a single console, delivered without disrupting the school calendar.
A full Wi-Fi 6E refresh meeting the DfE connectivity standard, replacing ageing equipment across nine academies and 13 buildings.
502 access points and the new switching are managed from a single Aruba Central console, giving the Central IT Team consistent policy and visibility across sites.
The full programme was completed within a three-week installation window across the May half term and summer holidays, keeping disruption to teaching to a minimum.
The new infrastructure has improved connectivity, reliability, and security, providing a robust platform for the trust's schools, delivered in partnership with HPE Aruba.
We are Star Academies' strategic delivery partner, and the programme continues across the trust's remaining schools. The trust's reflection on the work is below.
"Medhurst Communications delivered a first-class network and Wi-Fi refresh project over twelve of our academies. Their team worked collaboratively with both our schools and the Central IT Team from the initial design stages through to final implementation, demonstrating a strong commitment to understanding our specific needs and delivering solutions that met our objectives. The new infrastructure has significantly improved our connectivity, reliability, and security, providing a robust platform for our schools to thrive. We've been particularly impressed with their proactive approach, technical expertise, and dedication to ensuring a smooth transition. We will continue to work with them on our remaining schools, over the coming phases."
Central IT Team, Star AcademiesAs Star Academies' strategic delivery partner, we are continuing the programme across the trust's remaining schools over the coming phases. Across the work to date we have supported twelve of the trust's academies, building a robust, DfE-compliant platform on which the schools can rely.
We work with schools, colleges, and Multi-Academy Trusts across England to design, deliver, and manage HPE Aruba networks to the DfE connectivity standard, sequenced around the school calendar. Speak with our experts about your connectivity plans.
