On Thursday 26th March 2026, Dr Matthew Boakes, Technical Architect working for the UK’s Home Office and an iCSS alumnus and Associate Member, delivered a 2-hour masterclass for 25 Year 8 pupils at The Folkestone School for Girls. This is part of the school outreach activities of iCSS and KMCSN (Kent & Medway CyberSchools Network).
The session introduced students to the role of biometrics in cyber security and digital identity, exploring how biometric technologies can be used to authenticate users and support secure access to systems and services. During the masterclass, students were encouraged to think critically about a range of biometric methods, considering how they work, their strengths and weaknesses, and their real-world applications.
The workshop covered six different biometric approaches and gave students the opportunity to reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of each. It also included practical activities in which students could experiment with them, including facial recognition and keystroke analysis, helping them understand both the potential and limitations of biometric authentication in practice.
Dr Matthew Boakes said: “It was a pleasure to return and contribute to school outreach linked to iCSS and KMCSN. Biometrics is a fascinating area because it sits at the intersection of technology, security and everyday life. I hoped the workshop gave students a chance to see how cyber security concepts are applied in the real world, while also encouraging them to ask questions about privacy, usability and trust in the systems they use.”
Konrad Eke, Director of Careers and Leadership Learning at the Folkestone School for Girls, said “We were grateful to Matthew who came along to deliver an informative, exciting and engaging workshop all about the use of biometrics in authenticating users. Matthew encouraged students to explore 6 different biometric methods and consider the benefits and drawbacks of each, before having a go at using facial recognition and keystroke analysis themselves. We look forward to the opportunity to work with Matthew and the University of Kent again soon.”
iCSS thanks The Folkestone School for Girls for being one of the most active KMCSN member schools attending and hosting iCSS and KMCSN’s school outreach events. The first event they attended was the NCSC CyberFirst Girls Competition Familiarisation Day, organised by iCSS and KMCSN on 8th October 2024 at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. Since then, they hosted five cyber security events including the biometrics workshop Matthew delivered. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with The Folkestone School for Girls!