How Quality Early Years Achieved ISO 27001 and Saved 200+ Hours with SecureSlate

About Quality Early Years

Quality Early Years is a UK-based organization dedicated to transforming early childhood education through innovative technology. With a deep understanding of the critical developmental stages of young children, the company integrates cutting-edge digital tools to enhance learning experiences, foster engagement, and support educators and parents.

By combining research-backed methodologies with user-friendly platforms, Quality Early Years ensures that children receive a strong educational foundation while making learning interactive and fun.

ISO 27001

Employees

22

Location

London, UK

Industry

EdTech

The Challenge

As Quality Early Years increasingly relied on digital tools, the imperative for robust data security management became clear. Recognizing the sensitive nature of the information they handled, particularly concerning young children, the organization set its sights on achieving ISO 27001 certification to formalize its security practices.

However, navigating the complexities of the comprehensive ISO 27001 framework presented a considerable hurdle for a team primarily focused on delivering high-quality childcare and education. The intricate details of the standard’s clauses and controls represented a significant learning curve, and lacking dedicated in-house information security expertise , Quality Early Years recognized the need to explore external solutions.

“Ensuring the utmost security for the sensitive personal data of the children in our care is our top priority. However, the prospect of navigating the complexities of ISO 27001 and implementing all the necessary policies and procedures across our network of nurseries felt like a daunting task.”

Catherine, Director at Quality Early Years

Like many organizations within the education sector, Quality Early Years operated with finite resources. The anticipated hard work and substantial time commitment required to generate the necessary documentation and implement stringent security measures for ISO 27001 certification posed a challenge for their already busy team. They were also conscious of the potential costs associated with new software and training, keen to concentrate their energy and budget on their core mission of providing exceptional early years education.

Furthermore, ensuring consistent security practices and cultivating security awareness across their diverse nurseries and among staff members with varying levels of technical proficiency presented a logistical puzzle. They sought a method to adapt standard ISO 27001 controls to the unique demands of an early years education environment, encompassing both their innovative platform’s digital records and the physical security of their premises and children’s confidential information.

Realizing the increasing importance of demonstrating their commitment to data security to parents and regulatory bodies, Quality Early Years decided to get ISO 27001 compliant. Given these challenges, they sought out a compliance automation partner and, after assessing various options, chose SecureSlate.

The Solution

As Quality Early Years began their partnership with SecureSlate, they found the platform offered a structured and supportive approach to tackling the complexities of ISO 27001. Right from the start, a SecureSlate expert worked closely with their team to map out a clear path for implementation, breaking down the often-intimidating framework into manageable steps.

SecureSlate’s platform itself proved to be incredibly user-friendly, which was a significant benefit for a team primarily focused on education rather than IT security.

“ SecureSlate made it easy to see where we stood with our compliance efforts. The dashboard showed us exactly what areas we needed to focus on, making the whole process feel much less overwhelming.”

Recognizing that Quality Early Years already had strong safeguarding practices in place, SecureSlate helped them translate these into the formal policies and procedures required by ISO 27001.

The platform offered customizable templates and guidance that allowed them to adapt standard security controls to the specific needs of their nurseries, considering everything from digital data protection to the physical security of their premises and children’s records.

In the end, SecureSlate provided Quality Early Years with a sense of clarity and control over their ISO 27001 compliance efforts.

“Working with SecureSlate was straightforward and intuitive. We always knew what the next steps were, and the platform’s ease of use meant our whole team could contribute to building a robust security framework without feeling lost or out of their depth.”

The Impact

Quality Early Years, after implementing SecureSlate, achieved ISO 27001 audit readiness in less than 7 weeks. The audit process, supported by the well-organized documentation and clear procedures established through SecureSlate, went smoothly. Quality Early Years received their ISO 27001 certification shortly after.

“SecureSlate removed the feeling of being lost. The platform was straightforward, the support fantastic, and we always knew what to do. It allowed us to achieve high security and provided certification in just a week after completion.”

One of the most significant impacts was the immense time saved by Catherine and her team. By providing a structured pathway, simplifying complex requirements, and streamlining documentation, Quality Early Years estimates that they saved 200+ hours of valuable administrative time. This allowed their staff to concentrate on their core mission: providing exceptional care and education to young children.