Keskeiset tiedot
- Unused apps aren’t harmless — they’re costly.
- Digital clutter creates security and compliance risks.
- Better visibility leads to better decisions.
As UK schools are preparing for the new academic year, IT teams are gearing up behind the scenes – provisioning devices, reviewing software, and making sure everything runs smoothly from day one. But while you’re getting everything ready for students and staff, it’s worth taking a moment to consider: what apps and software are being used – and what’s just taking up valuable space?
Even with the best of intentions to provide teachers and students with the most up-to-date software and tools for the classroom, unused apps can quietly pile up in school tech ecosystems. Unused and rarely used tools don’t just sit quietly in the background – they cost schools real time and money. Every bit of digital clutter can add up.
We’ve made a list of possible problems that can cause for school IT teams – and how Lightspeed Systems can help you manage your tech ecosystems for a fresh start this term.
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Harder to See What’s Actually Working
When your school/organisation’s app landscape is overcrowded, bloated, and cluttered, it can be incredibly difficult to know what’s really making an impact on teaching and learning. This lack of clarity can result in uncertainty around renewals for apps and software – what to justify keeping, and what you can be certain is a good investment for your learning environment.
Wasted Licensing Costs Add Up Fast
Various software apps and EdTech tools charge per user or per device, meaning that schools are often paying for seats and apps that go unused and untouched. Those unused licenses can quietly, and invisibly, drain through budgets that could otherwise go towards more useful and impactful tools for your school and organisation. Lightspeed Insight can pinpoint critical financial information for each app installed on your school/organisations’ devices, including the cost of the licenses and the current ROI of each app. These crucial pieces of information allow IT, and finance teams make accurate decisions about what apps to keep and renew, which to renegotiate contracts on, and which they can comfortably remove from school/organisation devices.
Increased Security and Compliance Risk
Just because an app isn’t being used doesn’t mean it isn’t a risk. Dormant and inactive software can still access data, stay connected to networks, or even act as a backdoor to cyber threats by keeping potentially unsecure ports accessible – especially if it’s not regularly updated or monitored. Apps and tools that aren’t in use are more likely to be missed in updates and audits, creating blind spots that can compromise compliance with data protection policies. For schools handling large volumes of sensitive information, even a small oversight can have serious consequences. Lightspeed Insight allows users to see what apps are being used effectively, which are updated and complaint with policies and procedures, and which are risky or unsecured, and non-compliant apps and software.
More Tools = More Management
It’s easy to underestimate just how much behind-the-scenes work goes into maintaining each app or platform in your school’s tech stack. Even unused tools need to be monitored for updates, kept in line with data protection laws and policies, and checked for compatibility with devices and networks. If a user tries to access one of those unused apps, it’s the IT team that gets the ticket. Multiply that by dozens, maybe even hundred) of applications – you’re looking at a serious time sink. The more software in play, the more complex the environment becomes, the harder it is for your IT teams to focus on the systems that really matter. Lightspeed MDM can allow for centralised remote management of apps and software across all school devices, reducing time strain for IT teams, and making sure that all installed and utilised apps are updated and compliant.
Slower Systems and Cluttered Devices
Unused apps on student and staff devices – especially those pushed out automatically – can quickly start to affect performance. Slower boot up times, reduced storage space, and laggy software turn everyday tasks into frustrating delays. For students, that’s lost learning time. For teachers, it’s another obstacle in an already busy day. And For IT teams? It means an increase in help desk tickets for issues that could have been avoided. Keeping devices lean and purposeful isn’t just about tidiness – it’s ensuring that your tech works the way it’s supposed to when it matters the most.
Time for a Digital Reset?
As the new school year kicks off, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your school’s digital toolkit. Unused apps might seem harmless, but as we’ve seen, they can quietly drain budgets, slow down systems, and introduce unnecessary risk — all while adding to the workload of already-stretched IT teams.
A more streamlined, purposeful approach to software management not only frees up time and resources but also helps ensure your technology is supporting teaching and learning — not getting in the way of it.
Etkö ole varma mistä aloittaa?
With the right tools in place, you can easily track app usage, identify what’s working, and make data-driven decisions about what to keep (and what to cut). It’s a small step that can make a big difference this term. If you’d like to know how Lightspeed Systems can help you manage and maintain your school’s tech, and freshen up the new term, book a chat and a demo with a member of our team tässä.
