Kings Academy

Kings Academy is an educational institution located in the United Kingdom, operating as an academy that provides secondary education to students. It serves learners including those in Year 11 and Year 13, offering instruction and assessment opportunities.

The academy relies on digital tools for communication and payment processing, using Class Charts to share information with parents and staff and ParentPay to manage transactions such as school meal payments. On 1 March 2024, a cyber attack caused a complete IT system outage, prompting the academy to work with its IT providers and external cybersecurity organisations to restore services. Despite the outage, the institution remained fully open, continuing to provide catering services and to administer scheduled pre‑public examinations for Year 11 and Year 13 students. Communications during the incident were limited to Class Charts and the school website because email systems were inaccessible, while ParentPay functionality persisted although balance displays could be affected. The academy conducted risk assessments to safeguard students and staff and evaluated the potential data implications of the attack for any required reporting to the Information Commissioner's Office. These actions demonstrate the academy’s dependence on integrated IT systems for administrative and communicative functions. The incident also highlighted the organisation’s ability to maintain core educational and support services during a significant technology disruption. The event underscores the importance of cyber resilience in the education sector.