The Prompt – (Issue 10)

Welcome to Issue 10 of The Prompt! We hope you had a restful, well-deserved summer break. As a new school year begins, our mission is to ensure South Tyneside schools stay ahead of the curve. Whether you are an AI novice or an AI expert, this is your weekly home for the tools and digital principles defining the future of education. Each week, we’ll deliver three or four essential updates ranging from DfE policy shifts to time-saving classroom hacks specifically curated to reduce teacher workload and enhance learning across our South Tyneside community as safely as possible.

Save the Date: Apple RTC Autumn Conference 2026

We are thrilled to announce that the Apple RTC Autumn Conference will be hosted live at The Word, South Shields on Thursday, 22nd October 2026!

This whole-day event will focus on two of the most critical topics in EdTech today: AI & Accessibility.

Join us to connect with educators and experts, discover innovative ideas and practical strategies, and explore inclusive approaches that empower every learner.

👉 Click Here To Book A Place

AI Champions Work Group

Haven’t nominated an AI Champion yet? Click the link to access our nomination form: CLICK HERE

⚠️ CHANGE TO DATE – NOW Wednesday 18th NOVEMBER

Next meeting: Wednesday 18th November 2026 (16:00–17:30)

Venue: The Word, South Shields

Contact: Julia Small to book a place:[email protected]

Item 1: Schools ‘Crying Out’ for AI Guidance as Major Report Warns System is Unprepared

A landmark report by Sir Anthony Seldon and Tim Bunting, published by Public First and featured on the BBC News, warns that English schools are attempting to educate for an “AI-less world that no longer exists.” Describing the current adoption of AI in classrooms as “chaotic and anarchic,” the authors urge the government to treat AI integration with wartime-level urgency.

  • The Reality Gap: Polling of 4,000 young people shows that 87% of 11–24 year olds have used AI (e.g., 53% for homework and 77% to explain difficult concepts). However, only 30% of pupils report that their school has clear, explainable rules around AI use.
  • The Teacher Literacy Gap: While 38% of pupils believe they are better at using AI than their teachers, Education Society research shows only 14% of educators feel confident in their AI literacy.
  • Core Recommendations: The report calls for a vaccine-style “rapid response unit” outside the DfE, governor-approved school AI strategies by September 2027, staff and student “AI Champions” in every setting, and Ofsted inspections that evaluate AI innovation. It also advocates reforming qualifications into a hybrid assessment model that combines traditional exams with continuous, AI-supported evaluation of unique human competencies.

Click here for full article

Item 2: GenAI Misconceptions Guide

What we think we know about Generative AI shapes how we use it, and common myths can lead to misplaced trust, privacy risks, or missed errors. To help educators and students start the school year on the same page, AI for Education has released the GenAI Misconceptions resource.

The guide dismantles common myths—clarifying that GenAI is not a search engine (it predicts statistically likely text rather than retrieving facts, which is why it can hallucinate) and reminding us that a confident, polished response is no guarantee of accuracy. It serves as an ideal, quick-read resource for staff CPD sessions or early classroom discussions around academic integrity.

🔗 Access the free resource at: aiforeducation.io

Item 3: The Good Future Foundation AI Quality Mark

As schools look to embed AI safely and strategically this year, leaders should explore the Good Future Foundation’s AI Quality Mark.

Created by school leaders and reviewed by AI specialists, this developmental framework is far more than a tick-box exercise. It provides a structured self-assessment process to audit current AI usage, mitigate risks, and establish an ethical roadmap forward. Achieving the Quality Mark is a clear signal to staff, students, governors, and parents that your institution is committed to responsible innovation.

🔗 Learn more and start your self-assessment at: goodfuture.foundation/ai-mark

Question of the Week

“Given that 87% of pupils are actively using AI for learning but only 30% report clear guidance at school, does your setting currently have an explicit, pupil-facing AI policy in place for this term?”

