Generative AI is now part of everyday education policy rather than a speculative classroom trend. For schools in Cambridgeshire, the key question is not whether AI exists, but how teachers and leaders use it safely, transparently and without weakening learning.
The Department for Education updated its AI support materials for the 2026–27 academic year in May 2026. The guidance covers opportunities, safety, governance, auditing current use and how AI should fit within a school or college’s wider digital strategy.
AI should support, not replace, professional judgement
DfE guidance emphasises that appropriate use varies by setting. AI can help staff with drafting, planning, summarising or administrative tasks, but outputs still need human checking. A plausible answer generated by a model is not automatically accurate.
For classroom use, that means teachers remain responsible for the quality of material pupils receive and for deciding whether a tool is suitable for the age, subject and learning objective involved.
Safeguarding and data protection
Schools also need to consider what information is entered into AI systems. DfE data-protection guidance, updated in July 2026, specifically addresses generative AI and personal data. Student names, assessments, safeguarding information and other sensitive material should not be casually entered into external tools.
Product selection matters too. The government’s generative-AI product safety standards cover privacy, security, filtering, monitoring, intellectual property, cognitive development and other risks relevant to educational settings.
Coursework and academic integrity
Ofqual published new resources in March 2026 to help schools discuss AI and coursework. The distinction is important: using AI to brainstorm or support research is not the same as submitting AI-generated assessed work as a student’s own.
Schools therefore need clear rules that pupils can understand. Vague bans are difficult to enforce, while unrestricted use can undermine assessment. The strongest approach is to explain what is permitted, what must be disclosed and why independent thinking still matters.
Digital inequality remains part of the story
AI can widen gaps if access to devices, paid tools or reliable internet differs between pupils. A school that adopts AI-heavy learning without considering those inequalities may unintentionally advantage students with better technology at home.
For Cambridgeshire schools, responsible adoption should therefore sit alongside wider digital-inclusion work rather than being treated as a separate technology project.