Artificial Intelligence Working Policy & Guide for Staff

1. Introduction

The responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping education and working practices. When used thoughtfully, AI can enhance learning, support professional development, streamline administrative tasks, and foster innovation.

However, with these benefits come critical risks including data protection breaches, misinformation, bias, ethical concerns, and potential harm to pupils and staff.

This policy outlines North Ealing Primary School’s expectations for the responsible, lawful, and ethical use of AI technologies by all staff and stakeholders. It applies to:

● Employees
● Governors
● Consultants and contractors
● Volunteers
● Student teachers
● Casual and agency workers

All use of AI must comply with this policy, and staff must only use tools approved by the school. Where personal data is processed using AI, a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) will be completed in line with ICO guidance.

2. Background

While UK Data Protection law does not yet contain specific rules for AI, guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) provides best practices. AI is defined as the use of non-human systems to simulate human intelligence, including reasoning, learning, and decision-making.

As AI technologies rapidly evolve, it is essential that the school provides clear guidelines for use, monitoring protocols, and safeguards for pupils and staff.

Ongoing Review and Adaptation of the AI Policy

Given the rapid pace of development in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, this policy is intended to be a living document. It will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to reflect changes in technology, best practice, data protection guidance, and educational priorities.

Any significant updates to the policy will be clearly communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

3. What is Generative AI?

AI tools fall into different categories:

● Generative AI: Produces new content such as text, images, code, video, or data. Examples include:

o Writing summaries, reports, or presentations
o Creating or refining lesson plans
o Generating code
o Supporting pupil learning with feedback tools

● Predictive AI: Analyses patterns to make predictions (e.g. attendance, behaviour trends).

● Extractive AI: Pulls specific data from large datasets, such as summarising reports or extracting student progress data.

This policy focuses on generative AI but applies to all AI systems used in school operations. Only tools listed in the Approved AI Tools document may be used unless approved by the Headteacher.

4. School Vision for AI

Read the full AI Vision Statement in Appendix A.

As part of our vision, we support the purposeful, ethical use of AI to improve teaching, learning and operational efficiency.

AHEAD Principles

We adopt the AHEAD framework to guide our AI use. Professor Rose Luckin’s A.H.E.A.D. framework contains five key principles for the development and implementation of Purpose-driven Artificial Intelligence (PAI) in education:

1. Alignment with Educational Goals: PAI should be developed and utilized in accordance with well-defined educational objectives, ensuring that it serves to enhance learning outcomes.

2. Enhancing Human Intelligence: The aim of PAI is to augment human intelligence rather than replace it, empowering learners and educators to reach their full potential by leveraging AI’s capabilities.

3. Evidence-Based: The creation and application of PAI should be grounded in learning science research and evidence-based practices, ensuring its effectiveness in supporting teaching and learning.

4. Adaptability and Personalisation: PAI systems should be flexible to accommodate individual learners’ needs, abilities, and contexts, providing personalized learning experiences tailored to each student’s unique requirements.

5. Designed and Used Ethically: PAI must be developed and deployed responsibly, with transparency regarding its functionalities, limitations, and potential biases, and with a focus on promoting equity and inclusion.

5. Pupil Use of AI

Pupil Education on AI
Each term, children will participate in dedicated lessons that focus on recognising and understanding AI-generated content. These sessions will teach students how to critically evaluate digital information by identifying signs of AI involvement, such as manipulated images, deepfakes, or auto-generated text. Children will also learn practical skills for verifying sources of information and assessing credibility online. Alongside this, they will explore the potential dangers of AI, including misinformation, online manipulation, and data privacy risks. The goal is to equip students with the digital literacy and critical thinking skills needed to safely and responsibly navigate an AI-driven online world.

AI and Homework
Children must not use generative AI software to create or complete their homework under any circumstances, as this undermines the learning process and does not reflect their own understanding or effort. However, children may use websites that include AI tools – such as certain photo creation or editing platforms – as long as these tools are used to support their work rather than do it for them. In all cases, the majority of the content must be produced by the child to ensure the work remains authentic and meaningful.

6. Authorised Applications and Usage

Staff may only use school-approved AI tools for professional purposes (see working document ‘Approved and Non-Approved AI Tools for school use).

Authorised Uses Include:

● Drafting guidance, emails, or training content

● Creating presentations

● Lesson planning or idea generation

● Researching topics

● Assessment and gap analysis

● Report writing

● Summarising large documents

● Enhancing grammar, tone, and clarity of communication

Report writing
Teachers can use AI as a helpful tool to assist with writing reports, but it must be done with caution and professional responsibility. Under no circumstances should names or any personal details of students be inputted into AI programs, even those that claim to be GDPR compliant, in order to protect privacy and adhere to data protection regulations. It is essential that original notes and observations are made by the teacher themselves; AI should only be used to help structure or refine this content into a more formal and polished piece of writing. All AI-generated reports must be thoroughly proofread and edited by the teacher before submission to ensure accuracy, appropriateness, and a personal touch that reflects genuine professional judgement.

Any additional use must be authorised by the Headteacher.
The school recognises that many staff members possess valuable expertise in specific areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and maintain a strong working knowledge of emerging AI tools. Should a member of staff wish to propose the use of a new AI tool, SLT should be informed. Where appropriate, the Senior Leadership Team, in consultation with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), will evaluate the tool’s alignment with the school’s educational objectives and safeguarding priorities. Prior to implementation, a full risk assessment will be conducted by both the DSL and the Data Protection Officer (DPO).

7. Guidelines for Staff Use

● Only use approved AI tools

● Never input personal data, sensitive information, or school identifiers (e.g. names, emails, images) into public AI platforms unless explicitly authorised

● Always log in with your school email

● Do not share login credentials or permit unauthorised use

● Do not attempt to generate offensive, harmful, discriminatory, or inappropriate content

● Always label AI-generated images as such (see example in Appendix C) to ensure transparency in image use and development of stakeholders ability to detect AI generation

8. Data Privacy and Protection

AI systems must not be used to process personal data without prior approval. A DPIA must be conducted where applicable.

We recognise:

● The need to protect the privacy of pupils and staff

● The importance of transparent, accountable AI use

● The evolving nature of data protection and AI regulation
This policy will be updated as new legal requirements and technical standards emerge.

9. Personal Use of AI

Staff must not use school systems to access AI tools for personal reasons. Any personal use must be:

● Outside working hours

● On personal devices

● In line with school values and professional conduct

Access may be revoked at the discretion of the school.

10. Monitoring

AI use on school systems will be monitored for:

● Policy compliance

● Protection of confidential and personal information

● Detection of misuse

● Performance monitoring

● Legal and safeguarding obligations

Monitoring is conducted in line with the school’s IT and data policies.

11. Breach of Policy

Breaches may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. This includes:

● Misuse of AI on school or personal devices

● Breaches of confidentiality or data protection laws

● Failure to comply with monitoring investigations

All staff must report suspected breaches to the Headteacher immediately. Refer to the school’s Data Breach Policy for full procedures.

12. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

● Code of Conduct

● Online safety policy

● Marking policy

● Computing policy

● School handbook

All policies are accessible via the ‘Policies’ Drive on GSuite.

13. Appendices

• Appendix A – AI Vision Statement
• Appendix B – Staff User Agreement (To be signed annually)
• Appendix C – AI Generated Image labelling
• Appendix D – Glossary of Terms

For Appendices:

The committee with oversight for this policy – Full Governing Body
Autumn 2025
Policy / Document due for review
Autumn 2026