Contact Us

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact:

Steve Robert:[email protected]

Five minutes on Friday Issue#3 18th September 2026

Welcome to this week’s Five Minutes on Friday digest! As we settle further into the autumn term, we have a packed edition featuring upcoming local EdTech events, powerful professional development opportunities, and essential online safety guidance for your school community. Grab a quick coffee and take five minutes to get up to speed with what you need to know for Friday, 18th September 2026.

🍏 1. Apple RTC Conference: AI & Accessibility in the Classroom

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Transform your classroom this term with cutting-edge, inclusive technology strategies. The South Tyneside Apple Regional Training Centre, in partnership with Academia, invites you to our FREE Autumn Conference.

When: Thursday, 22nd October 2026

Where: The Word, South Shields

Details: Enjoy a full day of professional development, network over a complimentary lunch, and take home an exclusive goody bag packed with resources.

Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.
👉 RSVP: Please refer to your official event flyer to book your place.

Apple RTC Conference Invite

💻 2. Arbor Training

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We are hosting Arbor training specifically designed for headteachers and data managers.

When: Wednesday, 7th October 2026

Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Where: The Word, South Shields

Booking: Email Julia Small at

[email protected] to secure your place.

🛡️ 3. The Online Together Project

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https://www.internetmatters.org/the-online-together-project

Help your KS3 students think critically about what they see and do online with quick, interactive quizzes.

From spotting misinformation with Find the Fake, to tackling online hate and gender stereotypes with The Online Together Project (created in partnership with Samsung Electronics), these resources are designed to get students talking, thinking, and questioning what they encounter online, with minimal prep for teachers.  

👉 Explore the quizzes and discover more free online safety resources for schools here: The Online Together Project  

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Five Minutes on Friday! Stay tuned for more EdTech updates, classroom ideas, and leadership tips in next week’s issue.  

Have a brilliant and relaxing weekend,  

Phillippa

The Prompt (Issue 9)

Welcome to issue 9. We hope you had a restful, well-deserved summer break. As a new school year begins, our mission is to ensure South Tyneside schools stay ahead of the curve. Whether you are an AI novice or an AI expert, this is your weekly home for the tools and digital principles defining the future of education. Each week, we’ll deliver three or four essential updates—ranging from DfE policy shifts to time-saving classroom hacks—specifically curated to reduce teacher workload and enhance learning across our South Tyneside community as safely as possible.

Save the Date: Apple RTC Autumn Conference 2026

We are thrilled to announce that the Apple RTC Autumn Conference will be hosted live at The Word, South Shields on Wednesday, 22nd October 2026!

This whole-day event will focus on two of the most critical topics in EdTech today: AI & Accessibility.

AI Champions Work Group

Haven’t nominated an AI Champion yet? Click the link to access our nomination form: CLICK HERE

CHANGE TO DATE – NOW Wednesday 18th NOVEMBER

  • Next meeting: Wednesday 18th November 2026, 16:00–17:30
  • Venue: The Word
  • Contact: Julia Small to book a place: [email protected]

Item 1: The Meta Settlement: What the Landmark US Case Means for Schools

In a historic $18 billion settlement this August, Meta was forced by US states to address the addictive, AI-driven design of Instagram and Facebook. To protect youth mental health and attention spans, Meta must now implement sweeping safeguards for under-18s, including:

  • School-Hour Blackouts: Notifications disabled during the school day.
  • Overnight Lockouts: App access blocked from midnight to 6 a.m.
  • Algorithmic Limits: A two-hour daily cap and the ability to disable AI-curated feeds entirely.

Why it matters here: While this is a US ruling, it validates what educators have warned about for years. It sets a global precedent that will likely pressure Ofcom to enforce similar strict design codes under the UK’s Online Safety Act. In the meantime, this ruling provides an excellent, real-world talking point for PSHE lessons on digital well-being and algorithmic manipulation.

Item 2: Free, Secure AI for Teachers: The GFF AI Toolkit

If you are eager to try generative AI to help with your workload but are worried about data privacy and school GDPR policies, we have great news. You can now sign up for the Good Future AI Toolkit at good-future.ai.

