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IT Security for Schools (Private & Academy UK Guide – 2026)

Table of Contents

Why Schools Are a Target for Cyber Attacks
  • Schools increasingly rely on IT for the day-to-day functioning of education and administration.
  • IT systems are essential to aid lessons and record students as well as provide records required for Safeguarding purposes.
  • A considerable amount of Sensitive personal data on students and staff is held within schools making them attractive targets for cyber-attacks.
  • Many schools also do not have enough IT resources or support available to them.
  • Schools often work with a mixture of old and new technology, thus increasing the security vulnerabilities they face.
  • Phishing emails, as well as ransomware, are a common threat to schools.
  • The impact of such attacks can cause the loss of records, cancelled lessons or problems with safeguarding.
  • Therefore, it is critical that all schools understand how important it is to have strong IT security in place to ensure their facilities are able to operate safely.
Common IT Systems Used in Schools
  • For example, many schools throughout the UK use the same software systems.

Email Software

  • The purpose of the email system is to communicate with staff and parents and with outside organisations.
  • Commonly used software systems include Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

  • The LMS is used for teaching and tracking assignments. Commonly used LMS include:
  • Google Classroom
  • Moodle

Management Information Systems (MIS)

  • The MIS is used for tracking:
  • Attendance
  • Behaviour
  • Academic Records

Cloud Storage Systems

  • The purpose of cloud storage systems is to store documents and resources.
  • Some examples of common cloud storage systems used in schools are:
  • One Drive
  • Google Drive

Staff and Administration

  • The purpose of staff and administration systems is to support functions such as:
  • Finance
  • Human Resources
  • Reporting
  • Sensitive data will often be found on these systems.
Key Cybersecurity Risks for Schools

Phishing

  • On numerous occasions, staff members received Phishing email messages disguised as legitimate email messages from people they know, such as:
  • Senior Leaders
  • Vendors
  • Parents
  • The primary goal of phishing is to acquire a staff member's password.

Ransomware

  • In the event of a Ransomware attack, attackers attempt to block access to a system or data and require the victim to pay a ransom to regain access.

Weak Passwords

  • Weak passwords are easy to guess, as users often create very simple passwords or they often use the same, or similar, passwords for numerous accounts.

Shared Logins

  • In many schools, logins are shared by multiple users; this poses accountability problems.

Unsecured Student Devices

  • Students often use devices that:
  • Do not receive current software updates;
  • Were recently shared with another student;

Have been lost or stolen.

  • Portable computers are often capable of storing highly confidential information.

Outdated Platforms

  • Depending on what types of computers the schools have, some may not be current enough to receive any additional software updates.
Protecting Student and Staff Data
  • Schools are organisations that store when it comes to sensitive information.
  • Some of the information that schools keep is:
  • Student Personal Information
  • Information to protect students
  • Staff Records
  • The expectations for data protection within the UK at a high level are:
  • Data is kept secure
  • Access is limited
  • Data is used appropriately
  • (The above applies to general information as provided by regulatory authorities such as the ICO.)

What are some Practical Steps?

  • Limit access to only people who need it
  • Avoid storing sensitive information on local devices
  • Use secured systems
  • Regularly review permissions
  • Remove access when the staff member leaves
Essential IT Security Controls for Schools

MFA

  • This is an additional login step.
  • It is one of the best protection methods.

Strong Password Policies

  • They should be long,
  • Unique and not shared with other people.

Access Control and Permissions

  • Staff should only have access to what they need to do their jobs.

Managing Devices

  • All devices should be:
  • Secured
  • Up to date
  • Able to be managed remotely.

Endpoint Protection

  • Every device should have either Antivirus or a more advanced protection method.

Regular Updates and Patching

  • Will fix known vulnerabilities.

Network Security Controls

  • Basic security measures for your Network:
  • Secure Wi-Fi
  • Separate staff & student
  • Networks

Managing Devices and User Access

  • Device Management and User Access

Staff Devices

  • Should be:
  • Managed
  • Secured
  • Regularly maintained.

