On Monday morning, Fylde Coast Academy Trust (FCAT) was hit by a cyberattack that infected its IT systems, affecting all 10 of its academies. These include high schools like Armfield, Aspire, Montgomery, and Unity in Blackpool, as well as primary schools such as Gateway, Mereside, Westcliff, and Westminster. Hambleton Primary Academy and Garstang Community Academy were also impacted.

The attack has severely limited access to IT systems, forcing schools to rely on manual processes like taking paper registers and teaching from textbooks. The hackers have reportedly demanded a large ransom, threatening to permanently block access to the Trust’s systems unless their demands are met.

Dean Logan, CEO of FCAT, confirmed the involvement of the government’s Department for Education and Cyber Clan, a Canadian firm specializing in IT support during cyber incidents. However, he warned that restoring full system functionality could take days or even weeks. He did not comment on whether there had been any breaches of GDPR or safeguarding protocols.

Logan emphasized that staff, students, and the community have responded positively and resiliently, drawing on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to handle the disruption. Non-IT processes were quickly implemented, and mobile networks are being used to maintain functionality in classrooms. Telephone lines were also restored, although with limited capacity.

While restoration of key services is expected to begin next week, complete recovery will take several weeks as the Trust ensures the ransomware is entirely removed. Logan thanked staff, parents, and the local community for their patience and support, noting that the focus remains on maintaining the highest level of care and education for students during the recovery period.