Created by the Good Future Foundation, this suite of AI tools is entirely free for educators. Crucially, it is DfE-backed, leveraging the Department for Education’s AI Content Store Advanced Support. This means the tools have been developed with a strict “privacy first” approach that adheres to the DfE’s GenAI Product Safety Framework.

Why we love it:

  • Zero Data Retention: Nothing you enter is saved, and no AI models are trained on your content, making it a completely risk-free space to experiment.
  • Practical Features: It includes purpose-built tools for UK teachers like a Quiz Generator, a Glossary Generator, and an AI Email Writer.
  • Peace of Mind: It removes the headache of wondering, “Am I allowed to put this into an AI?”

It will take about 30 seconds to sign up using the link below:

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Item 3: Curriculum Ready: Common Sense Media AI Lessons

If you are looking for ready-made, high-quality materials to introduce AI to your students this term, Common Sense Media has exactly what you need. Aimed at years 7–13, these lessons can easily be used with Y6 as well.

They have developed a series of free AI Literacy Lessons that are incredibly useful to start the term. Designed to strengthen critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, and human connection, these lessons help students understand what AI is, how it works, and the ethical implications of using it.

The best part? The lessons are fully planned and can easily be written directly into your computing or PSHE curriculum for the year.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS LESSONS

Item 4: Question of the Week

If AI could take one administrative task completely off your plate this term, which one would you choose?

Contact Us:

If you have any questions or suggestions please contact:

Steve Robert: [email protected]

The Prompt: (Issue 8)

Your AI Newsletter

Issue 8

Please share this newsletter with colleagues in your setting!

Welcome to Issue 8 of your weekly briefing on all things AI. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the educational landscape, our mission is to ensure South Tyneside schools stay ahead of the curve.

Whether you are an AI novice or an AI expert, this is your weekly home for the tools and digital principles defining the future of education. Each week, we’ll deliver essential updates curated to reduce teacher workload and enhance learning across our South Tyneside community as safely as possible.

🛠️ AI Champions Work Group

Haven’t nominated an AI Champion for your school yet? Click the link below to access our nomination form:

👉 CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE (Please use the form link to submit)

  • Next Meeting: Wednesday 11th November 2026, 16:00–17:30
  • Venue: The Word
  • Contact: Julia Small to book a place at: [email protected]

Item 1: AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material: Guidance for Parents and Carers

CEOP and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) have released a vital new guide to help parents navigate the safeguarding risks of AI. The resource explains how AI can be misused to manipulate images of children and equips families with practical steps to reduce risks—such as reviewing privacy settings, auditing social media, and starting age-appropriate conversations about digital consent.

Access the full online guidance: Click Here to Access Online Guidance

There is also updated guidance for professionals, developed in collaboration with the IWF, providing essential information for all professionals working with children and young people on understanding and responding to AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Download PDF Guides

Click on the images below to open and download the PDF versions.

Item 2: Create Your Own Games and Apps Using Gemini

Ever wanted to create a custom game for your classroom, but didn’t know how to code? We’ve launched a brand new website showcasing how you can build interactive web games using Google’s Gemini—just by having a conversation!

From matching capitals to Year 2 vocabulary and Year 6 maths explorers, you can play our AI-generated games and even see the exact prompts we used to make them.

🚀 Click here to visit the AI Games Lab and start building!

Item 3: Netflix’s Queen Of Chess On What Schools Are Getting Wrong About AI

What can the greatest female chess grandmaster in history teach us about the future of AI in the classroom?

In a compelling new piece by Dan Fitzpatrick, Queen of Chess star Judit Polgár draws a striking parallel between the anxiety educators face today and the massive disruption the chess world experienced thirty years ago. Long before ChatGPT, chess was the first profession reshaped by AI, leaving players wrestling with the same fears of obsolescence teachers feel now. Having lived through this shift firsthand, Polgár offers a powerful warning and unique insights into what schools are getting wrong.

Click Here to Access The Article

Item 4: Question of the Week

🏝️ How are you using AI this summer, that is not school related?

