The UK Department for Education (DfE), in partnership with the Chiltern Learning Trust and the Chartered College of Teaching, published comprehensive guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in education settings in June 2025, with further implementation milestones through 2026. The guidance establishes expectations for schools by end of 2026: all schools must adopt an AI use policy aligned with DfE and Ofsted requirements, covering data privacy, bias, intellectual property, and assessment integrity. By Q1 2026, all schools must complete a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for each AI tool planned for implementation. The guidance emphasises human oversight, warning that AI tools can produce false information, reproduce bias, and mishandle sensitive data. A secondary priority focuses on workload reduction—recognising that AI can reduce administrative burden—whilst maintaining assessment integrity and ensuring coursework, homework, and exams reflect pupils’ own work. The DfE is hosting an international high-level summit on generative AI in education in 2026.
Who it affects: All schools and colleges in England. Compliance is expected across state-funded and independent institutions. Teachers and school leaders are the primary compliance actors; students are indirect beneficiaries of safe, policy-governed AI use.
What is notably missing: The guidance is focused on safe use and compliance, not on student AI literacy as an educational outcome. No binding curriculum requirement for students to study AI, understand AI ethics, or develop critical engagement with AI systems. The policy does not mandate teacher training or professional development in AI literacy; it requires governance of AI tools used in schools. No specific funding is allocated to implement DPIA assessments or policy adoption. The guidance does not address how teachers should equip students to participate in decisions about AI governance or regulation.