Establish a School-Level AI Working Group Include teachers, support staff, IT leads and safeguarding officers. Meet regularly to assess AI tools, review classroom impact and draft usage guidelines. Ensure representation across subjects and age groups to reflect diverse needs.
Provide Professional Development and Training Offer CPD sessions focused on AI literacy, ethical use and pedagogical integration. Use real classroom scenarios to explore both benefits and risks. Encourage staff to trial AI tools with support, not pressure.
Co-Design Policies with Staff Input Draft AI usage policies collaboratively, not top-down. Include clear protocols for student use, teacher responsibilities and data protection. Invite feedback before finalising and revise policies annually based on classroom realities.
Create Feedback Loops and Reporting Channels Allow staff to report misuse, concerns, or successes with AI tools. Use anonymous surveys or open forums to gather insights. Ensure leadership responds transparently and adjusts practice accordingly.
Protect Teacher Autonomy Make it clear that AI is a support tool, not a replacement. Respect professional judgment in deciding when and how to use AI. Avoid mandates that force adoption without context or consent.
Engage Unions and Professional Bodies Collaborate with groups like the NEU and NASUWT to align school policies with national standards. Use union guidance to safeguard workload, ethics and professional boundaries.
Classroom-Level Examples of Staff-Shaped AI Practice
Teacher-Led AI Integration A Year 10 English teacher uses AI to generate multiple interpretations of a poem, then guides students in comparing them; helping them critique bias, tone and depth. Staff decide which AI tools are permitted and how they’re introduced. Students learn that AI is a tool for thinking, not a shortcut.
Clear Boundaries and Labelling Assignments include a section where students must declare if AI was used and how. Teachers model this by labelling AI-assisted lesson plans or feedback, reinforcing transparency and accountability.
Ethics and Critical Thinking Lessons PSHE or Citizenship classes include modules on AI ethics, bias, and authorship. Staff co-design these lessons, ensuring they reflect real classroom concerns, not abstract tech agendas.
Staff-Led Safeguarding Protocols Teachers report concerns about AI misuse (e.g., fabricated homework, inappropriate prompts) through a designated channel. A safeguarding lead reviews AI interactions and updates risk assessments, with input from classroom staff.
