UK Schools Are Bouncing Back Faster From Cyber Attacks, But Leadership Gaps Remain

UK schools are getting better at recovering from cyber incidents, according to figures released on 1 October by Ofqual to coincide with Cyber Security Awareness Month. The share of schools experiencing an incident has fallen from 34% in 2023-24 to 29% in 2024-25 and 27% for 2025-26. When an incident does occur, 66% of schools can now recover immediately, up from 55% the previous academic year, and critical damage has dropped to 7%.

The data also points to a gap in who owns the problem. Asked who is primarily responsible for cybersecurity, 46% of responding teachers named the IT team, 40% said all staff, and only 9% said senior leadership played a role. Among secondary schools surveyed, 55% said they had already taken action to protect against attacks. That leaves a significant share without measures such as a cybersecurity policy, risk assessments, or backup and recovery procedures.

Ofqual's Amanda Swann said a breach can still cause real uncertainty if coursework or marks are lost, and that staff confidence can suffer long after systems are restored. She stressed that cybersecurity is a leadership responsibility, and that regular backups and a clear response plan make a big difference. Mat Pullen of Jamf noted that attacks have closed schools for a week or longer in the past, which also affects parents and the wider economy.