What Schools Can Learn from the UK Government’s AI Playbook (And What More They Need)

It’s not lost on me that my new book written with Olly Lewis is called The EdTech Playbook (grab your pre-order at https://bit.ly/EdTechPlaybook), yet here we are with the government releasing an AI Playbook of their own. While their document is intended for government departments, it contains a wealth of insights that we in education can draw from. The challenge, however, is that schools require something more nuanced, an AI Playbook that addresses pedagogy, cognitive science, and safeguarding not just governance and procurement.

1. Why AI Guidance for Schools Matters

The UK Government AI Playbook provides a structured approach to AI adoption in the public sector, focusing on governance, ethics, and security. While it is a valuable resource for policymakers and civil servants, it is not written for schools.

However, AI is already being used in education, from teachers using tools such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini (among others) to create teaching and learning resources to AI-supported feedback systems such as Olex.AI . The lack of a clear education-specific framework leaves schools navigating these changes without sector-specific guidance. For sure, things are afoot, such as with the Chartered College of Teaching 's EdTech Evidence Board Project and their other DfE-funded project. So, what can education take from the Playbook, and where does it need to go further?

2. The Best Bits: What Schools Can Take from the AI Playbook

? Principles for Responsible AI Use – The Playbook rightly emphasises human oversight, transparency, and ethical use. Schools should ensure AI adoption enhances teaching and learning, rather than introducing risks or reducing professional autonomy.

? AI Literacy & Training – The Playbook highlights the importance of AI upskilling for civil servants, and this is something where I 100% advocate that education should follow suit. The EU AI Act now makes it a statutory requirement for leaders, teachers, and students to be trained in AI literacy. This reinforces the urgent need for structured AI training in schools, a service I've been providing for over a year now, to help schools navigate AI effectively and responsibly.

? AI Governance & Policy – Schools can learn from the Playbook’s structured approach to risk, security, and bias mitigation. An AI governance framework for education should include clear policies on student data, safeguarding, and AI’s role in assessment such as that related to JCQ's (or others) stipulations on AI related to examinations.?

? Procurement Guidance – The Playbook stresses critical evaluation of AI solutions, an approach schools should adopt when considering new EdTech tools. AI should not be implemented simply because it is new, but because it demonstrably enhances learning and reduces workload in an effective, evidence-informed way. Let's not forget the importance of Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) too!

3. What the AI Playbook Does Well

?? Governance First – The Playbook ensures that AI adoption is structured, not just driven by enthusiasm. Schools should take a similar approach, ensuring AI policies are in place before widespread adoption.

?? Transparency & Ethics – It acknowledges bias, security risks, and the importance of human oversight. Schools must take this seriously, particularly when AI is used for assessment, learning analytics, or decision-making.

?? Cross-Sector Collaboration – The Playbook encourages collaboration between government, academia, and industry. Schools should follow suit, engaging with educational researchers, AI experts, and fellow institutions to share best practices and build responsible AI strategies.

4. Where an AI in Education Playbook Needs More

? Pedagogy Over Compliance – AI in education must focus on how AI impacts learning, cognitive load, and teacher autonomy and more! Keeping the human-in-the-loop is key, I think.

? AI as Input, Not Just Output – The Playbook does not differentiate between AI that supports thinking (good) and AI that replaces professional judgment (problematic). Schools need guidance on where AI adds value and where it does not.

? Classroom-Level AI Literacy – While the Playbook highlights training for civil servants, education needs structured AI literacy for students as well as staff. With the EU AI Act making AI literacy a legal requirement, schools must ensure that staff and students understand how AI works, its limitations, and how to use it responsibly.

? Safeguarding & Student Data – AI in schools introduces new risks around data privacy and ethical use, particularly with student-generated content and AI-enhanced assessment tools. A school-specific AI Playbook must establish clear safeguarding protocols.

5. What More Could Schools Be Doing?

?? Develop AI Strategies Aligned with Pedagogy – AI should be an enabler of effective teaching, not just a tool for efficiency. Schools must take an evidence-informed approach, ensuring AI aligns with cognitive science and best practices in education.

?? Train Teachers, Leaders & Students in AI Literacy – Schools need clear AI training pathways, not just for leaders and IT teams, but for teachers and students. Given the EU AI Act requirement, whilst in the UK this isn't a requirement, it really should be the case that schools act now to integrate AI literacy into their digital strategies and curricula.

?? Think Critically About AI Procurement – AI adoption should be grounded in impact, not marketing claims. Schools should ask: Does this AI tool improve learning outcomes? Does it reduce teacher workload meaningfully? Is it backed by research?

?? Collaborate on AI Governance – Schools, Trusts, and education bodies should work together to define responsible AI use in education. This means sharing policies, strategies, and best practices to ensure AI is implemented effectively and ethically.

A Call for an Education-Specific AI Playbook

The UK Government AI Playbook is a step forward, but it is not designed for education. Schools need an AI Playbook that is grounded in pedagogy, cognitive science, and safeguarding concerns, rather than one primarily focused on compliance and procurement.

If AI is to be a positive force in education, we need a clear and evidence-informed approach, and it starts with a Playbook written for schools, by educators.

I think a new book is on the cards here, what do you think Olly Lewis ?