Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on the use of AI tools on school-issued devices in primary schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department has provided a number of guidance documents that are relevant to local authorities and other responsible bodies on the safe and effective use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.

The department’s ‘Generative AI in education’ policy paper is clear that any use of generative AI by staff, students, and pupils should be carefully considered and assessed, evaluating the benefits and risks of use in its education setting.

The ‘Generative AI: Product Safety Standards’, updated in January 2026, set clear expectations for child-centred design and safety. The department provides support materials for using AI in education settings which contain advice on safe and effective use, alongside guidance relating to connectivity standards, cyber security, filtering and monitoring, and device management. The support materials are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/using-ai-in-education-settings-support-materials.