We want to hear from you! Let us know how you are playing or planning with AI over the summer break.

Have a Great Summer Holiday! ☀️

Thank you for your incredible support and engagement with The Prompt this term. Have a restful, safe, and wonderful summer holiday, and we will see you next term!

Contact Us: If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Steve Robert at [email protected].

The Prompt: (Issue 7)

Your AI Newsletter

Issue 7

Please share this newsletter with colleagues in your setting!

Welcome to issue 7 of your weekly briefing on all things AI. As AI continues to reshape the educational landscape, our mission is to ensure South Tyneside schools stay ahead of the curve. Whether you are an AI novice or an AI expert, this is your weekly home for the tools and digital principles defining the future of education.

Each week, we’ll deliver three or four essential updates—ranging from DfE policy shifts to time-saving classroom hacks—specifically curated to reduce teacher workload and enhance learning across our South Tyneside community as safely as possible.

🚀 AI Champions Work Group

Haven’t nominated an AI Champion yet? Click the link to access our nomination form:

👉 CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE

  • Next Meeting: Wednesday 11th November 2026, 16:00-17:30
  • Venue: The Word
  • Contact to Book: Email Julia Small at [email protected] to secure a place.

🌐 Item 1: Global Crackdown: The Under-16 Social Media & AI Ban

The momentum for youth digital bans has peaked. Following legislation in Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the UK has announced a sweeping ban on social media for anyone under 16, set for full enforcement by Spring 2027.

The intersection with artificial intelligence is twofold:

  • The 18+ Rule for AI Companions: Regulators are looking past traditional feeds to target generative AI. The new rules strictly enforce an 18+ age minimum for AI romantic companions, roleplay bots, and “intimate functionalities” to prevent algorithmic manipulation and emotional dependency.
  • Enforcement via AI (Facial Estimation): To enforce the ban without hoarding passports, tech companies are turning to Highly Effective Age Assurance (HEAA). This relies heavily on AI facial age estimation—scanning a live selfie to verify a user’s age bracket without storing their identity.

The Catch: Critics and tech giants warn that the required AI face-scanning creates a massive privacy checkpoint for all internet users, while tech-savvy teens will likely bypass it entirely using VPNs or go to the darker parts of the web.

🧠 Item 2: Can Your Pupils Spot the AI Fake?

After last week’s Real or AI quiz from Britannica Education, we have curated some more excellent activities from other sources you may want to use with your pupils:

1. BBC Bitesize: Artificial Or Real?

Can you tell the difference between a real video or picture, or one that has been generated by artificial intelligence (AI)? Have a go and let’s see if you can spot the REAL from the AI!

2. Sightengine: Which Image Is AI?

Here are 2 images. One is AI-generated, the other one is real. Can you tell which one is AI? Test your skills!

3. Google Arts & Culture Experiments

Google Arts & Culture offers incredible interactive experiments to test your AI literacy:

  • Odd One Out: Can you spot the odd one out? Guess the AI-generated “imposters” hidden among the artworks on Google Arts & Culture. One of these images is not like the other—it is created by Google AI.
  • Say What You See: Learn the art of the prompt and improve your image-reading skills by looking at Google AI-generated images and describing what you see, in this experiment created by artist Jack Wild.

📬 Item 3: Food for Thought: The “Ghost in the Inbox”

With the rise of advanced AI email agents, we are rapidly approaching a weird milestone: Within the next year, it is highly likely you will receive an email written entirely by an AI agent, which will then draft a reply and archive it—without either human ever knowing the exchange took place.

So the question is:

If two machines have a meeting in the woods and no human is around to read the transcript… does the meeting actually happen?

Drop a reply using our feedback form below and tell us if this sounds like a productivity paradise or a dystopian nightmare!

Contact Us

If you have any questions or further suggestions, please get in touch: 📧 Steve Robert: [email protected]

Issue #7 – 12th June 2026

12th June 2026

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Hello Everyone! Here’s your weekly 5 minutes on Friday digest of tech updates, designed to keep you up to speed on the latest in the world of technology, education, and innovation.

