This article is about a recent cyber attack on Leytonstone School. The school in Waltham Forest has been closed since half term after it was targeted and a significant amount of personal data was accessed.
The school is still closed to all pupils other than those taking their GCSEs because the school currently does not have a single central record (SCR), sometimes referred to as a single central register. An SCR is a statutory requirement for all schools and academies in England and Wales to keep and maintain one single record of pre-appointment vetting checks, regulated activity and recording information of all staff. The record is normally kept up to date by a member of the admin staff, but overall responsibility lies with governors (or equivalent) and delegated to headteachers. It is an essential safeguarding document and must be maintained, reviewed and audited on a regular basis. It will probably be one of the first documents that Ofsted will ask to see. Any guidance relating to the SCR should also be read in conjunction with the current version of the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) document.
There is no defined format for the SCR and most schools hold it electronically as a password protected Excel document. As well as employees, it should also include:
- any volunteer who is in regulated activity
- people brought into the school to provide regular additional teaching or instruction but who are employed by another organisation such as peripatetic music teachers, sports coaches etc.
- supply teachers
- contract staff such as cleaners or caterers
- Governors
- Members of the proprietor body (trustees or directors) in independent schools including academies
As a result of the cyber attack at Leytonstone School there is also no WiFi and phone system, but it is the missing SCR that prevents the school from opening. Our advice would be to always ensure there are secure offsite (cloud) backups of essential files, in addition to local backups. The security of the SCR should be part of the school's business plan which should be discussed regularly at governing body meetings. Review: alongside Governors and Data Best Practice Area to understand how governor responsibilities relate to business continuity and cyber strategy.
View our Information & Cyber Security Best Practice Library for cyber help and guidance.
Download our Business Continuity Template.
We would also recommend viewing the National Cyber Security's pages that provide cyber security advice for schools, which includes free training: NCSC Cyber Security training for schools.
We provide additional Cyber Security Training: How to avoid a data breach: Information and Cyber security.
Further details about what has happened at the school can be viewed in this article by the Evening Standard: Leytonstone School forced to close after IT system hacked.
What to do in the event of a cyber attack
First, follow your cyber response plan. Record the incident in your internal incident log, inform your governing board or trustees, and contact your Data Protection Officer (DPO) as soon as possible if personal data could be involved.
Incidents or attacks where a security breach may have taken place, or other damage was caused, should also be reported to an external body. The SLT digital lead is responsible for assigning someone to report any suspicious cyber incidents or attacks. This person will need to report to:
- Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025, on 0300 123 2040 or through the Report Fraud website. Make sure it is recorded as a crime report so that you receive a crime reference number.
- the DfE sector cyber team at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You may also need to report to:
- the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) if the incident or attack causes long-term school closure, the closure of more than one school, or serious financial damage. If you're not sure who to report to, use the government's cyber incident signposting service.
- the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach, unless the breach is unlikely to result in a risk to people's rights and freedoms. If the risk is high, you must also tell the people affected without undue delay. Your DPO can help you assess this. We will do this on behalf of DPE customers.
- the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) emergency assistance helpline on 0800 368 6378 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , if you are an RPA member, or your cyber insurance provider if you have one - your local police force if you suspect a safeguarding impact
- any third-party service providers whose systems are affected, so they can be part of a coordinated response
- Jisc CSIRT, if you are part of a further education institution.
You must act in accordance with:
- Report Fraud's guide to reporting cyber crime and fraud
- Academy Trust Handbook Part 6, if you are part of an academy trust. Since September 2025, academy trusts must not pay any cyber ransom demands.
- the ICO's guidance on personal data breaches.
Preserve the evidence
Police investigations may find out whether any compromised data has been published or sold, and identify the perpetrator. Preserving evidence is as important as recovering from the crime. Keep a clear record of what happened, when, and what actions you took. The DfE's guidance on record keeping in an incident explains what to capture.
Reporting suspicious emails and texts
Forward suspicious emails to