Higham Lane School in Nuneaton closes after cyber-attack
IT system compromised as investigation and recovery efforts continue
Higham Lane School and Sixth Form has temporarily closed its doors to pupils and staff following a cyber-attack that has taken down its IT systems, including telephones, emails, servers, and the school’s management system.
The school stated it is working alongside the Department for Education cyber response team, insurers, and external IT partners to recover its systems.
Any detected data breaches will be reported to the Information Commissioner's Office within 72 hours, in line with legal obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR.
An initial risk assessment, conducted in consultation with the Trust, considered the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils and staff.
As a precautionary measure, the school will remain closed on 5th and 6th January, with the aim to reopen on 7th January.
However, reopening plans are dependent on the progress made in addressing the issue, and further updates are expected by Tuesday morning.
The school recognised the inconvenience this decision may cause for parents and carers but emphasised that the closure is necessary to protect the integrity of its network.
Communications regarding the situation will be shared through the school’s MyEd system, website, and social media channels.