Claude Computer Use in Schools
November 4, 2024
Anthropic’s new Claude Computer Use feature turns Claude from a chat assistant into an “agent” that can click, type and navigate on your computer. For schools, this opens powerful possibilities – and serious risks – if treated as a student toy rather than a staff tool. This playbook explores how teachers and leaders can use Claude as a safe “school systems assistant” for admin, resource curation and audits, while putting in place clear guardrails, policies and human sign-off to avoid data leaks, safeguarding issues and over-automation.
Report Writing Season Survival Guide
November 1, 2024
Report-writing season does not have to mean late nights, rushed comments and exhausted staff. Used well, AI can slot into your existing reporting process and quietly remove hours of admin, without lowering standards or losing pupil voice. This practical, two-week playbook walks teachers and school leaders step by step through low-friction, policy-safe workflows – from gathering assessment evidence to drafting comments, checking tone and supporting parent communication – while keeping professional judgement and safeguarding firmly in charge.
Digital Citizenship and AI
October 24, 2024
As AI tools move into everyday schoolwork, they must become part of digital citizenship, not an optional extra. This article gives teachers age-banded, ready-to-teach mini-units that weave online safety, ethics and academic integrity into practical AI activities. With examples from primary through to upper secondary, and options for low- or no-device classrooms, you can help pupils actually practise responsible AI use rather than simply memorising rules. Includes ideas for classroom routines, pupil agreements and ways to link lessons with school policy and home.
Google NotebookLM for Students
October 3, 2024
Google NotebookLM is an AI-powered notebook that lets you turn scattered notes, PDFs and lecture slides into structured study companions. This practical guide walks secondary and university students through concrete workflows for readings, revision and exam prep, while drawing clear lines on what counts as cheating. You will learn how to organise sources, generate practice questions, and use AI explanations safely. We also cover privacy, consent, and how to align your use of NotebookLM with school or university AI policies.
Microsoft Copilot in Schools
September 3, 2024
Microsoft Copilot is now freely available on the web, without the need for Microsoft 365 licences or a technical rollout. Used well, it can save teachers time, support planning and differentiation, and give pupils a safe way to practise AI skills. This step‑by‑step playbook focuses on the completely free browser version, with concrete, low‑risk workflows you can use from day one. It also sets out clear guardrails around privacy, safeguarding, copyright and exams, so schools can move forward with confidence.
State of AI in UK Education: Sept 2024
September 2, 2024
As the new term begins, UK school and college leaders face a wave of guidance, commentary and concern about artificial intelligence. This briefing distils the latest DfE advice, Ofsted signals and union positions into clear, practical decisions for September 2024. It focuses on what is mandatory versus advisable, how to demonstrate ‘responsible AI’ during inspections, and how to align staff workload, safeguarding and curriculum planning with sometimes conflicting messages. Designed as a pragmatic, term-start guide, it helps leaders move from anxiety to action.
Back to School AI Toolkit 2024
August 9, 2024
This practical back-to-school AI toolkit for 2024 gives teachers a curated list of genuinely free, low-friction tools you can set up in under 15 minutes. Organised by everyday tasks like planning, differentiation, communication, behaviour and admin, it focuses on tools that respect safety and privacy. You will find concrete classroom examples, clear “what to avoid” notes, and guidance on how to introduce AI gradually without overwhelming yourself. It is ideal for educators at any technical level who want to save time while staying in control of data and professional judgement.
SearchGPT vs Google for student research
August 5, 2024
OpenAI’s new SearchGPT promises faster, more focused answers than traditional web search – but what does that mean for school research? This practical guide walks students through a full research workflow, from first background scan to final bibliography, showing when to use SearchGPT and when Google (or other search engines) still works best. With concrete example queries, ethical guardrails, and citation workflows, it is designed as a student‑friendly playbook that teachers can share or adapt. The focus is on safe, critical and policy‑aligned use of AI.
When AI Helps vs When It Harms Learning
August 2, 2024
As AI tools become part of everyday school life, the real challenge is no longer “AI: yes or no?” but “AI: when and how?”. This article offers a developmental, research-based framework to help schools decide when AI should act as a scaffold and when it risks becoming a shortcut. With concrete, age-banded classroom rules from early primary to post-16, it focuses on protecting productive struggle, metacognition and deep work, while still harnessing AI’s potential to personalise, explain and extend learning.
Human + AI: The Co‑Pilot Model in Teaching
July 25, 2024
AI is often seen as a planning tool or a distant threat, but its real power emerges when it works alongside teachers in the live flow of the school day. This article walks through a full day in three phases – before, during and after lessons – showing which tasks stay firmly human, which can be safely delegated to AI, and how to design simple, repeatable co‑pilot routines. You will find practical examples for different subjects, safeguards for professional judgement and data, and ideas for working with colleagues to embed a sustainable Human + AI approach.
September AI Readiness Checklist
July 22, 2024
Treating AI like any other major infrastructure change is the safest route to a successful September rollout. This staged, summer-long AI readiness playbook is designed for school and college leaders who want to move beyond experimentation and towards reliable, safe and sustainable AI use. It walks through clarifying use cases, mapping data flows, tightening security, updating governance and acceptable-use policies, and planning targeted staff training. With concrete, week‑by‑week tasks for IT, safeguarding and pedagogy leads, you can arrive in September confident that AI supports teaching and learning – not the other way round.
AI for SEND: Beyond Personalisation
July 15, 2024
AI tools are often promoted as “personalisation engines”, but that is not enough for learners with dyslexia, autism and ADHD. This practical playbook shows teachers and SENDCos how to turn Automated Education’s tools into concrete, repeatable support plans. You will find sample pupil profiles, step‑by‑step prompt examples and ready‑to‑copy classroom workflows for reading, writing, behaviour and assessment access. The focus is on neurodiversity‑affirming practice, safeguarding and realistic classroom routines, so you can quietly embed support for SEND pupils in everyday teaching rather than bolt‑on interventions.
Llama 3 and school budgets
July 10, 2024
Meta’s release of Llama 3, an open‑source AI model, is being hailed as a turning point for education. But for school and college leaders, the real question is not “Is this exciting?” but “Does this change our budget, risk, and data‑protection picture?” This pragmatic buyer’s guide explains what Llama 3 actually means for schools, compares total cost of ownership with closed models like GPT‑4 and Claude, and sets out realistic hosting, privacy and procurement options. It focuses on practical decision‑making rather than hype, so you can plan the next 1–3 years of AI adoption with confidence.
AI Literacy in Schools: Why It Matters Now
June 21, 2024
AI is rapidly becoming as fundamental as reading and digital citizenship. This article outlines what whole-school AI literacy really means, why it matters now, and how leaders can phase implementation with concrete cross-curricular examples, CPD plans, policy guidance, and a 90‑day quick-start checklist.
Creating Your School's AI Acceptable Use Policy
June 16, 2024
AI tools are arriving in classrooms faster than most policies can keep up. This practical guide walks school leaders step by step through building a clear, workable AI Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that you can copy, paste and adapt. It translates high‑level principles – safeguarding, data protection, academic integrity and staff conduct – into concrete clauses, role descriptions and consent wording for staff and students. You will also find advice on keeping your policy “live” as AI tools and laws evolve, plus a simple checklist to take you from first draft to governing body approval.