04 April 2025
St Elisabeth’s CE Primary School, part of the Thrive CE Academy Trust, embarked on an ambitious journey to modernise its IT infrastructure. Historically reliant on traditional servers and Windows devices, the school faced growing challenges in scalability, maintenance costs, and operational efficiency. With an increasing need for agile, secure, and future-proof digital solutions, the school partnered with Computeam to develop a comprehensive cloud migration strategy.
The first step in this transformation was the establishment of a Google tenancy, creating a robust, cloud-based foundation for improved collaboration, streamlined operations, and enhanced security. By leveraging cloud technology, St Elisabeth’s is now better equipped to support modern teaching methods, remote learning, and an evolving educational landscape.
Moving beyond legacy systems
The school’s traditional on-premises IT infrastructure presented several key issues. Aging physical servers posed a constant risk of hardware failure and limited storage capacity, leading to potential downtime and disruption. Additionally, the reliance on manual processes and outdated Windows devices made scalability difficult and restricted collaboration between staff and students.
A significant challenge was that the entire cloud migration process had to be completed within a week, requiring meticulous planning and flawless execution. The project needed to ensure seamless data migration, system integration, and deployment of cloud-based tools, all while minimising disruption to staff and students. Security was also a priority, as a new firewall system was essential to protect sensitive school data.
“We were tasked with transitioning St Elisabeth’s into a serverless environment over the summer break. This required rethinking their IT infrastructure to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve scalability. By leveraging cloud-based architecture, we streamlined operations, minimised maintenance burdens, and positioned the school for future growth and innovation,” said Jacques Taylor-Beck, Senior IT Consultant, Computeam.
A fully managed cloud migration strategy
Computeam developed a tailored cloud migration strategy, ensuring a fast, secure, and efficient transition. The first step involved managing the school’s internet infrastructure and deploying a Barracuda firewall, providing robust cybersecurity and seamless connectivity.
The transition to a serverless architecture was driven by the need to reduce operational costs and eliminate the complexities associated with physical server maintenance. The cloud-based model enables greater flexibility, allowing the school to scale IT resources dynamically based on demand. Reliability and uptime were significantly improved, ensuring critical applications and data remained accessible at all times.
One of the major shifts was the introduction of Chromebooks, aligning with the school’s long-term digital strategy. These devices provided a simpler, more efficient learning experience, reducing dependence on outdated Windows machines. Computeam also implemented a remote migration process, allowing most of the transition to be conducted offsite, accelerating deployment and minimising disruptions.
A smarter, more agile IT environment
The successful cloud migration at St Elisabeth’s demonstrates the power of strategic IT modernisation. By eliminating on-site servers, the school has significantly reduced maintenance costs and freed up valuable physical space. The new scalable cloud environment enables seamless access to resources from any location, enhancing both remote learning and hybrid classroom experiences.
Security has been greatly improved with the Barracuda firewall, ensuring comprehensive protection against cyber threats. The migration has also fostered a collaborative and dynamic learning environment, where staff and students can easily share resources and access real-time data.
“From initial planning to final implementation, Computeam ensured school leaders were fully informed, and feedback was promptly addressed. What could have been a stressful process was made seamless by their expertise and professionalism. Their dedication turned a complex project into a smooth and successful transition,” said John Barrett, CEO, Thrive CE Academy Trust.
The project provided valuable insights into optimising cloud migrations for educational institutions:
- Pre-Provisioning Devices: By configuring Chromebooks and other devices in advance, deployment time and resource consumption were significantly reduced.
- Automation Tools: Using Migration Manager streamlined the data transfer process, reducing reliance on manual uploads and minimising the risk of errors.
- Training & Ongoing Support: Computeam provided post-migration training, empowering staff to fully utilise new tools, ensuring long-term adoption and productivity.
With a future-proof digital infrastructure now in place, St Elisabeth’s is set to embrace the next generation of educational technology, ensuring a smarter, more connected learning environment.
