NCSC Cyber Security Training for School Staff | DfE & RPA Compliance Support
Give your team the official NCSC training – plus a printable certificate with the date of completion for RPA compliance.
Watch the mandatory NCSC video, take a quick quiz to test your knowledge then download a personalised certificate you can use as evidence for RPA, audits, governors and Ofsted.
The Department for Education (DfE) Cyber Security Standards and the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) require all staff, and at least one governor, to complete essential cyber security training. This is a mandatory requirement – schools have already seen RPA claims rejected where there was no evidence that every member of staff had completed it. Don’t let that happen to you.
To stay compliant and protected, every staff member must watch the official NCSC cyber security training video below and generate a certificate of completion. The short, easy-to-follow video and quiz help your staff understand how to protect school systems, data and online safety from real-world cyber threats.
Watching this video meets the minimum DfE and RPA expectation – but real protection goes further than a once-a-year video. At Black Swan Cyber Security Solutions, we help schools build ongoing awareness through engaging training platforms like Huntress and CyberSmart Learn. These tools provide regular, bite-sized lessons and phishing simulations so staff keep learning throughout the year – a key step in meeting the spirit of the DfE standards and strengthening your RPA compliance.
Please make sure all staff and governors complete the NCSC training video and quiz below, then contact us if you’d like support tracking completion or extending your training programme beyond the basics.
Did you know?
- The NCSC video is the minimum training required by the DfE and RPA - but it’s intended as a foundation, not a full programme.
- Ongoing awareness training from Huntress and CyberSmart Learn helps schools prove continued engagement and strengthens RPA evidence during audits.
- Staff who receive monthly refreshers are far less likely to fall for phishing or data-theft attempts - and they help reinforce KCSiE online-safety responsibilities.
Test your cyber security knowledge
Now you’ve watched the video, take our short, multiple choice quiz to test your skills. If you get 80% or more, you can print off a certificate of completion.
For Business Managers & DSLs
This page gives you:
Consistent staff training
Completion evidence for RPA
Simple record-keeping
A reliable alternative to YouTube
Staff-friendly layout
| What schools need | YouTube version | This version |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence for RPA | Not provided; no record of who completed or when. | Printable certificate with staff name and date of completion. |
| Record of completion | No tracking or logs for audit trails. | Quiz + certificate provide simple, school-friendly evidence. |
| Staff understanding | No knowledge check. | Short quiz confirms key points were understood. |
| MAT-wide consistency | Hard to ensure every staff member completes it properly. | Standardised flow for all staff across a trust. |
| Professional finish | Just a video with no CPD record. | Clean layout and downloadable certificate suitable for CPD files. |
Why schools prefer this version of the NCSC training
Not provided; no record of who completed or when.
Printable certificate with staff name and date of completion.
No tracking or logs for audit trails.
Quiz + certificate provide simple, school-friendly evidence.
No knowledge check.
Short quiz confirms key points were understood.
Hard to ensure every staff member completes it properly.
Standardised flow for all staff across a trust.
Just a video with no CPD record.
Clean layout and downloadable certificate suitable for CPD files.
School Cyber Security Hub
Explore all our cyber security guidance and services for schools and multi-academy trusts. Start with the main hub or jump straight to the resources you need.
View Schools & MATs Overview →Common questions
Who must complete the NCSC cyber security training?
Every staff member, and at least one governor, as required by the Department for Education (DfE) Cyber Security Standards and RPA cover conditions. We recommend that anyone with a school email address should watch the video.
How often should staff repeat the training?
At least annually and whenever new staff join. We recommend ongoing awareness sessions through Huntress and CyberSmart Learn for continual improvement.
Do we need to keep certificates?
Yes. Keep copies of completion certificates or learning records as part of your RPA evidence folder. We also recommend keeping a spreadsheet showing the date the video was watched and the staff members or governors/trustees name.
Does this training cover everything we need for compliance?
It covers the DfE and RPA minimum requirement, but ongoing awareness through Huntress or CyberSmart Learn provides the continuous learning auditors and insurers now expect.
What if a staff member hasn’t completed it?
If even one person misses it, the school may be considered non-compliant for RPA purposes. Encourage completion during inset days or as part of induction.
Do governors and trustees also need to complete it?
Yes. At least one governor must complete the training, but we recommend all governors do as it supports good governance and risk oversight.
What’s the difference between the NCSC training and Huntress or CyberSmart Learn?
The NCSC video is a one-off requirement. Huntress and CyberSmart Learn provide regular interactive lessons, phishing simulations and reporting – ideal for MATs and schools that want ongoing compliance evidence.
What happens after staff complete the video?
If you complete our quiz and download the certificates, we recommend that you log them centrally and share them with your business manager or MAT central team as proof of compliance.
Is this training part of KCSiE requirements?
Indirectly, yes. KCSiE expects schools to teach and model safe online behaviour. Completing cyber awareness training supports that safeguarding duty.
Is this the same training as the NCSC video on YouTube?
Yes, the video is the official NCSC training. We simply provide a structured way for staff to complete it and generate a certificate.
Is the NCSC school staff training enough on its own?
The NCSC training is a strong starting point, but on its own it is not enough.
It gives school staff a clear understanding of common risks like phishing, passwords and safe behaviour online. That’s exactly what it’s designed to do. It ticks an important box for awareness and helps support DfE expectations and RPA requirements.
But it is a one-off training session.
What we see in schools is that risk builds over time. Staff get busy. New starters join. Attack methods change. Even well-trained people can still click the wrong thing on a stressful day.
That’s where the gap appears.
Schools that stay protected tend to build on the NCSC training with:
- Ongoing security awareness training throughout the year
- Phishing simulations to keep awareness fresh
- Strong email protection to stop threats reaching inboxes
- Identity monitoring to catch account misuse early
- Reliable backups to recover quickly if something does go wrong
The NCSC training lays the foundation. The layers around it are what reduce real-world risk day to day.
If you are relying on the training alone, you are doing the right thing by starting, but most schools choose to build on it once they see how often threats still get through.
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