A theft from a photographer's vehicle has raised concerns about the security of student photographs at a UK secondary school. Headteacher Jon Curtis-Brignell confirmed that Pret-a-Portrait, the company contracted to take annual school portraits, reported a break-in on the night of 6 October. During the incident, a camera bag containing SD memory cards was stolen from a vehicle parked near the school. These cards had been used to capture images during recent photography sessions at Priory School in Lewes.

The stolen equipment had been deployed for multiple school photography assignments following Pret-a-Portrait's visit on 1 October. The company stated that most, if not all, of the files containing student images may have been overwritten due to the theft, though it could not verify the full extent. Information potentially exposed includes photographs, student names, and class identifiers linked to the photography process. No sensitive personal data such as addresses, contact details, financial records, medical information, or safeguarding documentation stored separately by the school was compromised.

Nick Kerr, owner of Pret-a-Portrait, noted that no printed photographs were stored in the vehicle at the time of the theft and that it remained unclear how many student images were affected. He emphasized that no unauthorized access to the photographs had occurred between the theft and the files being taken offline. The company has since removed all school photos from public access, updated access identifiers, and implemented new protocols requiring SD cards to be wiped after each assignment. Pret-a-Portrait also reported the incident to law enforcement and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Curtis-Brignell stated that the school has collaborated with its Data Protection Officer and Pret-a-Portrait to assess the situation and determine appropriate safeguards. While expressing understanding for families' concerns, he affirmed that there is currently no evidence of data misuse and that steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. The school has chosen to communicate openly with families about the incident while maintaining that student privacy remains uncompromised.