Here’s a thought for you – especially if you have children or run a school.
Every school in the UK holds more sensitive data than the supermarkets, the banks and many other large corporations; they are subject to the same obligations and are held to the same standards under the GDPR; and they are just as exposed to cybersecurity threats as those large entities – perhaps even more so, as almost half of UK schools reported cyberattacks and breaches in 2023.
Most large organisations (>1,999 employees) spent years and £millions on lawyers and consultants to develop Privacy/GDPR Programmes and, on average, they will spend £2million (Gartner) this year on DPOs, Privacy teams and software to maintain them. And that does not include the 2% of turnover recommended spend on cybersecurity.
But schools can’t afford lawyers and consultants to build Privacy/GDPR Programmes for them; they can’t afford the software and don’t have the specialist skills needed anyway; and there simply are not enough experienced DPOs in the country to cover even a tenth of schools because Privacy is such a new discipline.
So where does that leave you if you are a school governor or headteacher, or CEO of a Multi-Academy Trust?
APIMS and the NEBRC are working together to help you address these challenges head-on. The NEBRC has developed a cyber security programme in conjunction with the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner and Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner to match fund cyber security services to educational institutions across the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber. Meanwhile, tailored for the education sector, APIMS software simplifies GDPR compliance through a user-friendly interface that guides schools through setting up their compliance framework. By mapping organisational structures and identifying risks, APIMS ensures that schools can meet their GDPR obligations and enhance cybersecurity with minimal hassle. Take a look at the APIMS Demo here.
Why should schools use privacy management software?
- Helps you to protect sensitive student data: Privacy management software can help schools protect sensitive student data by implementing data protection policies, ensuring secure data storage, and controlling access to data. This can prevent unauthorized access to student records and other sensitive information.
- Helps you to comply with regulations: With the increasing number of regulations around data privacy, schools need to ensure that they are complying with all applicable regulations. Privacy management software can help schools manage compliance by automating tasks, tracking data use and consent, and providing reports for audits.
- Enhances transparency and trust: Schools can enhance transparency and build trust with parents, students, and staff by demonstrating a commitment to data privacy. Privacy management software can help schools communicate their policies and practices, enabling stakeholders to better understand how their data is being used and protected.
- Mitigates risk of data breaches: If you collect and store sensitive data, your biggest risk exposure is not understanding your risks. Schools are frequent targets for ransomware and other cyberattacks due to the amount and sensitivity of personal data they collect and store. Privacy management software can help mitigate the risk of data breaches by enabling you to identify and document specific risks and implement the rights security controls., monitoring for suspicious activity, and enabling quick response to potential threats.
- Saves time and resources: Managing data privacy can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive task. Privacy management software can help automate and streamline many privacy-related tasks, such as managing consent, data access requests, and data retention policies. This can save schools time and resources, allowing them to focus on other priorities.
If you would like to know more about our partnership with APIMS and how we can help you and your school, please contact us today!