Abid Patel is the founder and CEO of #ITjustworks, an independent consultancy supporting schools with sustainable digital strategy, cybersecurity, and meaningful digital transformation. With over 20 years of experience across education IT and EdTech, Abid helps schools move from reactive firefighting to clear, long-term planning that improves both operational resilience and learning outcomes.

Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue. For schools, it is part of safeguarding, governance, operational resilience and everyday leadership.

This session explores the core cyber security standards every school should be working towards, without the jargon. Designed mainly for school leaders, but also relevant for IT managers and digital leads, it provides a beginner-friendly overview of the key risks facing schools and the simple steps that make the biggest difference.

The webinar will cover what good cyber security practice looks like in a school context, including account security, backups, software updates, device management, staff awareness, incident planning and clear ownership. It will also highlight the questions leaders should be asking, the evidence IT teams should be able to provide, the warning signs schools should look out for, and the practical actions that can help strengthen cyber resilience.