Schools & MATs

Email on a pink key on a white keyboard

Email and Security: ICO recent guidance

The ICO has recently published new guidance about bulk email communications following a number of data breaches caused by the incorrect usage of CC and BCC (carbon copy and blind carbon copy). 

Emails sent to the wrong person or emails copied rather than blind copied to customers/parents are the most common data breaches seen and are often because someone is rushing or under pressure.

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A smart mobile phone with emojis relating to social media coming out the surface on a white background.  Text: Data Protection Education Social Media Policy

Social Media Policy

We've created a model Social Media Policy.  The policy outlines guidelines and expectations for the use of social media platforms by individuals and employees associated with an organisation. 

The primary aim of the policy is to ensure responsible, respectful and effective use of social media while protecting the organisation's reputation and interests.

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Pile of newspapers

Changes to Microsoft Free Licensing for Schools

Microsoft has recently announced the planned retirement of the Microsoft A1 Licenses for Education.  According to Program Updates in Microsoft 365 for Education page the main reason is to limit storage.  Free, unlimited storage plans have become prohibitive and have become a large vector for security risks and fraud. 

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Child with their hands over their eyes in front of a computer laptop. Yellow background. White desk

How KCSIE is linked to Cyber Strategy

The DfE recently published an update to the Keeping Children Safe in Education Document 2025.  The document has a strong emphasis on making sure everyone is aware of the online dangers of using the internet and makes recommendations about how schools and colleges should put processes in place to keep children safe online. 

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Ransomware Vice Society in pink writing

VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools

This article was originally published in January 2023, but has been updated with some additional information, following further ransomware attacks on schools in the UK. Highly confidential documents from 14 schools in the UK have been leaked online by hackers.  The Vice Society has been behind a high-profile string of attacks on schools across the UK and the USA in recent months.

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Photo of a laptop logged into the Data Protection Education Knowledge Bank, showing the Dashboard

Using Tags if you are a group of organisations in the DPE Knowledge Bank

If you are a group of organisations such as a multi academy trust and a member of the central team,  it can be useful to view all of the organisations/schools and the main organisation/trust details all at once in several of the Knowledge Bank pages to give an overview.  When your organisation are added into the Knowledge Bank, we will have tagged them all appropriately.

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The word cyber insurance in blue on a computer screen with a finger pointing at it

Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector

This article is about cyber insurance in the public sector, particularly in relation to schools.  Cyber insurance is a special type of insurance intended to protect businesses from internet-based risks, and more generally risks relating to information technology infrastructure and activities.  It is also known as cyber liability insurance or cyber risk insurance. 

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Cyber attack written in computer text on a computer in red

Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School

This article is about a recent cyber attack on Leytonstone School.  The school in Waltham Forest has been closed since half term after it was targeted and a significant amount of personal data was accessed.

The school is still closed to all pupils other than those taking their GCSEs because the school currently does not have a single central record (SCR), sometimes referred to as a single central register.  An SCR is a statutory requirement for all schools and academies i

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Blue data breach text on blue cyber background,  and orange reprimand stamp

The ICO Reprimands a school

A reprimand has been issued by the ICO to Parkside Community Primary School in relation to the infringements of Article 5 (1)(f), Article 24 (1) and Article 32 of the UK GDPR. This article discusses the reprimand and looks and what schools can do to avoid this type of breach.

Some of the information in the reprimand document is redacted, but the main details are:

A safeguarding email was shared in the classroom via the electronic whiteboard. The ICO has found that the schoo

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