New data from Ofqual revealed that schools and universities across the UK are advancing cybersecurity training but struggle to quickly recover from attacks when it occurs.
Ofqual is now urging institutions to enhance cyber training, ensure they are protected from malicious software, and ensure backups to restore student coursework and other critical systems in the event of an attack.
This will be illuminated during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October this year. This is dedicated to raising public awareness of cyber threats and encouraging people and organizations to adopt practices that protect against cyberattacks.
Key actions driven throughout the month include the use of strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), periodic software updates, and recognition and reporting of phishing attempts.
Facts and numbers: Cybertraining will rise by 11% points
The percentage of teachers who received cybersecurity training increased by 11 percentage points from 61% in 2023-2024 to 72% in 2024-2025.
However, the time it took for schools to recover from cyber incidents has deteriorated. 55% of schools who experienced cyber incidents were able to recover quickly, compared to 63% the previous year.
Amanda Swann, executive director of general qualifications at Ofqual, explained: “Cyberattacks can have a devastating impact on students’ academic work. Schools and universities experiencing cybersecurity incidents reported losing their entire class coursework and facing weeks of teaching and learning disruption.”
The impact of serious damage from cyberattacks
The vote found that 29% of schools had experienced cybersecurity incidents in previous grades, a slight decrease from the previous 34%.
Despite this slight decline in the prevalence of surveyed individuals, the severity of the impact is large, with 10% of schools reporting significant damage from cyberattacks from 6% the previous year.
The teacher explained the actual consequences of the cybersecurity attack. One educator reported how the incident affected the academy’s trust as a whole, forcing staff to replicate lost schedules and resources.
Additionally, another teacher reported suffering from the attack, explaining it as a “bad for students” coursework and staff plans.
Maintain effective defense against cybersecurity threats
Amanda Swann concluded: “Malware protection and regular data backups are the most effective protection against these threats. Schools that maintain current accessible backups can restore their systems more quickly and avoid ransomware requests.
“As schools become more and more digital, robust cybersecurity measurements protect both educational continuity and the future of student academics.”
For practical tips on how to protect against cyberattacks, visit the National Cybersecurity Centre Small Business Guide on Cybersecurity.
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