Artificial intelligence is now a normal part of daily life for most young people. For schools, this creates two distinct challenges: helping pupils use AI tools safely and responsibly for their learning, while also protecting them from the newer safeguarding risks these technologies bring.
Here is how we address both sides of AI across our training programmes.
Practical AI Skills: The ‘Certified AI User’ Course
First launched in 2025, our dedicated Certified AI User course remains available for schools looking for a targeted, practical module. It explains how generative AI actually works under the bonnet and gives pupils practical strategies to use AI as a study aid – focusing on how it can support their critical thinking rather than replacing their own work.
Safeguarding & Risk: AI in the ‘Online Safety Certificate’
Beyond basic functional skills, pupils need to understand how AI changes the online risk landscape. In our updated 2026–27 Certificate of Online Safety, AI awareness isn’t isolated into a single one-off lesson. Instead, it is woven naturally through our primary teaching modules.
Built around our Five Golden Threads – particularly the habit of asking pupils to Question algorithms, sources, AI outputs, and motives – here is where AI features in the curriculum:
1. Security, Scams & Modern Threat Vectors
Scammers and cybercriminals are using AI to make their methods far more convincing. In this module, pupils learn how to spot:
- Voice Cloning & Audio Scams: How short audio clips taken from social media can be cloned to create convincing fake emergency calls to parents or friends.
- Deepfake Video: Spotting synthetic video footage used in fake verification requests, investment scams, or online impersonation.
- Automated Phishing: Understanding how AI removes the typical spelling and grammar mistakes from scam emails, creating highly targeted messages.
2. Algorithms & Synthetic Feeds
AI doesn’t just create content; it decides what appears on a young person’s screen. This module breaks down online influence:
- Recommendation Loops: How algorithms push extreme content or outrage to keep pupils scrolling for longer.
- Conversational AI & Chatbots: Evaluating how AI companions and chatbots use constant positive feedback to build artificial trust and encourage screen time.
- Synthetic Influencers: Looking at how AI-generated personas affect body image, self-esteem, and social expectations.
3. Critical Thinking & Ethical Use
Building good digital habits means learning to evaluate what AI produces:
- Spotting AI Misinformation: Practical methods for checking AI-generated text, fake news, and altered images against reliable, trusted sources.
- Using AI Responsibly: Clear guidance on copyright, academic honesty, and maintaining personal integrity when using AI for schoolwork or creative projects.
Keeping Your School Up To Date
Whether you need standalone training on how to use AI tools properly or a complete online safety curriculum that covers modern digital risks, our courses ensure your pupils stay safe and informed.