Edtech charity LGfL-The National Grid for Learning has launched a free Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Toolkit for schools across the UK. Designed for senior leaders and Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), the toolkit provides a practical framework to develop safe, effective and future-ready AI policies, aligned with Keeping Children Safe in Education and Department for Education guidance.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, children are encountering these technologies from an early age. While this presents significant opportunities, it also raises safeguarding and welfare considerations – making clear policy and leadership oversight more important than ever.
Unlike a rigid template, the LGfL AI Policy Toolkit is a flexible and practical guide designed to help schools shape their own vision, policies and practices around AI. It empowers leaders to take a whole-school approach, ensuring that safeguarding, compliance and educational value remain central to decision-making.
Why this is a safeguarding matter
The pace of AI advancement is unprecedented. While it offers significant educational benefits, it also presents safety and welfare risks. Generative AI poses documented risks to children, including illegal and exploitative content, misinformation, biased or fabricated outputs, privacy harms, grooming, and the spread of harmful or age-inappropriate material.
Teachers’ use of AI also needs careful consideration and planning, in particular to mitigate data privacy and intellectual property risks. Leaders should provide clear policies, processes and guidance on what Gen-AI tools can be used and when and also explicit direction about what information can and can’t be shared.
Designated Safeguarding Leads play a critical role in ensuring that safeguarding considerations underpin all decisions about AI use in schools. The Toolkit places child protection and risk awareness at its core, helping schools proactively manage emerging challenges.
What’s included in the Toolkit?
The AI Policy Toolkit is tailored to suit each school’s unique context and includes:
- Outlined roles and responsibilities – Clear descriptions of key staff responsibilities to support a coordinated whole-school approach
- Suggested development steps – A structured framework for establishing or refining your school’s AI strategy
- Practical resources – Including a pupil safeguarding question bank and a staff Gen-AI survey to assess current usage and confidence levels
- Approval frameworks – Templates to maintain a register of approved Gen-AI tools and track Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)
- DfE alignment guidance – Support in understanding and applying the latest Department for Education Generative AI Product Safety Standards to assess tool suitability.
Further support and webinar
To support implementation, LGfL is hosting a live webinar- AI Policy Toolkit: A Practical Roadmap for School Leaders – on 18 March 2026 at 3:30pm. The session will walk leaders through next steps and practical application.
Schools can also access additional AI support resources including webinars, posters, curriculum materials and template documents.
Schools are encouraged to download the AI Policy Toolkit, book a place on the webinar, and explore further resources at genai.lgfl.net.
Please share this announcement with DSLs and Senior Leaders in your school to ensure your setting is prepared to harness the benefits of AI safely and responsibly.
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