Student Devices

  • Are harder to manage than staff devices (e.g., through shared devices or owned personally).

Access Management

  • Define clear roles for users
  • Avoid users being given excessive permissions.

Joiners and Leavers

  • When an employee leaves your school, you should: immediately remove their access and disable any account access.

Email and Phishing Protection

  • The method used by cybercriminals to attack schools the most frequently are through email.
  • Here are some examples of how to Phish the school email system:
  • Fake invoices sent to staff members
  • Urgent emails sent from head teachers
  • Fake sites to login to your account.
  • To Protect Yourself from Phishing via Email,
  • Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
  • Use Spam Filters
  • Train Your Staff to Recognise Phishing Emails
Backup and Disaster Recovery for Schools
  • It is essential to have backups.

What to Backup

  • Student Records
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Shared Files

Best Practices for Backing Up Data

  • Backing up regularly
  • Storing Backups at Remotely
  • Testing for Recovery

Have a Basic Disaster Recovery Plan.

  • A Disaster Recovery Plan Should Include
  • Who to call in a disaster
  • What to recover in a disaster

Training and Awareness of Staff

  • A well-trained workforce is needed for cyber security.
  • Staff are key to the protection of data.
  • Staff Should be Trained on:
  • Phishing
  • Password protection
  • How to report suspicious incidents.
  • A small amount of training can create a significant change.
IT Security Checklist for Schools
School IT Security Checklist Staff Cybersecurity Checklist Device & Access Control Checklist
• Multi-Factor Authentication is Enabled
• All Backups are Complete
• All User Devices are Updated
• All User Devices Have Antivirus Installed
• Access Control is Developed for User Devices Only 		• Users Have Strong Passwords to Protect Their Accounts
• No One Shares Their Account with Any Other User
• Exercise Caution with Email Correspondence
• Report Any Suspicious Activity to an Appropriate Individual 		• All Devices Will Be Monitored from a Central Location and Will Have Access Based on User Role
• All User Accounts Will Be Deactivated as Soon as Access is No Longer Required

Frequently Asked Questions

Educational Institutions are Targeted by Cyber Security Attacks Because They Handle Large Amounts of Personal, Sensitive Data and Generally Have Inadequate Security Resources in Place to Protect this Data.

Multi-Factor Authentication, Backups, Updates, and Staff Awareness of Cybersecurity.

By Valuing Data from One Educational Institution to Another with Secure Access and Secure Systems, and by Following Basic Security Guidelines.

Educational Institutions Requires Multi-Factor Authentication as the Most Effective Form Of Protection Against Cyber Attacks.

Educational Institutions Should Review Their IT Security No Less Than Once a Year and After Major Changes or Incidents Occur.

About This Guide

This guide discusses the significance of information technology security to educational institutions including: schools, private colleges and academies in the UK. Schools are prime targets for cybercriminals due to their collection of vast amounts of sensitive student and staff data.

This guide will look at common IT security threats facing schools, including: phishing, ransomware, weak passwords, shared logins, and legacy systems. It will also outline steps that organisations can take to mitigate these threats, such as implementing multi-factor authentication, establishing password management policies; ensuring the use of secure backups; implementing device management programs; and providing staff members with training related to cybersecurity.

Computer Support Centre provides this guide so that educational institutions can protect their critical systems and secure sensitive data, and ultimately provide safe and secure daily operations for their employees and students.

Conclusion

A strong IT security program is necessary for schools to protect their student records, staff information and daily operation. Through simple steps like enabling MFA, securing devices and training staff, and through regular backups, schools can significantly improve their ability to mitigate cyber threats. By implementing best practices for IT security, schools can create a safe digital landscape, reduce or eliminate the probability of disruptions to the operation of their educational institution; and ensure safe and secure learning for their students and staff and the operation of the school.