Leeds Learning Network

Customer
The Leeds Learning Network (LLN) is and integrated and managed learning platform for lifelong learning, providing high-speed, secure and filtered, internet collaboration and learning services to 400 sites across Leeds. With inclusive access to the National Education Network, customers are able to take advantage of a wide range of usefully and exciting educational resources within a safe and secure environment.

The Contract
LLN selected Synetrix* as its ICT partner of choice in a contract to upgrade its network and provide an innovative and complex portfolio of services for 400 schools, libraries and city learning centres across Leeds. LLN felt they needed to procure a completely new range of services to achieve best value and address efficiency targets and government standards as the number of services and participants used over the network had increased in the five years since its commencement. Online teaching and learning had also developed significantly, as had customers’ requirements and expectations. Having a strategic vision of lifelong learning, LLN looked to expand the network into a multi-service learning environment to transform education by providing all learners with a learning experience suited to their differing needs. These services include Becta-accredited filtered high-speed internet access, email services and their own unique learning environment.

Synetrix* entered into the project with LLN as a long term partnership and is fully committed to supporting them in harnessing advances in ICT to empower schools and libraries to access online learning tools.

Benefits
As a result of the project with Synetrix* LLN has successfully provided member schools, libraries, academies, BSF schools and city learning centres with a comprehensive, market leading Internet service, collaboration and learning environment.

The service delivers safe, highly reliable connectivity and services to its members.  Its quality and reliability is evident in its usage, averaging 99.95% availability over the last year, the SharePoint collaboration portal handles approximately 200 million requests per month, from over 60,000 unique users, and is a key component in the delivery of schools.  Schools have embraced the Microsoft Exchange email service, which provides a flexible, enterprise email service at a fraction of the cost of running servers in schools.

Across the 400 schools covered by the LLN a wide array of benefits have been realised for both staff and pupils alike as the network enables collaboration and flexibility, allows for private learning environments and provides ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to ICT.