We’ve gathered news on everything from curriculum ideas to major tech developments and emerging trends. Enjoy!

💡 Item 1: The 60-Second Tech Tip

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You’re presenting a slide deck and want to draw your students’ attention to a specific point, but the bright screen is distracting. Or perhaps you want them to look directly at you, not the board.

Next time you are in Present mode in Google Slides, try these two clever keyboard shortcuts:

  • Press B: The screen instantly turns completely Black.
  • Press W: The screen instantly turns completely White.

Why use it? It acts as an immediate visual “pause button” for your class. Press any key to bring your presentation right back. It’s a fantastic, low-tech feeling trick built right into your high-tech presentation tool.

🛠️ Item 2: Tool of the Week — Interactive PDF Annotation with Kami

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If you are looking for a practical way to breathe new life into your digital worksheets and simultaneously save your school’s printing budget, take a look at Kami.

  • For Students: It provides a highly vibrant, user-friendly interface where they can draw, type, and add voice annotations directly onto digital documents and PDFs.
  • For Teachers: It integrates seamlessly with cloud platforms like Google Classroom, allowing you to deliver real-time feedback and streamline your daily marking workflow in line with DfE workload reduction guidelines.

📢 Item 3: Online Safety Hub Weekly Highlight

What is “looksmaxxing”? A guide for parents.

This trend is regularly breaking into youth subcultures, and it is vital that pastoral teams and leadership are aware of its implications for school safeguarding:

  • Looksmaxxing started as an online subculture but has gone mainstream among young boys. While much of it presents as memes and jokes, the line between harmless and harmful can blur incredibly fast.
  • The darker side of this trend is tied to toxic online communities and can rapidly push teens toward body image issues, dangerous physical practices, and extremist rabbit holes.
  • Knowing the warning signs and facilitating open, non-judgmental conversations are the most effective safeguarding ways to keep this trend from becoming a real-world problem.

🔗 Explore full resources on the South Tyneside Online Safety Hub or read the primary reference article: What is looksmaxxing? A guide for parents.

🎓 Upcoming CPD Courses

Please note: CPD courses are FREE to all schools within our service agreement. Other schools are most welcome to join us for £40 + VAT per session.

Course NameDate & TimeFormat
Termly E-safety Briefing: Smoothwall Monitor
Wednesday 17th June, 4:00 – 5:00 PMVirtual
DUO Course Y5: Learn to teach Vector Graphics with Google DrawingsThursday 25th June, 4:00 – 5:30 PMFace to Face
DUO Course: Tinkercad SandcastlesWednesday 1st July, 4:00 – 5:30 PMFace to Face

👉 Book with Julia (mailto:[email protected])

☀️ School Activities & Events

🏆 Live Summer Quiz (via Google Meet)

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We are hosting a live summer quiz via Google Meet! This year, we have decided to include Key Stage 1 for the first time. There will be 3 distinct time slots to choose from:

  • Session 1: Exclusively for Key Stage 1 classrooms.
  • Sessions 2 & 3: Two available time slots for Key Stage 2 (AM and PM options).

📅 Date: Tuesday 16th June 2026

📝 Note: A separate registration form must be filled out for each participating class.

👉 Click here to register your classroom

🦸 ClickView Celebration: Online Safety Super Hero Challenge

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We’re excited to invite your school to take part in our upcoming FREE Online Safety Super Hero Challenge. This is a brilliant opportunity to combine digital creativity, team collaboration, and essential safeguarding education in a fun, memorable setting.

📅 Date: Tuesday 23rd June 2026

⏰ Time: 12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM

📍 Venue: The Word

👥 Schools are welcome to enter more than one team; simply indicate your requirements on the booking page.

👉 Click here to secure your team spaces

Thank you for reading this week’s edition! Stay tuned for more EdTech news, practical classroom strategies, and leadership tips in next week’s update.

