LONDON, UK, 5 November, 2024 - Today, Moor Park High School and Sixth Form in Preston, Lancashire announced it was awarded a grant by IBM valued at £396,113.50 in-kind. The grant was created to help schools proactively prepare for and respond to growing cyberattacks worldwide. Through this grant, IBM Service Corps teams are providing security services and helping address cybersecurity resiliency. Moor Park High School and Sixth Form faculty and students will also benefit from free training in AI and cybersecurity through enhanced access to IBM SkillsBuild.

“Over the past two years, we have made cyber security a major focus. This new partnership between Moor Park and IBM will help us protect our students and staff from unwanted threats, thereby enhancing our educational services,” said George Walker, Teacher of Computer Science and CyberFirst Lead for Moor Park High School and Sixth Form. “It also enables us to confidently develop innovative digital learning techniques and reassure our entire school community of its preparedness against cyber threats. Cybersecurity is of paramount importance to the school for the protection of sensitive student and staff information from potential cyber threats. With robust security measures, the school safeguards its digital infrastructure.”. 

Education remains a highly targeted sector by cybercriminals who have been carrying out cyberattacks against schools and other academic institutions for years. Cybercriminals often wager schools’ weak security postures to execute various types of attacks, with phishing and exploitation of valid credentials making up the most common entry points that cybercriminals pursued to establish access into education organisations last year, according to observations in the 2024 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.

“The education sector requires a very dynamic security posture due to the variability of threat vectors it needs to manage,” said Troy Bettencourt, Global Partner and Head of IBM X-Force. “Every year, new students are enrolling, bringing in new devices that they connect to the network, and inadvertently establishing new behaviors and patterns that need to be monitored and secured. Add to that the additional data now moving through the environment that must be protected. In other words, the attack surface and risk posture that school districts need to manage is constantly changing, yet limited security resources remain an inhibitor – which is why the availability of these grants can be a game-changer for schools seeking to boost their cyber resilience.”

“IBM’s education and volunteering programmes lie at the heart of our mission to create equitable impact. As the global skills gap in cybersecurity and AI continues to widen, we recognise the urgent need for action,” said Vikki Bradney-Spencer, CSR Manager, IBM UKI. “Through IBM SkillsBuild, as well as the knowledge and skills of our IBM volunteers, we’re empowering UK students and teachers with training in critical areas like AI and cybersecurity.”

Moor Park High School and Sixth Form is already a NCSC recognised CyberFirst School and was selected from hundreds of applications from schools across the globe and is collaborating with IBM Service Corps volunteers to prepare for and respond to cyber threats. The engagements include the creation of incident response plans, ransomware playbooks, updating technology, cybersecurity training for school communities, and more. The efforts also include strategic communication plans to use in response to cyber incidents and training through IBM SkillsBuild.  

About IBM SkillsBuild

IBM SkillsBuild is a free education program aimed at increasing access to technology education. Through the program, IBM supports adult learners, and high school and university students and faculty, to develop valuable new skills and access career opportunities. The program includes an online platform that is complemented by customized practical learning experiences delivered in collaboration with a global network of partners.

The open version of IBM SkillsBuild is an online platform offering over 1,000 courses in 20 languages on AI, sustainability, cybersecurity, data analysis, cloud computing, and many other technical disciplines — as well as in workplace skills such as design thinking. Participants can earn IBM-branded digital credentials that are recognized by the market.

The enhanced version of IBM SkillsBuild may also include workshops, expert conversations with IBM coaches and mentors, project-based learning, access to IBM software, specialized support from partners through the learning process, and connection to career opportunities. Visit skillsbuild.org to learn more.
 

IBM is a Partner of the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst Programme

About Moor Park High School and Sixth Form

Moor Park High School and Sixth Form is a coeducational institution in Preston, Lancashire, serving around 650 students. Having become a CyberFirst school in April 2023, we are committed to offering an entitlement curriculum for all, ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background or abilities, receives the best possible start in life. Our vision is founded on the belief that all students deserve a curriculum and opportunities that enable them to access higher education and fully participate in our democratic society. 

Media Contact

Imtiaz Mufti

External Communications, UK&I

Email: Imtiaz.mufti@ibm.com

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