turn IT on
turn IT on is a UK-based managed ICT support provider founded in 2003, delivering hands-on, on-site IT services, accredited MIS support, and digital transformation programmes exclusively to more than 1,000 primary, secondary, and Multi Academy Trust schools across 45+ Local Authorities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersWitney, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What turn IT on does
turn IT on is a UK-based, privately held managed ICT support provider founded in 2003 by Tom Welch, a former primary school teacher. The company delivers hands-on, on-site IT support exclusively to schools, serving more than 1,000 schools across 45+ Local Authorities through approximately 80+ field ICT consultants supported by helpdesk teams in Witney, Oxfordshire and Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire.
Its core services include recurring ICT support contracts covering network infrastructure, hardware installation, curriculum training, and remote support via TeamViewer. The company is accredited to support all major UK school MIS platforms (SIMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, Bromcom) and offers a proprietary SIMS Reporting Suite with 20+ custom reports on subscription (£200 year-one, £100 renewal). It acts as an approved Department for Education implementation partner for the Connect the Classroom wireless-infrastructure programme and provides a dedicated Data Protection Officer service for GDPR compliance. The proprietary 'Discover Network' platform supports network management and 'School Development Plans' deliver a bespoke three-year ICT strategy per school. Certifications include ISO 9001 (2018), Cyber Essentials (2018), Microsoft Gold Partner (2022), and Capita SIMS / RM Integris / Arbor accreditations.
Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual or multi-year ICT support contracts, supplemented by hardware and infrastructure sales, MIS subscription revenue, professional services/training fees, and government-funded programme work. Go-to-market is direct field sales — no paid advertising — driven by word-of-mouth, a formal school referral scheme, and content marketing (Bett Show presence, blog, case studies). The customer base is diversified across primary, secondary, and Multi Academy Trust segments, with a 97%+ reported annual renewal rate. In 2018 the company acquired Lexicon Lifeline Ltd to enter Dorset, and in June 2024 it reorganised under a new parent, The Transforming Learning Group.
turn IT on firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- turn IT on
- Legal name
- turn IT on Ltd
- Website
- https://turniton.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- turn IT on is a UK-based managed ICT support provider founded in 2003, delivering hands-on, on-site IT services, accredited MIS support, and digital transformation programmes exclusively to more than 1,000 primary, secondary, and Multi Academy Trust schools across 45+ Local Authorities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
turn IT on industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education IT Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Managed IT Services & On‑Site Field Support (Helpdesk, Break/Fix, IMAC) (EDAEAHAJ)
Keywords
Where turn IT on is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Witney
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
turn IT on business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- ICT Support Contracts: Recurring support contracts with schools providing ongoing ICT support, maintenance, and consultancy. These are annual or multi-year contracts with regular consultant visits and helpdesk access. Forms the core of revenue with over 1,000 schools as customers.
- MIS Support Services: Specialised support for school management information systems including SIMS, FMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, and Bromcom. Includes training sessions and reporting tools.
- Hardware and Infrastructure Sales: Sale and installation of hardware including wireless infrastructure, interactive panels, servers, computers, and networking equipment. Particularly busy during school holidays.
- Training and Professional Development: Curriculum training sessions, MIS training, and professional development courses for teachers and school staff. Includes Decoding the Curriculum workshops and computing curriculum support.
- SIMS Reporting Suite: Annual subscription for access to 20+ custom reports extracted from SIMS. Start-up fee of £200 for first year, £100 annual renewal.
- Broadband Provision: School broadband services. Mentioned in testimonials showing cost savings of over £1,000 compared to previous providers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | SIMS Reporting Suite subscription |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Connect the Classroom programme |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
turn IT on product offering
Product offeringCore offering
turn IT on delivers hands-on ICT support services exclusively to UK schools, including technical support, network management, MIS support for systems like SIMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, and Bromcom, Data Protection Officer services, and infrastructure installations. The company employs ICT consultants who visit schools on-site and provides remote helpdesk support, backed by a Customer Portal for ticket management and a bespoke three-year School Development Plan for each school.
Product overview
turn IT on provides a comprehensive suite of ICT support and services exclusively for UK schools. The core offering consists of hands-on ICT support services for primary and secondary schools, complemented by accredited MIS (Management Information System) support for SIMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, and Bromcom. The company operates through its Customer Portal platform with SSO integration, and offers specialized services including the SIMS Reporting Suite (an add-on reporting module), Connect the Classroom support for government-funded infrastructure upgrades, Data Protection Officer services, and Remote Support using TeamViewer. Training offerings include the Microsoft Digital Transformation Academy and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert programme. The portfolio also includes the Discover Network solution and School of Tech holiday coding camps. Services are delivered by consultants who work on-site at schools, supported by helpdesk teams and a three-year School Development Plan framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- School of Tech: Holiday camps for children aged 8-12 to learn coding and technology skills, run during school holidays at partner schools in London.
Products and services
- ICT Support Services Comprehensive hands-on ICT support services for primary and secondary schools, including technical support, network management, infrastructure maintenance, and remote helpdesk access. Includes regular on-site consultant visits and is delivered to over 1,000 schools across the UK.
- MIS Support Services Accredited Management Information System support for SIMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, and Bromcom, helping schools manage student data, attendance, reporting, and administrative functions. Includes training sessions and dedicated helpdesk.
- SIMS Reporting Suite A reporting tool with over 20 different reports designed to help schools extract and utilize data from their SIMS MIS system, including reports for teachers, administrators, first aiders, catering staff, and senior leadership teams. Annual subscription with £200 first-year fee and £100 annual renewal.