Have an EdTech topic you would like us to cover? Feel free to reach out directly with suggestions or feedback.

Have a great weekend!

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Phillippa Chippendale

ICT in Schools Team

The Prompt (Issue 1): School AI Strategy, Cartoons for MFL Vocabulary, and the Risks of Unregulated Chatbots

by Steve Robert – ICT in Schools Team

Welcome to Issue 1 of The Prompt, your weekly home for the tools and digital principles defining the future of education. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the educational landscape, our mission is to ensure that local settings stay safely and strategically ahead of the curve. Each week, we deliver essential updates explicitly curated to reduce teacher workload, save time, and enhance learning across our community.

📢 Setting Action: Please share this weekly tech brief with colleagues in your educational setting!

📅 AI Champions Working Group

Haven’t nominated an AI Champion for your school or setting yet?

There is still time to join our working group and lead the change in your department.

To book a place or ask questions, please contact Julia Small at [email protected].

🛡️ Item 1: Managing AI Safety and Strategy in Schools

Is AI usage in your school safe, strategic, and effective? AI tools are already making their way into modern classrooms. However, leadership teams must ensure staff are following school-approved platforms to avoid the unintended consequences of misuse.

  • Follow Your Policy: Always verify that the generative tools you use align with your setting’s strict internal AI policy.
  • Don’t Have a Policy? Ensure your school nominates an AI Champion immediately, and reach out to the core ICT in Schools Team for direct support and custom resources.

Special thanks to Alan Ellis for compiling and providing the community presentation slides.

🎵 Item 2: Prompt of the Week – Creating MFL Visuals in Gemini

Bring foreign language learning to life visually! You can use Gemini to generate highly specific, dual-language cartoons to build custom vocabulary lists for your pupils.

📋 The Template Prompt:

“I am working on learning [Language]. Please draw me a cartoon 4k image of a [Classroom Setting/Location] that is suitable for language learning. For each object in the scene, please write the correct name of the object in clear, legible text in two languages, in [Language] and in English. Double-check that all words are correct. Include the definite article and place the words in a text box. Add a title too.”

💡 The Prompt in Action:

Try copying and pasting this explicit variation directly into Gemini to generate an immediate French lesson starter:

“I am working on learning French. Please draw me a cartoon 4k image of a kitchen that is suitable for language learning. For each object in the kitchen, please write the correct name of the object in clear, legible text in two languages, in French and in English. Double-check that all words are correct. Include the definite article and place the words in a text box. Add a title too.”

Teacher Workload Hack: You can modify this prompt to generate accompanying vocabulary worksheets or translate the setting into completely different target languages.

⚠️ Item 3: Dola – Friend or Foe?

Schools and parents need to be actively aware of the risks surrounding Dola AI and unregulated external chatbots.

Dola is an artificial intelligence chatbot app that is currently heavily marketed directly toward young people on social media platforms like TikTok. While marketed superficially as a helpful homework assistant, it presents serious safeguarding issues for children under its strict statutory usage age of 13.

Why Dola is a major classroom concern:

  • Weak Content Filters: The platform allows the generation of images and videos with highly fragile safety filters, risking immediate exposure to inappropriate themes.
  • Safeguarding Gaps: Dola entirely lacks functional parental controls and relies on unverified third-party bots, rendering student interactions unmonitored.
  • Academic Dishonesty: The “Homework” features actively encourage bypassing the learning process altogether rather than supporting structured revision.

Immediate Action Points for Settings:

  1. Inform Families: Advise parents to audit home devices for the app and discuss the vulnerabilities of unregulated AI.
  2. Staff Awareness: Ensure your educators understand the mechanics of companion bots to lead informed student circle times.
  3. Promote Safe Alternatives: Redirect your classes to school-approved digital learning resources that champion critical thinking.

🗣️ We Value Your Insights!

Your field experience makes our community stronger. Please drop your success stories, questions, or classroom examples into our official anonymous AI Newsletter Feedback Form.

For queries or suggestions regarding upcoming technical digests, contact Steve Robert at [email protected].