In our latest blog post, Charlotte Dowd, Policy advisor and sector engagement lead, introduces us to DfE Connect.
What is DfE Connect?
DfE Connect is a free service from the Department for Education designed to make life easier for school business professionals and school leaders. Launched in April 2024, this service will be your central hub for essential DfE guidance, data, and resources. It’s currently only available to mainstream pre-16 academies and academy trusts, with plans to include local authority-maintained schools in 2025.
We know navigating the DfE’s many digital services, guidance pages, and deadlines can be time-consuming and challenging. That’s why DfE Connect aims to bring all the support you need into one user-friendly place.
Why was DfE Connect created?
We’ve listened to feedback from school business professionals and leaders who told us that accessing DfE services can feel like a maze. With over 100 digital services, countless data collections, and thousands of pages of guidance, finding what you need quickly isn’t always easy.
Research highlighted several pain points felt by school leaders and business professionals:
• Difficulty navigating services to find critical guidance and updates.
• Concerns about staying compliant and meeting deadlines.
• Time pressures caused by interacting with multiple platforms
DfE Connect directly addresses these challenges by offering a single-sign-on platform tailored to your needs.
What is the vision for DfE Connect and the aims of the service?
We listened to feedback from school leaders and school business professionals about the challenges you face when engaging with the Department for Education. This input shaped our vision for DfE Connect: to create a better, more efficient way for you to access the information and services you need. DfE Connect is designed to recognise who you are, your role, and your school’s context to:
• deliver the most relevant digital services, guidance, and updates tailored to your needs.
• streamline processes by ensuring you only provide information once, with it seamlessly shared across DfE systems
Our goal is to simplify and personalise your interaction with DfE through a one-stop shop that serves as your gateway to all DfE support. With DfE Connect, we aim to transform how the department communicates and collaborates with schools and trusts.
How will DfE Connect help?
DfE Connect will simplify and personalise your experience with DfE digital services. It will:
• streamline tasks: view upcoming mandatory finance deadlines and access relevant support in one place
• personalise content: the platform knows your role, school type, and location to deliver only the information that matters to you
• reduce workload: spend less time logging in, filling out forms, and searching for guidance
From January 2025, you’ll also be able to access all DfE grant and funding opportunities through DfE Connect.
What benefits will DfE Connect offer?
Benefits will include:
• reduced workload: Save time navigating DfE services and completing administrative tasks
• improved communication: Access DfE updates and services via one platform
• greater personalisation: Filter out irrelevant information and focus on what applies to your school or trust
• enhanced security: A single sign-in reduces password sharing and login issues
• better decision-making: Get the data and guidance you need to make informed choices for your school
• cost savings: Reduce reliance on third-party support to interpret policies or complete data returns
Who can access DfE Connect?
Right now, DfE Connect is available to school leaders and school business professionals in all mainstream pre-16 academies and academy trusts. Local authority-maintained schools will be added in 2025, with further expansion to post-16 and special schools planned for the future.
What’s next for DfE Connect?
This is just the beginning. We’re continuously gathering feedback from school staff to ensure DfE Connect meets your needs. Future developments include:
• adding new content on procurement, safeguarding, and workforce management
• introducing alerts and communication tools
• creating a feature for academy trusts to delegate tasks and track progress
• expanding access to local authority-maintained schools and other education settings
How can I access DfE Connect?
If you haven’t already, set up a DfE Sign-in account to start using DfE Connect.
Looking ahead
As we roll out more features and content, we’re committed to supporting your school or trust with the tools you need to succeed. For more information or support, email dfe.connect@education.gov.uk.
DfE Connect is here to save you time, reduce your workload, and make working with the DfE simpler and more effective. Give it a try today!
Help us build and grow DfE Connect
We are keen to receive feedback from school business professionals and school leaders to ensure DfE Connect works for everyone!
If you would like to take part, please complete the sign-up form Get invited to take part in research that's relevant to you (office.com)
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