Powys schools cyber attack sees staff and pupil data accessed

A cyber attack on Powys schools has led to some personal data of staff and pupils being accessed, Powys County Council has said.

The council confirmed the breach, which was discovered in April 2026, and which was quickly contained.

But it said early findings had confirmed "personal data relating to pupils, staff and others" had been accessed from one school in the county.

Which school is affected has not been confirmed, and the council says it is working to fully determine the impact of the breach.

Raiff Devlin, cabinet member for customers, digital and community services, and James Gibson-Watt, cabinet member for a learning Powys, said: "We understand that this incident will be very concerning for parents, staff and the wider community.

"We want to reassure people that immediate action was taken to secure systems, and a full investigation is underway with specialist support.

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"We are contacting affected individuals directly where necessary and providing advice on steps they can take to protect themselves.

"The safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff remain our absolute priority, and we are committed to being transparent as our investigation progresses and will continue to support our schools throughout."

While only one school is known to have suffered data loss, 13 schools were impacted by the wider cyber security incident.

Further work is ongoing to identify everyone who may be affected.

Due to the sensitive nature of the breach, the council said it cannot publicly disclose the scale of the incident or detailed information the data involved.

Affected individuals are being contacted directly.

The incident was reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and the council says it is complying with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Despite the breach, all schools remain open and there has been no impact on daily teaching or school safety.

The council said it acted rapidly to secure systems and begin a thorough investigation, which is still ongoing and involves cyber security specialists and law enforcement partners.

The cause of the incident has not yet been established and remains under investigation.

Powys County Council said it is working closely with schools, IT providers, and other partners to review system security and make any necessary improvements to prevent further breaches.

While the council could not disclose financial details related to the response and recovery, it said costs and implications would be addressed as part of its ongoing work.

The council stressed its commitment to transparency and security, promising to keep affected families and the wider community informed as the investigation continues.