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2026 FAMILY, PRIVATELY OWNED AND OWNER-MANAGED BUSINESS SURVEY

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Education

Cyber Security & Digital Risk

Protecting your educational mission in a digital world

Cyber-crime is one of the most significant non-financial risks facing the education sector today. Schools and MATs are primary targets for ransomware attacks due to the high volume of sensitive student data they hold and the critical nature of their daily operations. A breach is not just an IT failure; it is a reputational and financial crisis.

At Armstrong Watson, we help education leaders move from a reactive to a "resilient" posture. We provide specialist cyber security audits that focus on the specific vulnerabilities of the school environment, from remote learning portals to central payment systems.

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Our cyber defence framework for schools

We don't just provide software; we provide a strategy. Our services include:

Vulnerability Assessments

Identifying the "open doors" in your network, particularly in ageing legacy systems often found in older school buildings.

CEO fraud prevention

Training your central finance team to spot the sophisticated phishing and "social engineering" attacks that target school bank accounts.

Safeguarding data security

Ensuring that highly sensitive child protection records (e.g., CPOMS/MyConcern) are encrypted and access is strictly controlled according to GDPR standards.

Incident response and recovery

If the worst happens, the speed of your response dictates your recovery. We help you draft business continuity plans that allow your schools to remain open even if your servers are compromised. We also support boards with the legal and regulatory reporting requirements of a "serious incident" to the ESFA or the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

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Latest news

Modern school sports complex with football pitches, running track, and outdoor athletic facilities

How independent schools can improve financial sustainability after VAT

by Ann Probert - 2nd September 2026

Child sitting on an adult’s shoulders at a colourful amusement park with spinning rides in the background.

How can businesses prepare for the summer VAT cut?

by Paul Russell - 4th June 2026

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by Graham Poles - 26th March 2026

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by Steve Williams - 6th February 2025