What Schools Need to Know About the DfE’s New Guidance on AI

What Schools Need to Know About the DfE’s New Guidance on AI 

The Department for Education (DfE) has recently published a new policy paper outlining expectations for how schools and teachers should approach the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education settings. The new guidance comes in the form a policy paper published here. This is an important step in clarifying how AI tools can be used responsibly and safely in schools. 

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We’ve summarised all the key guidance for schools and teachers here… 

Safety First 

In terms of safety, schools should: 

• Conduct a risk assessment before implementing AI tools. 

• Only adopt AI tools where the educational benefits clearly outweigh the risks. 

• Closely supervise any pupil use. This includes using appropriate filtering, monitoring, and adherence to age restrictions. 

Schools must also handle data with care when using AI. The DfE advises: 

• Personal or sensitive data should not be entered into generative AI tools (so a note to be cautious when using it to write reports especially here). 

• All use of AI must comply with existing data protection laws. 

• Schools should be transparent with pupils and parents, and seek informed consent where pupil work is involved. 
  

Professional Judgement Remains Essential 

There is an acknowledgement that AI tools can be helpful, but the DfE are clear that they are not a substitute for teacher expertise. The guidance reminds teachers that: 

• They remain responsible for the quality and accuracy of any AI-generated content. 

• All outputs from AI must be critically reviewed before use. 

• AI should support teaching, not replace it. 
  

As for School Polices, Schools Must… 

Develop or update policies that set clear boundaries for AI use. This includes: 

• When and how AI tools can be used by staff and pupils. 

• How AI use is approached in homework and unsupervised study. 
  

Schools should also review policies including:  

• homework policies and expectations for independent learning. 

• Academic integrity and plagiarism protocols. 

• Cybersecurity and safeguarding policies, especially around filtering and monitoring AI tools. 
  

Respect Intellectual Property 

This one is important, and one of the easiest rules to fall foul of, especially when making resources for lessons. Schools must: 

• Recognise that pupil and teacher work is likely to be protected by copyright. 

• Avoid using copyrighted material to train AI tools unless explicit permission has been granted or a legal exception applies. 

• Be cautious about publishing AI-generated content that may have been derived from other copyrighted works. 

• Ensure that input data does not include personal or copyrighted material without consent. 
  

Schools Should Also Engage Families and Pupils 

Transparency is key. Schools are encouraged to: 

• Be open with parents about how AI is used in the setting. 

• Involve pupils and families in discussions about the opportunities and risks. 
  

Stay Within the Law 

Finally, the guidance reminds schools to fulfil their statutory duties, including: 

• The Data Protection Act. 

• Keeping Children Safe in Education. 

• Copyright and intellectual property law. 

Schools should refer to: 

• The DfE’s filtering and monitoring standards. 

• Cybersecurity standards for schools. 

• The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) guidance on AI use in assessments. 
  

So, that’s all the rules around staying safe, policies and what not to do. So, what can AI be used for? 

The DfE says that AI tools can be helpful in supporting teaching and learning, especially where they reduce workload. Suggested uses include: 

• Assisting with lesson planning, administrative tasks, and marking. 

• Exploring pupil use only in well-supervised contexts, with clear curriculum alignment and appropriate safeguards. 
  

To help with this, the DfE states that schools should support teacher confidence in the use of AI 

The DfE recognises the need for support and is developing training and resources. Schools should: 

• Look out for new toolkits and training from the DfE. 

• Engage with national pilot projects, such as Oak National Academy’s Aila assistant. 
  

This policy paper signals a significant shift in the national conversation about AI in schools. It acknowledges the potential benefits while grounding expectations in professionalism, safeguarding, and the law. Used well, AI can reduce workload and improve efficiency – but it must always be underpinned by teacher judgement, transparency, and pupil safety. 

If you’re reviewing your school's approach to AI, now is the time to act.