Case Study: The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) achieves full-campus BYOD and high-density Wi‑Fi with Extreme Networks

Extreme Networks wireless solution is put through its paces by students at The Grammar School at Leeds

The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) is a large independent day school with 2,500 pupils (ages 3–18) and 400 staff across two campuses, and wanted to enable a school-wide BYOD policy and reliable, high-density Wi‑Fi across buildings and grounds. GSAL’s existing guest-only wireless was not scalable or secure enough to support heavy device use, so the school selected Extreme Networks and its IdentiFi wireless access points & controllers, OneFabric Control Center, NetSight management and Network Access Control (NAC) to meet those requirements.

Extreme Networks’ solution (deployed by Platinum Partner NETprotocol) installed a virtual wireless controller with 140 access points and NAC, integrated with GSAL’s core authentication and firewalls, and used floor‑plan mapping and per-user controls. The rollout took three days over the summer, enabling a successful BYOD policy, full coverage with no black spots, high-density support (e.g., sixth-form common room), 90% sixth-form adoption and 43% uptake in Years 7–11, plus 150 staff iPads, simplified management and ongoing cost savings — all delivered by Extreme Networks.

Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL)

Mark Whitehead

Computer services manager