Phishing training for schools: how to protect staff and students

Imagine a dedicated teacher, focused on their class, quickly checking an email about an “urgent update from the MIS provider”. They click, and suddenly, the school’s entire network could be at risk.

In the digital world, phishing attacks are one of the biggest threats to schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs). Why? Because your staff are your biggest asset, and your most vulnerable target. The key to building cyber resilience isn’t just better firewalls; it’s providing highly effective, realistic phishing training that empowers every member of your team to spot a threat before it becomes a crisis. 

Protecting students starts with empowering staff 

The data held by schools is incredibly sensitive, including everything from student records and safeguarding notes to financial details. A successful phishing attack often leads to unauthorised access to this critical information. 

This is where the direct impact of phishing training comes in:

• Every staff member, from administrators to senior leaders, is a gatekeeper for student data. By helping staff recognise and report phishing attempts, you are directly reinforcing the integrity of your entire data protection framework. 
• A well-trained team is the last, and often most effective, line of defence. When they know what a convincing scam looks like, they are less likely to fall for it, drastically reducing the risk of a data breach that could compromise student and staff data. 

Investing in phishing training is, therefore, one of the most proactive steps schools can take to fulfil their GDPR and safeguarding responsibilities. 

Realistic scenarios: why general training isn't enough

Generic awareness training is a good start, but it won’t prepare your school staff for the specific, highly personalised scams that land in their school inbox. To give staff the best possible chance against real attacks, phishing simulations must be education-specific. 

Think about the emails your team actually receives:

1. A fake SLT email urgently requesting payroll details.
2. A fabricated notification about a supply booking change. 
3. A deceptive login page mimicking your MIS. 

Our phishing simulator, built by ex-teachers and IT managers who understand the school environment, delivers this exact level of realism. We don’t just send generic spam; we send simulations based on the brands, services, and urgency that school staff actually encounter daily. These real-world scenarios create a “muscle memory” for vigilance. 

This tailored approach means staff pay attention because the emails look and feel like part of their routine, making the learning experience more impactful. Simultaneously, you gain real-time insight into opens, clicks, and credential entries across your schools, allowing you to use this data not for blame, but to identify exactly where targeted support and education are needed most. Crucially, by starting with simpler templates and gradually introducing more complex and challenging simulations, you effectively build your staff’s resilience over time. 

A culture of support, not blame

The goal of a simulation isn’t to catch people out; it’s to educate them. If a staff member clicks a simulated link, the best systems don’t punish them; they support them. 

Our philosophy is built around positive reinforcement. If a staff member interacts with a simulated phish, they are immediately offered optional, short, one-minute training based on the exact scenario they encountered. This ensures:

1. Immediate learning 
2. Specific feedback
3. Zero blame

This process, simulate, track, educate, repeat, is what builds a true culture of cybersecurity awareness in your school or trust. Your staff become confident defenders, not vulnerable targets. 

Summary

Effective phishing training in a school setting is much more than a compliance tick-box. It’s an investment in your staff’s safety and, by extension, the security of every student’s data. By focusing on education-specific simulations, you prepare staff for the attacks they actually face. Through positive reinforcement, you build awareness using support and short, targeted training, not criticism. Ultimately, this approach is about empowering staff and turning every employee into an active, conscious data gatekeeper. When done correctly, you transform your biggest potential vulnerability into one of your strongest defences. 

Ready to prepare your staff for phishing attacks?

Our powerful, education-centric phishing simulation is designed specifically for schools and multi-academy trusts to help reduce the risk of staff-targeted cyber attacks.

We are committed to providing comprehensive support, which is why our phishing simulation tool is included across all of our paid-for packages.

Visit our Pricing Page now to find the right package and start your journey toward a phish-resistant school environment.