What 18 Years in a Classroom Taught Me About Defence in Depth

08 Jul 2025 in Defence in depth / Cybersecurity on Security, Grc, Defence-in-depth, Career-transition Last modified at: 2025-07-10

For nearly two decades, my world was defined by lesson plans, pastoral duties, and the controlled chaos of a boarding school. As a Housemaster and Computer Science teacher, my core function was to create a safe and structured environment where students could thrive. When I also took on the role of Network Manager and began leading the school through its Cyber Essentials certification, I had a revelation:

Cybersecurity and Keeping Learners Safe (KLS) in Wales

01 Mar 2025 in Education / Cybersecurity / Education / Safeguarding on Security, Networks, Penetration-testing

Safeguarding learners in Wales goes beyond physical safety—it extends into the digital world. The Keeping Learners Safe (KLS) framework outlines the statutory responsibilities of schools to create a safe and secure online environment for students.

Cybersecurity in schools has never been more important. With Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2024 placing a strong emphasis on digital safeguarding, schools need to ensure their IT systems, policies, and training are up to the task. But what does that actually look like in practice? And how can schools strike a balance between security and usability?