Context: The Challenge of Learning Continuity
The National Extension College (NEC) (www.nec.ac.uk), a leading content partner specialising in supported distance learning, approached the team at Rebooted with a unique and sensitive challenge. A highly motivated young adult learner, enrolled in A-Level courses, was making excellent progress but became subject to specific legal requirements and strict conditions that severely limited his ability to use internet-connected devices. These measures, implemented for security purposes, threatened to halt the learner’s educational journey just as they were nearing completion. The challenge was clear: how to supply a digital learning tool that would meet the students' need for educational continuity while rigorously adhering to the highest standards of security and compliance mandated by law enforcement.
Strategic Partnership: Security Meets Social Impact
Recognising the critical nature of the restrictions, NEC initiated contact with the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) to explore a secure technology solution.
Rebooted’s selection was based on its proven track record, honed through a large-scale project run by founding partner, Coracle, who supply and manage secure laptops across 96 prisons across England and Wales. This experience provided an unparalleled knowledge base in device lockdown, user segregation, and content whitelisting — essential capabilities for this sensitive case.
The Rebooted Solution: Leveraging Google's Ecosystem
To ensure the device met the non-negotiable security requirements established by the CTU, Rebooted implemented a multi-layered security model.
The solution centered on leveraging Google’s robust and secure device and user policies. By utilising a ChromeOS device, Rebooted was able to deploy enterprise-grade security controls, including:
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Strict Device Lockdown: The device was configured to operate only within a predetermined, whitelisted learning environment, physically preventing access to unauthorised applications, settings, or external web browsing.
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Managed Access Policy: The user account was managed via a dedicated organisational unit, ensuring that all activity and access were fully monitored and auditable, meeting the CTU's compliance needs.
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Encrypted and Secure Boot: Utilising the native security features of the hardware ensured the integrity of the operating system could not be tampered with.
Through close consultation and approval from the Met Police CTU, the device was configured, secured, and issued to the learner.
Outcome and Key Takeaway
The collaboration successfully resulted in the issuance of a secure, purpose-built learning device that satisfied the stringent security requirements of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Unit and the educational delivery needs of NEC.
This case study is a powerful demonstration of how strategic partnerships, combined with specialised technical expertise and the foundational security of platforms like Google, can successfully navigate complex security requirements, allowing a dedicated young learner to seamlessly continue their A-Level studies. Demonstrating that security and educational access do not have to be mutually exclusive goals, even under the most demanding conditions, the team at Rebooted is dedicated to sourcing more devices to meet the needs of an ever-growing list of vulnerable learners.
Ian Sparks, 1st October 2025