Cyber Security for Schools and Multi-Academy Trusts
We help schools and MATs reduce cyber risk, meet DfE expectations and recover faster when something goes wrong.
School cyber security is no longer just about antivirus and passwords. It is about protecting learning time, pupil data, safeguarding systems, Microsoft 365, backups and the day-to-day operation of the school.
Whether you are a single school or a multi-academy trust, we help you understand what is exposed, what needs fixing first and how to build practical evidence for DfE standards, RPA expectations, governors, trustees and insurers.
Cyber security that works alongside your existing IT support.
Black Swan helps schools and small academy trusts close the gap between everyday IT support and genuine cyber resilience.
We help you understand what is protected, what may be missing and what should be fixed first. That includes Microsoft 365, devices, email, backups, monitoring and the evidence expected by leaders, governors, insurers, the DfE and RPA.
No unnecessary complexity. No attempt to replace your IT team or provider. Just practical cyber security support shaped by more than twenty years of working with schools.
No pressure. We will look at where you are now, what the standards expect and which gaps are worth fixing first.
You already have IT support. But who owns cyber security?
Black Swan is a particularly good fit when day-to-day IT is covered, but no one has the time or specialist capability to monitor the wider cyber risk.
A clear route from worry to evidence.
We start with what you already have, identify the gaps that matter and build a practical plan around your school, budget and existing support arrangements.
Review where you are now
We look at Microsoft 365, devices, email, backups, monitoring, patching, remote access, policies and the evidence already in place.
Prioritise what matters
We explain the gaps in plain English and help you decide what needs fixing first based on risk, budget and school priorities.
Strengthen and evidence protection
We help put the right controls in place, support your existing IT team and provide clearer evidence for leaders, governors and insurers.
School cyber security is about more than antivirus and passwords.
Modern attacks often use trusted accounts, remote support tools and cloud services. The warning signs can be quiet, and disruption may begin long before ransomware appears.
Phishing and impersonation
Messages that appear to come from SLT, suppliers, payroll, exam boards, parents or finance teams.
Ransomware and data theft
Attackers may quietly stage data or move through systems before files are encrypted or services are disrupted.
Microsoft 365 account compromise
Stolen credentials, malicious inbox rules, token theft and unusual sign-ins can expose email, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive.
Remote access and admin-tool misuse
Legitimate remote support tools can be abused because malicious activity may resemble normal administrator behaviour.
Patching and unsupported software
Missed updates, unmanaged assets and unsupported systems can create avoidable routes into the school network.
Backup and recovery failure
A successful backup job is not enough. Schools need protected copies and a recovery process that has actually been tested.
Attackers increasingly abuse tools that may look like normal IT activity.
This matters where remote administration is used across sites and devices.
Fake prompts and instructions continue to exploit trust and busy working environments.
Some incidents showed identity-related activity 7 to 14 days before deployment.
Figures based on Huntress education threat research covering observed cyber incidents in 2025. The lesson is not to panic. It is to improve visibility around accounts, devices, remote access, email and unusual activity.
Trusted activity cannot always be treated as safe activity.
- Monitor remote support tools and admin access.
- Watch Microsoft 365 for suspicious behaviour.
- Detect malicious inbox rules and account takeover signs.
- Review alerts outside school hours.
Over twenty years of hands-on school experience shapes how we work.
Kevin Walker, our founder, has spent more than two decades working directly with schools and multi-academy trusts as a fractional network manager, adviser and governor.
We understand that school leaders have to balance safeguarding, budgets, compliance, stretched resources and the realities of the school day.
Specialist support without another layer of confusion
- Practical, education-first advice.
- Clear evidence for SLT, governors and trustees.
- Support that works alongside your existing IT team or provider.
- Protection designed around schools, not generic businesses.
Clear priorities
Know what matters now, what can wait and why.
Useful evidence
Reporting that leaders and governors can understand.
Shared responsibility
Clear roles across IT, leadership, safeguarding and suppliers.
Help when it matters
Human support and escalation when something looks wrong.
Built for schools and trusts that need practical protection.
Single schools
Primary, secondary, special and alternative provision settings that need proportionate, DfE-aligned protection.
Small and growing MATs
Trusts that need consistent controls, reporting and clearer responsibility across several schools.
Leadership and governance
Headteachers, business managers, safeguarding leads, governors and trustees who need clear assurance.
Internal and outsourced IT
Network managers and IT providers who want specialist monitoring, incident support and stronger security tooling.
Critical data was deliberately deleted. Because the school’s backups were immutable, everything was restored quickly and serious disruption was avoided.
Six outcomes every school should be working towards.
The technology matters, but the outcome matters more: safer accounts, better visibility, fewer avoidable gaps and a realistic route to recovery.
Monitor Microsoft 365 identity
Look for unusual sign-ins, malicious inbox rules, suspicious applications and signs of account takeover.
Explore identity protection → Protect devicesReduce endpoint risk
Help protect staff and pupil devices from malware, ransomware, suspicious scripts and avoidable compromise.
Explore endpoint protection → Reduce email riskStrengthen phishing protection
Reduce malicious links, credential theft, impersonation and fake supplier emails reaching school inboxes.
Explore email security → Close known gapsImprove patch and asset visibility
Automate supported updates and gain a clearer view of devices, software and avoidable exposure.
Explore patch management → Detect suspicious activityReview alerts outside school hours
Use managed detection to investigate suspicious device activity rather than leaving another dashboard unattended.
