Aspect 1 of 5

Human-centred mindset

People stay in charge of AI. The school has a shared vision, a named lead, fair access for every pupil and listens to pupils and parents.

What leadership puts in place

Indicator 1.1What leadership puts in place

Not yet: The school has no agreed view on what AI is for or how it should be used.
Acquire: Leaders have written a short statement on AI, but most staff have not seen it.
Deepen: Staff, governors and parents know the vision, and it guides decisions about AI.
Create: The vision is reviewed with the whole community each year and other schools ask to use it.

Indicator 1.2What leadership puts in place

Not yet: Nobody is responsible for AI, so questions go to whoever seems to know.
Acquire: A member of staff leads on AI informally, without set time or budget.
Deepen: A named senior lead has protected time, a budget and reports to leaders and governors.
Create: The lead works with a team across the school and supports AI leads in other schools.

Indicator 1.3What leadership puts in place

Not yet: Nobody has checked whether AI tools make or shape decisions about people.
Acquire: Leaders know where AI is used in decisions, but no rule says a person must check them.
Deepen: A written rule says a named person reviews every AI-supported decision about pupils or staff.
Create: The school tests that the rule works in practice and shares how it does this with other schools.

A policy statement that people make final decisions about pupils and staff
A list of processes where AI supports decisions, with the person accountable for each
Records of human review of AI-supported decisions

UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 (opens in a new tab)The school is the controller for any student or staff personal data put into AI tools. It needs a lawful basis, a written processing agreement with each AI vendor, a data protection impact assessment for higher-risk uses, and staff should not enter personal data into tools the school has not approved. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 adds safeguards for significant automated decisions about people (from February 2026) and a duty to have a process for handling data protection complaints (from June 2026).
High-risk AI in education and employment (EU AI Act, Annex III) (opens in a new tab)AI used to decide admissions, evaluate learning or steer learning, set the level of education a student receives, or monitor students during tests is high-risk, as is AI used to recruit, evaluate or manage staff. From 2 December 2027 a school using such a system must follow the provider's instructions, keep human oversight and logs, and inform the people affected.

Indicator 1.4What leadership puts in place

Not yet: Pupils and parents have not been asked about AI.
Acquire: The school has told parents about AI once, but has not asked for their views.
Deepen: Pupils and parents are asked about AI regularly and their views change what the school does.
Create: Pupils help write AI guidance and lead sessions for parents and other pupils.

Indicator 1.5What leadership puts in place

Not yet: The school has not considered which pupils gain or lose from AI.
Acquire: Leaders have discussed fair access, but there is no plan for pupils with SEND or without devices at home.
Deepen: A plan covers access, support and protection for every group, including pupils with SEND, and is checked each year.
Create: Pupils with SEND and their families help shape the plan and the school shares what works.

Indicator 1.6What staff do

Not yet: Some staff copy AI output straight into their work without checking it.
Acquire: Most staff check AI output, but nobody has talked about where judgement must stay human.
Deepen: Staff check and adapt AI output as routine and can explain the decisions they keep for themselves.
Create: Staff coach colleagues on keeping judgement human and share examples with other schools.