St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton has been forced to close four days after a cyber attack.

We're pleased to share our Acceptable Use Policy & Agreement for volunteers in response to our customer's requests.

This policy ensures the volunteers in your organisation use school technology responsibly and protect the personal data of pupils and staff. 

We typically see a spike in Subject Access Requests (SARs) at the end of term.  Understanding how to recognise and response to these requests is vital for staying compliant with Data Protection Law.

Did you know there is an increase in cyber attacks on a long weekend? Long weekends and holidays are 'peak season' for hackers who exploit reduced oversight.

A paper archive is a physical collection of documents, records and contracts stored in their original hard-copy form.  This article discusses best practice guidance for keeping records, safe, secure and accessible - an archive is much more than just a 'storage unit'.

Schools are increasingly required to manage sensitive information in ways that balance transparency, fairness, and data protection. One area that frequently creates confusion is the difference between redaction undertaken for a Subject Access Request (SAR) and redaction applied when preparing documentation for a Permanent Exclusion (PEX) Review Panel. The Redaction Guide for PEX Panels has been introduced to address this issue and provide clear, practical guidance for staff.

We know the jargon can be confusing. As can the timelines for responding to the various requests that you receive. Whether it’s an email from a disgruntled parent or a letter from a solicitor, the clock starts ticking the moment it hits your inbox. But before you start pulling files, you must answer one critical question: What exactly are you looking at?

We're already seeing the leavers' hoodies when we're visiting schools and our help desk has received tickets asking about year book administration, so here's some best practice about 'Leaver's Memorabilia'.

📸✅ It's World Book Day on the 5th March when most schools will be celebrating reading and capturing photos of staff and students in their costumes.   Given this is one of many significant photographic events in the calendar, we thought it was a good opportunity to remind everyone of photo and video best practice so there are no data protection slip ups.

The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 document obliges schools and colleges in England to “ensure appropriate filters and appropriate monitoring systems are in place and regularly review their effectiveness”. This responsibility is now a standard, no just a technical tick box, but a core leadership and safeguarding function.

A recent ICO reprimand for the Staines Health Group, shows the importance of how special category deserves specific protection. This article highlights the risks associated with 'data dumping' when organisations overshare sensitive information excessively - when the sharing of sensitive safeguarding becomes the safeguarding issue.

The SEROCU (South East Organised Crime Unit) has advised schools across Surrey and Sussex to be aware of a rise in M365 phishing emails.