A PERSONAL data breach at a Herefordshire secondary school was "mindless" and has been labelled as vandalism.

West Mercia Police has been investigating and taking the cyber attack "extremely seriously" after personal documents are believed to have been wiped from computer systems at John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre in Ross-on-Wye.

In a letter sent home to parents and carers, headteacher Nigel Griffiths said it’s believed data had not been stolen or shared.

"There is no evidence that any information was taken from out system," Mr Griffiths said.

"Our investigations have confirmed this was not an act of theft of holding us to ransom, it was an act of targeted vandalism.

"The aim was to disrupt the good order of the school and, even worse, to upset students and staff.

"In the words of a reply I received on this matter from one of Her Majesty's Inspectors at Ofsted, it was mindless."

Not being able to access computer systems has caused “considerable disruption” to the school on Ledbury Road, which has more than 800 pupils and rated ‘good’ in its last Ofsted inspection.

Mr Griffiths reassured students and their parents that they would not have to repeat any work which was lost in the cyber attack.

"Students are our main priority," he said.

"There is now far less coursework in the revised GCSE and A-level exams that previously.

"Students will not have to repeat work, and examination boards have procedures where work has been lost or destroyed."

The school acted closely with their legal team, the police and the UK's data watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office.

The school has also been in contact with Ofsted, Herefordshire Council and examination boards about the data breach.

Mr Griffiths added the school did everything they needed to do.