School photography theft may expose Priory pupils’ names and images

A break-in at a school photography company’s vehicle led to the theft of SD cards that may have held photos of pupils at Priory School in Lewes, along with QR code cards showing their names and class names. The school has notified families because it cannot confirm whether the files were still on the cards, creating a potential risk to children’s personal data.

The cards were used for three other photography jobs after the company visited Priory School on 1 October, and the break-in happened overnight on 6–7 October. The company believes most or all files may have been overwritten, and says there is no evidence of improper access; no printed photos were in the vehicle. It took the school photos offline, changed access IDs, revised its card-wiping procedures, and reported the incident to police and the Information Commissioner’s Office.