Strengthening safeguarding through connected schools
The Mercian Trust is a large multi-academy trust in Sandwell and Walsall supporting schools that place equal emphasis on academic achievement and student wellbeing. As digital learning and online safeguarding became more central to everyday school life, the trust needed a partner that could deliver reliable connectivity, stronger protection for pupils, and simple, consistent management across multiple sites.
Glide was selected to design and deliver a secure, scalable digital platform that supports learning today while meeting current and future Department for Education (DfE) standards.
The challenge
Schools across the Trust used a range of connectivity, safeguarding and communication platforms, resulting in a varied approach to service delivery.
The Mercian Trust needed resilient internet access at every site, a single firewall and filtering solution aligned to DfE requirements, real-time safeguarding alerts, and a modern voice platform to improve day-to-day communication between schools and central teams.
The delivery
After a competitive tender, Glide was appointed as The Mercian Trust’s connectivity partner, scoring highest on both quality and price. Glide worked closely with the trust’s IT and safeguarding leads to design a tailored solution across eleven initial schools, expanding to fourteen within six months. Each site received a full survey, followed by carefully planned installations to minimise disruption. Glide’s Network Operations Centre now provides round-the-clock monitoring and proactive support across the entire estate.
The outcome
The Mercian Trust now operates on a secure, high-capacity network that supports teaching, administration and safeguarding across all sites. Smoothwall Monitor provides real-time, human-moderated alerts that help staff act quickly when pupils are at risk. The platform is ready for cloud-based learning and future DfE standards. Confidence in the solution led to an additional £50,000 annual safeguarding investment over five years.
Conclusion
By partnering with Glide, The Mercian Trust has built a strong digital foundation for safe, connected learning. With resilient connectivity, centralised security and real-time safeguarding insight, the trust is well equipped to support safe, connected learning as its network of schools continues to grow.
Glide has delivered a more resilient, secure and cost-effective digital platform across the trust. By simplifying connectivity and communications, we’ve reduced complexity and ongoing costs whilst giving our schools the reliable infrastructure they need to support safe, connected learning.
Andrew Paulson, CFO, The Mercian Trust