Explore managed detection → Recover important dataTest backup and recovery
Protect servers and Microsoft 365 data with recovery-focused backups that support resilience and RPA expectations.
Explore school backup →MATs need consistency across every school, not isolated pockets of protection.
Shared infrastructure, centralised systems and common suppliers can create trust-wide risk. A weakness in one school may affect services used across the whole trust.
- Standardise core controls across schools.
- Reduce risk around shared Microsoft 365 and identity systems.
- Support central IT, finance, safeguarding and leadership teams.
We help MATs align cyber security with trust-wide safeguarding, governance, procurement and business continuity.
- Consistent reporting and evidence.
- Clear responsibilities across sites and suppliers.
- Information that trustees and auditors can use.
- Support that scales without becoming overcomplicated.
A cyber incident can quickly become a safeguarding issue.
Ransomware can block access to CPOMS, SEND data, attendance records, cloud files and safeguarding notes. A compromised account can expose sensitive conversations or allow attackers to impersonate trusted staff.
Strong cyber security supports safeguarding by protecting access, reducing phishing risk, securing pupil information and making sure staff know how to report concerns quickly.
Useful first steps for schools and trusts.
View the 11-point school cyber security checklist
- Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication for staff and admin accounts.
- Test backups and keep an offline or immutable copy.
- Make sure staff complete cyber awareness training.
- Review incident response plans with SLT and governors.
- Check which remote support tools are installed and who can use them.
- Use email security to reduce phishing and credential theft.
- Monitor Microsoft 365 for suspicious account behaviour.
- Put monitoring in place for evenings, weekends and school holidays.
- Patch supported systems and identify unsupported software.
- Remove old accounts for leavers, supply staff and third parties.
- Review exposed services such as RDP, VPNs, SMB and remote admin access.
Useful next steps for schools and MATs.
DfE Cyber Security Standards
Understand the core expectations and how to evidence progress.
Read the guide → RPA coverHow to meet RPA conditions
Understand backup, response and cyber cover expectations for schools.
Read the guide → BackupCloud backup for schools
Protect servers and Microsoft 365 data with recovery-focused backup options.
Explore backup → TrainingNCSC training for school staff
Support staff awareness expectations with simple, practical guidance.
View training support → Threat report2026 Education Cyber Threat Report
Plain-English analysis of current attack patterns and what schools can do next.
Read the report → Start hereBook a school cyber review
Benchmark where you are now and identify the gaps worth fixing first.
Choose a time →Questions schools and MATs often ask.
We already have an IT provider. Why do we need Black Swan?
We do not replace your IT provider. We complement them. Day-to-day IT support keeps systems working; we focus on cyber risk, monitoring, identity, backup, recovery, compliance evidence and incident support.
Is cyber monitoring the same as IT support?
No. IT support usually helps keep systems running. Cyber monitoring looks for signs of attack, account compromise, ransomware behaviour, suspicious files, remote access abuse and other threats. Schools often need both.
How much does cyber security for schools cost?
Costs vary depending on the number of users and devices, Microsoft 365 setup, existing controls and the level of monitoring required. We start with the gaps that matter rather than assuming every school needs every service.
Do small primary schools really need cyber security?
Yes. Small primaries still hold pupil, staff, safeguarding, payroll and parent data. They also rely heavily on cloud systems, email and remote access. Protection should be proportionate, but the risk is still real.
Do schools need cyber security awareness training?
Yes. Training helps staff recognise suspicious emails, fake prompts and unusual requests. It should be practical, supportive and designed around the pressures of the school day.
Do schools need monitoring outside school hours?
Suspicious activity can happen during evenings, weekends and holidays when fewer people are watching. Managed monitoring helps reduce the delay between something being detected and someone reviewing it.
Why does Microsoft 365 identity protection matter?
Attackers often try to log in rather than break in. A compromised account may expose email, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive and sensitive conversations. Identity monitoring helps spot unusual logins, mailbox rules and other warning signs.
Why are remote support tools a cyber risk?
Remote support tools are useful and often necessary. The risk is that attackers can abuse them to look like normal administrator activity. Schools should know which tools are installed, who can use them and whether unusual use is being monitored.
Can you help us with DfE standards and RPA expectations?
Yes. We can review the controls and evidence you already have, explain the gaps in plain English and help create a realistic plan for improvement.
Can you help us achieve Cyber Essentials?
Yes. We can help schools review the required controls, identify gaps and prepare for certification.
What happens if we experience a cyber attack?
The goal is to reduce risk before an incident, but recovery matters too. Tested backups, monitoring, clear escalation and a rehearsed response plan can reduce downtime and help the school return to normal operation faster.
Know where you stand. Fix what matters. Prove what is in place.
Whether you are a single school or a small multi-academy trust, we can help you benchmark your current position, strengthen cyber resilience and build a practical plan around your existing IT support.
Cyber security support for different types of organisations
This page is part of our wider industry cyber security hub, covering schools, care providers, charities, professional services, trades, health providers and small businesses across Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
Meet Kevin: Founder of Black Swan
Concerned about cyber security? Need advice or a tailor-made quote? Kevin is here to help you!
From actionable advice to helping you to see where you could be at risk, Kevin will help you to get your business on a path that is secure-by-design and ready for the unthinkable.
Ready to replace sleepless nights with peace of mind? It all starts with an informal chat!
Either schedule a call by selecting a suitable date and time on the calendar or by clicking the button below to send us a message.