Schools are being targeted by ransomware at record rates. Many are not ready.
More than 80 ransomware attacks hit UK education and childcare settings in 2024. The latest government data shows breaches in primary schools are climbing, and basic defences are still missing in many institutions.
By Wistl Editorial · · Schools
Higham Lane School in Warwickshire was forced to close temporarily in January 2026 after a cyberattack disrupted its systems. It was not an isolated event. The Information Commissioner's Office recorded more than 80 ransomware attacks against education and childcare settings in 2024. The government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 to 2026 , published at the end of April and covering data collected between August and December 2025, found that the proportion of primary schools identifying cyber breaches had increased by four percentage points compared with the previous reporting period. Sec