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Know your IT Support Provider graphic. IT Support Due Diligence Directory for schools and colleges.

Finding the right IT partner and support provider is a big decision.  Due diligence for IT Support isn't just about who can 'fix computers', it's about ensuring standards are followed and they work with you to meet your organisation's strategy. Data Protection Education has a DfE IT Support Tracker and Supplier Due Diligence Directory to provide support and guidance as well as tracking your progress.

The Government Cyber Action Plan 2026 document. UK public sector cyber security strategy.

The Government Cyber Action Plan, published in January 2026, sets out a radical shift in how the UK public sector manages cyber security and digital resilience. It moves away from fragmented, siloed defences toward a "Defend as One" model led by a new Government Cyber Unit within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

 A promotional image for new digital standards in education.  The top half shows four primary school-age children sitting at a desk, looking down and focusing on work. The child closest to the camera on the right is smiling.  The bottom half has an orange and blue graphic overlay that reads: "New standard announced! MEETING DIGITAL STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES." In the bottom left corner is a circle image showing students working on laptops. The text "IT Support" is written in a yellow box below the circle. In the bottom right corner is a logo for the "DATA PROTECTION EDUCATION" initiative.

The government has announced an additional Digital Standard to help with planning, commissioning and reviewing their IT support services.  The services can be internal, external or a hybrid.  Effective IT support is essential for maintaining technology, planning improvements and mitigating risks like outages and cyber incidents, and sits alongside the other 11 standards.

  1. Fraud awareness from the DfE
  2. The Classroom's Dark Side: Cyber crime from the Classroom
  3. KCSIE 2025: Data Protection, AI, and Cyber Security
  4. The Latest Cyber Threat: The "Murky Panda"
  5. Building a Secure School: Using the ICO Accountability Framework to Meet DfE Digital Standards
  6. Digital Safeguarding: DfE announces statutory DfE Digital Standards
  7. Compliance Reporting from the Knowledge Bank
  8. Social engineering + impersonation = Fraud ≡ cyber deception
  9. Data Breaches 2025 Report Highlights
  10. School cyber attack: Framlingham College, Suffolk
  11. Getting caught in the Scattered Spider web
  12. A Wake-Up Call for Cyber Vigilance - Danger in the Threat Landscape for Everyone
  13. Social Media and Marketing Guidelines and Training
  14. New Governor Resources
  15. Apple removes its highest level data security tool from UK customers
  16. Safer Internet Day, Cyber Security & Data Protection
  17. The Cyber Resilience Championship
  18. The Multiple Dimensions of Supplier Due Diligence
  19. Blacon High School Cyber Attack
  20. What the proposed Government legislative proposal around cyber crime means
  21. Effectively communicating during a cyber incident
  22. Safeguarding Identity in Microsoft 365: Protecting the UK Education Sector Against Cyber Threats
  23. Cyber Security Best Practice Area
  24. DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Tracker
  25. New Policies, Documents, Letters and Posters page
  26. Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
  27. The DPE Retention Schedule
  28. How does the recent global IT outage affect me?
  29. King's speech introduces new bills in relation to cyber security, smart data and digital information
  30. Out of date technology
  31. Cyber attack on a school during half term
  32. Free short cyber training for staff
  33. The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
  34. ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
  35. Children's mental health data leaked after a cyber attack
  36. Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
  37. Social Media Best Practice Area
  38. Lettings Best Practice Area
  39. MFA Bombing - What is it?
  40. Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
  41. Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
  42. Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
  43. Cyber Incident Review: The Benefits
  44. Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
  45. Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
  46. Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
  47. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
  48. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
  49. Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
  50. Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
  51. Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
  52. The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
  53. Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
  54. Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
  55. Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
  56. Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
  57. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
  58. Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
  59. Cyber attack on a University
  60. Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
  61. Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
  62. Cyber Attack on a School
  63. Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
  64. Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
  65. Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
  66. Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
  67. Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
  68. Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
  69. Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
  70. Kent Councils Data Breach
  71. Free cyber training for staff
  72. DfE Digital Standards Update
  73. Where is your data stored?
  74. Phishing attacks targeting schools - alert from City of London Police
  75. The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
  76. CISA and UK NCSC Announce Joint Guidelines for Secure AI System Development
  77. Update on Advisory for Rhysida Ransomware
  78. Records Management Best Practice Update
  79. The Crime in a Cyber Attack and a Data Breach
  80. Learning from Data Breaches
  81. Windows 11 security ineffective against attacks on old devices
  82. International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2023 Joint Statement
  83. Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
  84. Top Ten Cyber Security Misconfigurations
  85. ICO Reprimand: company suffered a ransomware attack
  86. The UK Online Safety Bill becomes an Act (Law)
  87. The importance of software updates (PaperCut vulnerability and Rhysida ransomware)
  88. Ransomware, extortion and the cyber crime ecosystem
  89. Cyber Resource: The Cyber Resilience Centre Group
  90. Email and Security: ICO recent guidance
  91. Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
  92. What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
  93. How KCSIE is linked to Cyber Strategy
  94. Cyber Crime: AI Generated Phishing Attacks
  95. Cyber Attack: Exam Boards
  96. VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools
  97. Using Tags if you are a group of organisations in the DPE Knowledge Bank
  98. Where's Harry the Hacker?
  99. Be Cyber Aware: USB Sticks
  100. Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector
  101. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDos Attack (Microsoft DDoS Attack in June)
  102. Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School
  103. Be Cyber Aware: Firewalls
  104. Be Cyber Aware: Cyber attacks and transparency. A no blame culture
  105. Cyber Attack: Dorchester School
  106. Knowledge Bank Role Types: Admin, Staff and Trustee
  107. Be Cyber Aware: Why regular software updates are important
  108. Cyber Attack: Wiltshire School
  109. Keeping your IT systems safe and secure
  110. Why we recommend using PIN codes on printers
  111. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDoS Attacks
  112. Types of Cyber Attacks: Phishing
  113. Redaction Guidelines Updated
  114. Types of Cyber Attacks: The Insider Threat
  115. Why your data is profitable to cyber criminals
  116. Knowledge Bank Updates
  117. Types of malware and how they are linked to data protection
  118. Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 Retirement
  119. How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
  120. How a school fought back after a cyberattack
  121. Types of Cyber Attacks - Credential Stuffing
  122. January Cyber update - How Can Schools Help Prevent Cyber Attacks?
  123. Assigning courses to staff using to-dos
  124. The Education sector now at highest risk of cyber attacks
  125. Cyber Attacks
  126. Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
  127. Compliance Manager released
  128. Emails – good practice and minimising the risk of a data breach

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