Welcome to the ICT in Schools AI guidance hub. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the landscape of primary education, school leaders must balance the undeniable benefits of innovation with robust legal, ethical, and safeguarding frameworks.
To support our network of UK primary schools, our specialist team has adapted the latest South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) online safety frameworks to create an actionable, downloadable AI in Education Policy Template.
Click here to download.
This template is fully aligned with the Department for Education’s updated training modules and digital technology standards, giving your leadership team a secure, compliance-ready foundation.
๐ National Statutory Frameworks & Guidance
Before implementing an AI policy within your setting, senior leadership teams (SLTs) and governors must familiarise themselves with the official national standards. Use these direct resources to inform your strategy:
- DfE Statutory Toolkit: Access the official DfE Using AI in Education Support Materials, including their updated modular training tracks covering safe classroom deployment, data protection, and workload reduction.
- Workload & Delivery Hub: Review the DfE Education Hub Briefing on AI in Schools to understand national benchmarks for student age restrictions (18+) and teacher deployment.
- Assessment Integrity: Ensure your school policy aligns with the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) AI Use in Assessments Guidance to protect against academic malpractice and secure exam compliance.
- Core Infrastructure Standards: Verify that your school’s network meets the DfE Digital and Technology Standards regarding filtering, monitoring, and cybersecurity before provisioning AI tools.
CPD Spotlight: AI Literacy for School Staff
As AI tools become fully integrated into the school ecosystem, ensuring your staff feel confident and literate in using them safely is crucial.
Remember that the Department for Education (DfE) has updated guidelines on generative AI in education. Over the summer, it might be worth auditing your school’s current AI policy to ensure staff understand the boundaries regarding data privacy (never uploading student data into public LLMs) and plagiarism.