What does AI education look like at Kimbolton? 

This year we have introduced a comprehensive AI learning programme across the school that equips pupils to engage with AI confidently, responsibly and effectively. Our ambition is to develop young people who are Safe in their understanding, Skilled in their application, and Successful in navigating a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. 

Pupils will develop a clear understanding of how AI works, its opportunities and limitations, and the ethical considerations that accompany its use. They will learn how to use AI safely and responsibly, evaluate AI-generated content critically, recognise potential risks such as bias and misinformation, and uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Alongside this, they will develop the practical skills needed to use AI productively to support learning, research, problem-solving and creativity.

Sessions will be delivered through our PSHE programme, tutorial curriculum and the Sixth Form Super-Curriculum, as well as in Integrated Learning Days and cross-curricular opportunities. By embedding AI education throughout the learning experience, we aim to ensure that every pupil is not only knowledgeable about it, but also capable of using it with judgement, creativity and purpose.

How are we empowering pupils? 

Further to this, we aim to empower students to use AI academically with purpose, honesty and critical judgement. The challenge AI presents to education is not primary about cheating, although academic dishonesty is one dimension. The deeper issue is cognitive. When pupils use AI to do the thinking for them they bypass the very struggle that builds genuine understanding and long-term capability. Two significant studies published in 2025 found that while AI improved short-term performance, that improvement was entirely reversed when access to AI was removed. Pupils had not learned – they had borrowed knowledge.  

At the same time, AI is genuinely transforming the skills that employers and further education value. Those who leave school unable to use AI critically and confidently will be at a disadvantage. The answer is not to prohibit the use of AI, but to teach pupils when to utilise it, and how to use it well. 

The ‘Learning with AI’ framework is our response to these realities. It provides pupils – and their teachers – with clear, consistent guidelines on how AI should be used for academic purposes at school and beyond. Technology should serve the learner and learning, rather than replace it. 

How does this work? 

Every learning opportunity will carry one of four AI levels, indicated by a member of the teaching staff. For home learning and independent learning tasks, the level will appear within the relevant Microsoft Team assignment, so your child will always know exactly what is expected. 

What should parents look for regarding home learning? 

Every assignment in Teams will include an AI level tag. If your child is unsure which level applies to a set task, they should check the assignment description or ask their teacher. If no tag is shown, they should treat the task as Level 4 and ask before using any AI tools. 

How can you help your child? 

The framework asks pupils to commit to five principles. Understanding these can help support your child at home. 

• Use AI purposefully: your child should be able to explain why they are using an AI tool, and what they are trying to get from it. Aimless or habitual use – opening Copilot or ChatGPT before they have tried themselves – is exactly what the framework seeks to prevent. 

• Be transparent: if your child has used AI in their work, they should say so. This can be done so on the work itself, or attached to their submission in Teams. Honesty about process is as important as honesty in the work itself. 

• Check everything: AI produces confident-sounding output that is frequently wrong. Your child is responsible for every fact, figure and claim in work they submit, regardless of where they obtained it. Encourage them to verify AI-generated information using a second source. 

• Protect independence: some difficulty in studying is productive and desirable. It is where real understanding is built. If your child finds a task difficult, the answer is rarely to ask AI to do it for them. Encourage them to try first, ask their teacher if stuck, and use AI only in the way their task permits. 

• Keep safe: personal details, exam content, and anything confidential must never be typed into an AI tool. These are commercial platforms whose data practices vary. Personal information should be protected. 

Frequently asked questions 

My child says they need to use AI for their homework. Is that right? 

It depends on the level assigned to the task. If the task is Level 1 or 2, AI is permitted. However, it still needs to be acknowledged. If the task is Level 3 or 4, AI should not be used to produce any of the submitted work. Encourage your child to check their Teams assignment for the AI level, and to ask their teacher if they are unsure. 

What if I’m helping my child with homework and I use AI? 

The same principles apply. Parental support that involves generating or writing content with AI – even with the best of intentions – undermines the purpose of the task and your child’s learning. If your child is stuck, the most helpful thing is to encourage them to attempt it, speak to their teacher, or use AI only in the way the task level allows: for understanding, not answers. 

Isn’t AI detection software used to catch cheating? 

The school’s approach does not rely solely on AI detection tools. These tools, although available and used in some circumstances, are not always reliable. Instead, we focus on assessment design: tasks that require genuine process, knowledge, and reflection that AI cannot replicate. In cultivating a culture of transparency, we hope that pupils will be honest about how they have worked. 

Will my child fail if they are not allowed to use AI freely? 

The opposite is more likely to be true. Research consistently shows that pupils who develop strong independent thinking and writing skills – alongside critical AI literacy – are better prepared for university and employment than those who rely on AI as a crutch. The four-level framework is designed to give pupils both genuine independent capability alongside the skills to use AI thoughtfully and effectively. 

What if my child uses AI in a way that breaks the rules?

The school’s curriculum policy includes academic integrity, plagiarism and AI misuse. Where a concern arises, the first step is a conversation with the pupil, offering them an opportunity to explain their work. If there is reasonable evidence of AI misuse, consequences are proportionate, and the emphasis is on learning and accountability. If you have a concern about your child’s AI use at home, their tutor should be the first point of contact.