We’re now a quarter of the way through the 21st century and we’re seeing more schools than ever become increasingly reliant on a diverse ecosystem of digital resources. With digital textbooks, learning platforms and classroom management tools becoming the norm, this proliferation of tools comes with a significant challenge: managing countless usernames and passwords.

There’s a shared feeling of annoyance when we see the “Password cannot be ‘password’, ‘123456’, or other commonly used passwords” message when adding a password to yet another account, however, this is where single sign-on (SSO) emerges not just as a convenience, but as a critical solution for efficiency, security, and student well-being in UK schools.

So, what exactly is single sign-on?

Simply put, single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method that allows users to access multiple digital tools and learning platforms with one set of login credentials. For Skolon users, SSO works like a master key to your school’s entire digital ecosystem. Instead of teachers and students having to remember separate usernames and passwords for each individual app; like Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, online libraries, math platforms, or other educational tools, they log in just once via Skolon and instantly gain simple, secure and streamlined access to all their connected digital tools and resources.

Whilst the concept of SSO is relatively straightforward, its implications for UK schools are profound, touching on everything from classroom productivity to compliance with stringent data protection laws.

Classroom chaos: a single, secure point of entry for learning

Imagine, the bell rings and a typical school day begins. Teachers up and down the country turn on their screens to encourage their classes to use a new educational app to run an interactive quiz that’s much quicker than handing out printouts and asking the class to self-mark, until… They tell their class to log in, but inevitably, a handful of students can’t remember their passwords.

Research shows that the average person spends 3 minutes and 46 seconds resetting a forgotten password. In a classroom setting, if several students forget their passwords, the teacher must spend valuable time guiding each one through the reset process before the lesson can even begin. This not only delays the start of the lesson but also disrupts the flow of learning. Precious minutes are lost to password resets, frantic searches, and rising frustration among students. It’s a familiar and frustrating scene and a direct result of a fragmented digital learning environment.

SSO completely eliminates this friction

By providing a single point of entry, it removes the issue that eats into valuable teaching time. Students, especially younger and vulnerable ones, can get straight to the point of learning. For example, at Skolon, we offer a password-free login method called Skolon Pass , where students can simply use a QR code to securely access their resources.

This makes digital learning accessible for all ages and abilities, ensuring no one is left behind because of a forgotten password.

Similarly, it isn’t just about saving a few minutes here and there. Over the course of a school year, these minutes add up to hours of wasted time. By streamlining access, SSO enables a more fluid and engaging learning experience, allowing teachers to focus on teaching and students to focus on learning. It encourages the use of a wider range of digital tools, as the barrier to entry is dramatically lowered.

Time isn’t the only thing SSO saves

According to the UK government’s 2024 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 52% of primary schools and 71% of secondary schools reported a cyber breach or attack in the past year, thus highlighting that UK schools are increasingly becoming targets for cyber-attacks. The sensitive nature of the data they hold, including personal information on pupils, parents, and staff, makes them a prime target for malicious actors due to fragmented systems with multiple passwords for every user.
With dozens of different passwords, users old and young often resort to using simple, easy-to-guess credentials or, worse, reusing the same password across multiple platforms. If just one of these weak passwords is compromised, an attacker could gain access to a multitude of other accounts, in what is a significant vulnerability.

SSO strengthens your school’s security

Skolon’s SSO can integrate with existing identity providers like Microsoft Azure or Google Workspace for Education, allowing your school to leverage the security features already in place. Additionally, you can add to your digital tools and resources by selecting from a wealth of integrated tools which already enable SSO through the Skolon App Store.

Beyond this, SSO provides a centralised hub for managing user access. An IT administrator can easily see who has access to what applications and quickly revoke access for leavers, such as a staff member or a student who has left the school. This reduces the risk of dormant accounts being exploited, a common entry point for cyber threats. The ability to manage all user accounts from one place is not just efficient; it’s a vital component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

Data protection: meeting UK GDPR requirements

GDPR compliance is a major challenge in fragmented EdTech environments. Every new tool often means more user accounts and more personal data being shared. With Skolon’s SSO and automated data synchronisation from the school’s MIS, only the necessary data is shared — reducing risk, simplifying admin, and supporting GDPR compliance with a clear audit trail.

Single sign-on is non-negotiable

In today’s digital-first educational landscape, single sign-on is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s a foundational component of a secure, efficient, and modern school environment. By centralising access, it not only saves valuable time and resources but also provides a powerful defence against the growing threat of cyber-attacks and ensures compliance with critical data protection regulations.

The message is clear: to future-proof your school and provide the best possible digital learning experience for students and staff, embracing single sign-on is the only way forward. For UK schools, it’s the master key that unlocks a world of safe, seamless, and productive learning.

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