- Connect the Classroom Support Government-funded Wi-Fi and network infrastructure improvement programme support, helping eligible schools navigate the Department for Education's Connect the Classroom scheme from funding guidance through to delivery and long-term digital strategy.
- Customer Portal Online platform for schools to log and track support tickets, access free curriculum resources, and manage their ICT services with SSO login via Microsoft or Google credentials.
- Data Protection Officer (DPO) Service Dedicated DPO service ensuring schools comply with data protection regulations, with staff training on responsibilities and ongoing compliance support.
- School Development Plan Bespoke three-year ICT School Development Plan helping schools maximize IT systems and ensure ICT has maximum impact on learning, developed collaboratively for each school.
- School of Tech Holiday coding camps for children aged 8-12, including Creative Computing, Rubbish Robots, and coding workshops to inspire children in technology, run at partner schools in London during school holidays.
- Microsoft Digital Transformation Academy Training programme helping teachers maximize Microsoft 365 tools to positively impact pupil progress and reduce teacher workloads through structured digital transformation learning.
- Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert Programme Professional qualification programme from Microsoft designed to help teachers become digital leaders and achieve leadership roles within their schools using Microsoft 365 tools, delivered through a webinar series.
- Broadband Provision School broadband services providing reliable and cost-effective connectivity, with schools reporting savings of over £1,000 from previous providers.
- Datto OnDemand Backup Backup and disaster recovery solution for schools, available as a downloadable agent for data protection against data loss incidents.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97%+ annual renewal rate demonstrates exceptional customer satisfaction and retention
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use turn IT on
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
turn IT on technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
turn IT on partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- GooglecoreDfE funding initiative partner alongside Microsoft. Chosen as implementation partner for Google's education technology funding programmes helping schools access DfE digital funding.
- Lexicon Lifeline LtdmajorAcquired in July 2018, Lexicon Lifeline had been providing ICT support for schools in Dorset area for 20 years. Staff joined turn IT on team and schools gained access to expanded services including Emergency Helpdesk Support, 3-year School Development Plans, and Customer Portal.
- Services 4 SchoolsminorPartnership to deliver GDPR information and advice sessions for schools. Combined expertise in data protection compliance and school IT support.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft Gold Partner and Regional Training Partner providing Microsoft 365, Azure, and education technology solutions. Turn IT on supports Microsoft's vision for education and digital transformation. Company presents at Microsoft stand at Bett Show and delivers Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert programme.
- QA LearningminorTraining provider partnership for Infrastructure Technician Level 3 Apprenticeships. Turn IT on is committed to providing three apprenticeships annually through QA Learning's training programme.
- Department for Education (DfE)coreApproved implementation partner for Connect the Classroom programme helping eligible schools improve Wi-Fi connectivity and network infrastructure. Partnership with DfE's wider digital strategy for education.
- Insignis Academy TrustmajorTurn IT on worked with Insignis Academy Trust on wireless infrastructure upgrades for The Mandeville School as part of wider digital transformation strategy across the trust.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
turn IT on competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Primary Technology: UK-based managed IT support provider dedicated to primary and secondary schools. Closely comparable to turn IT on in target customer, service mix (on-site support, MIS support, broadband), and UK-only focus.
- Atomwide: UK managed network, connectivity, and IT support provider focused on schools and MATs. Directly comparable in school-segment focus and managed broadband/network service lines.
- Scomis: Not-for-profit schools ICT cooperative providing IT support, MIS administration, and infrastructure services to schools in the South West of England. Comparable service portfolio and education-only positioning.
- NetSupport: UK-headquartered provider of classroom management, IT asset management, and remote support software widely deployed in schools. Comparable school-segment focus and ICT-support tooling surface.
Broad incumbents
- RM Education: Established UK education technology provider delivering hardware, software, and IT services to schools. Far larger than turn IT on, but overlaps on managed IT services for schools, MIS ecosystem participation (RM Integris), and education-only focus.
Emerging players
- Stone Group: UK IT services and hardware reseller with a dedicated education practice supplying schools, MATs, and academies with devices, networks, and managed services. Overlaps with turn IT on in school infrastructure deployment.
Regional players
- XMA: UK IT solutions provider with an established education division delivering devices, infrastructure, and services to schools and trusts. Comparable in education-vertical service delivery but broader geographic and product spread.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
turn IT on social profiles
Digital presenceturn IT on compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
turn IT on financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
turn IT on leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
turn IT on subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
turn IT on funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
turn IT on M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about turn IT on
What does turn IT on do?
turn IT on delivers hands-on ICT support services exclusively to UK schools, including technical support, network management, MIS support for systems like SIMS, Arbor, Integris, ScholarPack, and Bromcom, Data Protection Officer services, and infrastructure installations. The company employs ICT consultants who visit schools on-site and provides remote helpdesk support, backed by a Customer Portal for ticket management and a bespoke three-year School Development Plan for each school.
Is turn IT on a public or private company?
turn IT on is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was turn IT on founded?
turn IT on was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is turn IT on based?
turn IT on is headquartered in Witney, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does turn IT on make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. ICT Support Contracts are the primary driver. The others are MIS Support Services, hardware and Infrastructure Sales, training and Professional Development, SIMS Reporting Suite and broadband Provision.
Who are turn IT on's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Primary Technology, Atomwide, Scomis and NetSupport. RM Education is listed as a broad incumbent. Stone Group is listed as an emerging player. XMA is listed as a regional player.
Does turn IT on have an API?
No public API is recorded for turn IT on.
What industry is turn IT on in?
turn IT on's product category is Education IT Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAHAJ, Managed IT Services & On‑Site Field Support (Helpdesk, Break/Fix, IMAC). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8744.