5 Essential Features of a SharePoint Intranet for Education

In today’s digital age, educational institutions, including Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and schools, are seeking innovative ways to cultivate collaboration. Microsoft’s intranet platform, SharePoint, offers a comprehensive solution tailored to the specific needs of the education sector. 

We’re delving into the essential features of a SharePoint intranet, and sharing with MATs and schools how to unlock its maximum potential, enhancing collaboration and efficiency. It’s time to fully utilise SharePoint for schools.

1. Promoting Vision and Values:­

A SharePoint intranet provides an ideal platform for MATs and schools to communicate their vision and values to staff and students. By utilising customisable branding and design elements, educational institutions can create a visually appealing intranet that reflects their identity. They can share their mission statements, strategic plans, and objectives, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the institution’s overarching goals. This fosters a sense of unity, promotes a positive culture, and enables everyone to work towards a common vision.

2. Publishing Information to Wide Audiences:

It also serves as a centralised hub for publishing essential information to a broad audience. MATs and schools can easily disseminate policies, staff handbooks, guidelines, and other important documents to ensure everyone is well-informed and compliant. The intranet allows administrators to create dedicated sections for different departments, year levels, or roles, ensuring that relevant information reaches the intended audience. The ability to upload and organise documents in a structured manner streamlines accessibility and reduces the administrative burden associated with traditional paper-based systems.

3. Secure Data Storage in the Cloud:

One of the significant advantages of using SharePoint for education is its cloud-based architecture, which offers secure data storage and protection against cyber threats such as ransomware. Storing files and documents in the cloud eliminates the risk of data loss due to hardware failures or accidental deletions. SharePoint employs advanced security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular backups, to safeguard sensitive information. This ensures the privacy of student records, personnel data, and other confidential materials, instilling trust within the educational community.

4. Integration with Microsoft Teams:

SharePoint seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams, enhancing collaboration and supporting teaching and learning activities. By linking the two platforms, MATs and schools can create shared workspaces for classes and projects, enabling students and teachers to collaborate on assignments, share resources, and engage in discussions. Teachers can publish assignments and grades in Teams surfaced by web parts within SharePoint, while students can access learning materials and submit their work within the familiar Teams environment. This integration streamlines communication and increases productivity across the educational ecosystem.

5. Removing Expensive Server Refreshes and Hardware:

Traditional server-based intranet systems and file servers often require expensive hardware upgrades and maintenance. By adopting a SharePoint intranet, MATs and schools can eliminate the need for costly server refreshes and hardware investments. SharePoint operates in the cloud, eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure. This not only reduces capital expenditure but also eliminates the burden of managing server maintenance and updates. Educational institutions can redirect their resources towards improving teaching and learning experiences rather than worrying about infrastructure management.

SharePoint intranets offer a wealth of essential features that can revolutionise collaboration.

By adopting these features, educational institutions can leverage the full potential of SharePoint intranets to create a productive and knowledge-driven environment. Leveraging the power of SharePoint means that educational institutions can establish a collaborative and efficient digital ecosystem that enhances communication and supports the growth and success of their students and staff. 

This modern intranet solution enables educational institutions to stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape of education – Embrace the power of SharePoint for schools and MATs!

The author

Cloud Design Box

We are a team of education Teams and SharePoint experts supporting over 450 schools and large businesses in the UK and internationally, sharing our knowledge with the education sector.

https://www.clouddesignbox.co.uk