Random thoughts and resources

A new expert consensus report suggests AI can strengthen practice and consolidation, but risks removing the very effort pupils need to learn. Here is what that means for school and trust decisions, and the three questions I would ask before any AI trial.

Free AI training for 650,000 UK and Ireland educators, plus a new AI Policy Toolkit for governors and trustees. For school leaders, the toolkit may prove the more significant announcement.

How a headteacher uses a fifteen minute walk and AI voice notes to plan the day, draft newsletters, research purchases and cut through bureaucracy, with simple safeguards and honest lessons learned.

A simple three-stage framework to help school leaders set clear AI boundaries while preserving professional judgement, experimentation and innovation.

As conversational AI becomes increasingly human-like, primary schools may need to teach children not only how to use AI, but what it is, and what it is not.

The DfE is commissioning national standards for staff digital, data and AI skills. That makes this a poor moment to build an elaborate bespoke competency framework, but a good time to establish clear safe-use expectations.