The Problem
St Mary’s C of E Primary School in Leicestershire is a values-led community school committed to nurturing every child’s potential. With a strong emphasis on Love, Respect, Thankfulness, Kindness, Honesty, and Perseverance, the school provides a supportive environment for academic and emotional growth. HBT Communications has been a trusted technology partner to St Mary’s for several years. When the school’s legacy Panasonic phone system was discontinued and exposed to cybersecurity risks, it was clear a modern, secure solution was needed. Although the school explored local providers, they chose HBT for our deep understanding of the education sector and ability to deliver a future-proof, cost-effective cloud-based system tailored to their needs.Results
The implementation of the cloud-based telephony system has delivered significant improvements across St Mary’s C of E Primary School, particularly in the school office where efficiency and responsiveness are critical. The MIS integration has transformed day-to-day operations:• Caller identification now happens instantly, helping staff respond more effectively to parent and carer enquiries.
• Staff can dial directly from Arbor, eliminating manual entry and reducing errors.
• Call journaling and absence recording are now automated and linked directly to student records, saving time and improving accuracy. For a city school with a diverse cohort, including families where language barriers may exist, these enhancements have made communication smoother and more inclusive. The system has also helped reduce the time spent on routine tasks, allowing staff to focus more on supporting pupils and families. The addition of a lockdown announcement feature has further strengthened the school’s safeguarding measures, enabling instant alerts via handsets and desktop clients, an essential capability in today’s climate.
The Solution
To address the challenges HBT Communications recommended a move to a cloud-based telephony solution providing a future-proof, secure and budget-friendly option tailored to the needs of schools. Cloud telephony offers several key advantages for the education sector:• Automatic updates and upgrades: Schools always benefit from the latest features without additional costs.
• Scalability and flexibility: The system grows with the school’s needs and adapts to changes in infrastructure.
• Cost-efficiency: No need for expensive hardware replacements or maintenance, making it ideal for tight school budgets. One of the standout features for Sam at St Mary’s was the MIS integration. HBT seamlessly connected the new phone system with Arbor, the school’s Management Information System.
