Online Safety, Filtering, Monitoring, Mobile Phones and AI
Online safety is a whole-school safeguarding theme — not an IT issue. AI now needs an explicit safeguarding lens, and governing bodies must ensure appropriate filtering and monitoring is reviewed at least annually.
Reviewed against KCSIE 2025 · Filtering and Monitoring Core Standard · DfE AI Guidance · Prevent · May 2026
Why this matters
AI-generated sexual imagery, deepfakes, sextortion, addictive platform design, online coercion and harmful feeds are not future risks — they are current DSL caseload. The KCSIE 2026 draft significantly expands the online safety section and makes AI an explicit safeguarding consideration. Schools that treat online safety as an IT matter managed by a technician are not meeting the statutory expectation.
What the guidance expects
- 01Governing bodies must ensure appropriate filtering and monitoring is in place. (KCSIE 2025)
- 02Filtering and monitoring must be reviewed at least annually, across all devices, with records kept. (KCSIE 2025)
- 03Online safety is a running and interrelated safeguarding theme — not a standalone module. (KCSIE 2025)
- 04Any pupil-facing AI use needs safeguards, supervision, data protection compliance and filtering/monitoring coverage. (DfE AI Guidance)
- 05Schools must have clear procedures for responding to monitoring alerts. (Filtering and Monitoring Core Standard)
Complete an annual filtering and monitoring review
The review must cover all internet-connected devices, all locations and all age phases. It must be minuted and evidenced — not assumed. Use the DfE filtering and monitoring core standard as your audit framework. Record who reviewed it and when.
Assign named ownership across DSL, IT and SLT
Three people own online safety together: the DSL for safeguarding decisions, the IT lead for technical systems, and a member of SLT for governance and resource. No one person holds it all and no one team acts alone.
Add AI, deepfakes and image-sharing to curriculum and policies
AI-generated harmful content, image manipulation, deepfakes and online coercion need to be named explicitly in safeguarding policy, PSHE curriculum and staff training — not covered by the vague phrase "online harms".
Define what staff do when monitoring flags a concern
A monitoring alert that goes to the IT team and is never reviewed by the DSL is not a functioning system. Build a clear escalation route: alert, IT triage, DSL decision within 24 hours.
Review mobile phone and homework guidance for AI availability
Children use AI to complete homework, in school and at home. They interact with AI chatbots daily. Each context needs a clear expectation — and a clear route if something goes wrong.
Quick check
0/5 yesOfficial sources
KCSIE 2025 — Online safety, filtering and monitoring
Annual review requirement, governing body duties, online safety as a running theme.
Filtering and Monitoring Core Standard
Annual review framework, roles and responsibilities, procurement and self-assessment.
Generative AI in Education — DfE Guidance
Safe use, pupil safeguards, data protection, filtering and monitoring coverage for AI tools.