Identify the aims you want to achieve by using technology in your school or trust, and align this with your vision and values.
You should also make sure you’re on track to meet the DfE’s digital standards and that all pupils will benefit equally from your digital strategy.
Creating a digital strategy is much easier if you consider it as part of your wider school improvement planning. Understand the steps you should take before creating your strategy, and find guidance and resources to help you get started.
Make sure your school's IT services and equipment meet the DfE's minimum standards. Use our downloadable checklist to review your current provision, and get to grips with what to prioritise and what your next steps should be.
Whether you're creating or reviewing your digital strategy, consider digital inclusion so everyone in your school can benefit and pupils can thrive online.
You’re free to decide how your school or trust uses AI, as long as you continue to meet statutory requirements for safeguarding and data protection. Find out more about what you can and can’t do, with the articles below.
You can also use our data protection impact assessment (DPIA) template to assess whether an AI tool is the right choice for processing personal data.
Understand what you should consider when choosing AI tools for your school. Get help appointing an AI lead to spearhead your AI strategy and decision-making.
Take a look at our tips to make sure you stay compliant with data protection around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Share them with your team to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Find out what a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) is, when it must be done and who should be involved. Download and adapt our DPIA template to save you time.
Share the safeguarding risks associated with AI with your staff and parents:
Make sure everyone is on the same page by setting a school- or trust-wide AI policy.
When considering your approach, it’s also important to understand how Ofsted will look at AI use during inspections.
Download our AI model policy and adapt it to suit your context. It's designed to help your school/trust use AI and to harness the potential that AI tools offer to enhance teaching and learning, and to reduce workload, in a responsible and secure way.
Get to grips with what Ofsted may look at when it comes to AI policies and usage, and how you can make sure you’re staying compliant.
You might need to update some of your other policies to include references to your school’s approach to AI. These include:
Use our model data protection policy to keep yours up to date with the latest regulations and guidance. It will save you time and help you stay compliant with this complex area.
Make sure your child protection policy reflects Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025. If you previously adapted our model, use our summary of what's changed and why to help you decide what changes to make. If you have your own policy, use our checklist to make sure it covers everything it needs to.
Download and adapt our model assessment policy for your primary or secondary school or trust's context. Get advice from experts on writing your policy, and see examples from maintained schools, academies, special schools and trusts.
See examples of homework policies from primary, secondary and special schools to help you write your own. Also, adapt our sample clause for handling the impact of AI tools on homework.
Set clear expectations for ICT and internet acceptable use by using our model policy. See examples of policies from other schools to help you develop your own.
Download and adapt our model online safety policy, which includes acceptable use agreements for pupils, parents/carers and staff. See examples of policies from primary, secondary and special schools.
See examples of anti-bullying policies from other schools and find 10 tips to help you write and implement your policy. Also adapt our sample clause that reflects the potential impact of AI.
Your AI policy should set out how you will keep staff up to date about the latest developments in AI. Share our factsheet to help get them up to speed.
Get your head around the basics of generative AI, including ChatGPT and Google Gemini, and what it means for your school/trust. Share this information with your staff, and governors or trustees, to get everyone on the same page.
Use these resources to deliver safeguarding training on AI:
Your governing board plays an important role in monitoring and reviewing your school’s approach to AI. Use our template to keep them informed.
Understand how to report on your school's use of AI to your governing body. Use our report template to keep everyone clear about how AI is used in your setting, and the steps you're taking to keep pupils and staff safe.
Share these resources with your governors so they understand their role:
Visit KeyGPT and:
Key GPT is designed specifically for school leaders, and it's a safe space for you to experiment with generative-AI.
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