A Strategic Window: Why Summer Matters
With Windows 10 End of Life (EOL) on the horizon (14 October 2025), this period holds even more weight than usual.
By September, schools, colleges and MATs need to ensure:
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School computers are upgraded before Windows 10 end-of-support.
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All devices are functional, ready for staff and students to use.
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School network infrastructure can support teaching, learning, exams and admin.
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Devices meet current curriculum software requirements.
This article isn’t a reminder to start planning; it’s a practical guide for your school IT audit to ensure a smooth and efficient summer window that strengthens your IT infrastructure and avoids any unwanted surprises when the first bell rings in September.
Common Challenges That Need to Be Addressed in Your Summer IT Audit
The run-up to September is about so much more than just readiness. Education IT teams have to navigate a complex blend of technical, logistical and strategic pressures, often with limited resources, strict IT budgets and tight timeframes.
Here is what must be considered in your summer IT audit;
Windows 10 EOL
Windows 10 EOL has created a whole new dilemma for IT managers in education – device replacement or Extended Security Updates (ESUs).
ESUs may offer a short-term buffer, but most would agree that this is more of a stopgap to buy more time rather than a strategy. The real question is: which devices do we upgrade, which do we retire, and which do we replace? When procurement, testing and deployment all need to happen in one summer, timing becomes critical.
Conducting your audit now ensures that your organisation isn’t left unsupported mid-term and gives you time to source deals, raise BIDs, or finance replacements, rather than being forced into last-minute panic purchases.
Matching Infrastructure with Evolving Needs
The way staff and students engage with digital tools is constantly changing – in the last few years, the baseline expectations for education technology have shifted dramatically. For example, 1:1 device programmes, where each student has access to a digital device, have become increasingly popular.
An audit can help to surface hidden pain points. For example,
Are students routinely waiting for devices?
Are teachers modifying lesson plans due to hardware constraints?
Is device usage skewed towards certain year groups, leaving gaps elsewhere?
While a 1:1 programme may not be currently feasible, identifying shortfalls now will allow your school, college or MAT to plan a roadmap of incremental upgrades where budgets permit.
Regardless of whether your school, college or MAT is rolling out a 1:1 programme, it is clear across all UK educational organisations that the number of devices has increased dramatically. More devices mean more traffic and more demand on your network. Reviewing your current Wi-Fi infrastructure to identify any potential bottlenecks before the term restarts is a worthwhile exercise.
Lead Times and Stock Risks
Lead times and hardware availability can be a major challenge. Global supply chain changes, chip shortages and demand spikes can have significant effects on IT lead times for essential devices.
Chromebooks, for example, often have very limited stock close to September – conducting your audit early helps to mitigate stock issues, long lead times and price hikes during peak demand.
Predictable lead times and trustworthy fulfilment partners are essential to avoid last-minute deployment pressure. With prior warning, vendors can pre-emptively secure stock and align deliveries with future term dates and internal deadlines.
Summer audits can help create a clear roadmap, ensuring stock is available when you need it.
Budget Cycles & Spend Windows
Tight and immovable budget cycles are synonymous with education. Many schools receive budget allocations that must be spent before September. By the time procurement approvals are finalised, IT teams can be left with just weeks for installation, testing and deployment before the new school year begins.
A timely audit helps to identify needs and align purchasing with budget windows and funding cycles.
Framework & Procurement Compliance
A structured summer audit creates the time and capacity to ensure due diligence and compliance checkpoints aren’t rushed, and your organisation is in the best position to make procurement decisions that serve both technical and regulatory needs.
It’s a great opportunity to take full advantage of the breathing room to conduct quote comparisons and vet potential or existing suppliers. You should use this time to take a long-term view and ask pertinent questions such as:
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Are we still using the most cost-effective supplier?
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Have new vendors joined our preferred framework with a better offering?
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Have there been any pain points with our existing supplier in recent years?
By using the summer window to confirm framework routes, compare quotes fairly, and vet vendor capacity, IT and finance teams can move into the new academic year knowing every box is ticked.
Refurbishment & Trade-In Planning
With device trade-in and cashback incentives like ‘up to £150 cashback per device with HP Brighter Futures’, your old devices could hold the key to recouping thousands of pounds for your institution. This money can be reinvested into your infrastructure to help maximise your IT budget.
However, not every device will be ready for trade-in. Some devices may be suitable for refurbishment or repurposing. Component-level upgrades can be a cost-effective and sustainable option for devices that may just need a RAM upgrade or SSD replacement. Cascading assets can also be a great option — older laptops could be repurposed for less demanding tasks like exam invigilation, guest use or training.
Early auditing allows teams to plan this with care, ensuring the most cost-effective and sustainable strategy is employed for each device.
A School’s Story: Riverside College and Windows 10 EOL
Riverside College, located in Widnes, Cheshire, is a prominent further education institution serving the Halton area and the broader Liverpool City Region.
With approximately 4,000 students enrolled each year and over 500 full-time employees, Riverside College relies on robust IT systems to maintain exceptional learning facilities and remain compliant with modern cybersecurity and data protection requirements.
Their internal IT audit revealed that a significant number of desktop machines were still running Windows 10, many of which would soon be ineligible for security updates or future compatibility. Riverside College worked with Ebuyer to adopt a strategic, future-focused approach.
Working with Ebuyer’s specialist education IT team, the college deployed over 1,000 brand-new Windows 11-ready desktop PCs – all tailored to the college’s exact specifications using Ebuyer’s Build to Order (BTO) service.
The college reported an exceptionally smooth upgrade process. The project was delivered on time, on budget, and with no negative impact on day-to-day operations.
In fact, the performance of the new devices immediately improved the experience for staff and students, with faster load times and greater reliability across learning environments.
“Since partnering with ebuyer, we have been extremely impressed with the service provided.
Their support has enabled us to make significant savings. This has allowed us to invest in additional monitors.”
– Dan Keenan, Head of IT, Riverside College
By planning and choosing the right partner, Riverside was able to avoid the scramble many institutions may face as the Windows 10 EOL deadline approaches.
Today, they are fully equipped with a Windows 11-ready estate and the confidence that their IT infrastructure can meet the demands of modern education.
Read the full case study here.
Beyond Procurement – How ebuyer Provides Value
As Riverside College’s Windows 10 refresh project clearly demonstrates, having the right partner in place can make all the difference. For many schools and colleges, the challenge isn’t just knowing what needs upgrading – it’s navigating how to make that happen within the constraints of budgets, frameworks, and academic timetables.
That’s where ebuyer’s Education Team steps in – not as a transactional supplier, but as a strategic procurement partner trusted by over 14,000 UK schools, colleges and MATs.
Speak to an education IT specialist today for expert support, competitive pricing, access to the latest cashback incentives, and bespoke solutions. Let’s make your summer audit a breeze…
