Hey {{ first_name | human }},
This week, AI in education had something close to divine intervention: a papal warning about human dignity, new rumours about Apple’s AI plans, and updated free training modules for schools.
TL;DR: The 60 Second briefing
⚡️Pope Leo XVI on AI: The Pope has written an essay entitled Magnifica Humanitas imploring that AI should serve humanity and not used for domination, war or exclusion.
🚨Siri 2.0: Of all the big tech companies, Apple is one of the only that is often described as faltering when it comes to AI. Their annual developer conference takes place next week and the rumours suggest that this might change.
🚨Using AI in education modules updated: The Chitern Learning Trust, in partnership with the DfE have updated the modules available to the school workforce around the use of AI in education.
📚 AI+education news
⚡️ Using AI in education modules updated > What it is: Last year, the Chiltern Learning Trust produced some adequate modules around effective AI use in partnership with the DfE. To their credit, these were made freely available to all. Now, they have updated these modules for the coming academic year. The modules have been updated to include the following areas:
business and operations
inclusion and accessibility
administrative task
expanded content on safeguarding.
Why this matters: Not everyone is school has an AI expert, but AI is here to stay. Schools can now access up-to-date and free training which schools leaders can use to
Do this next: If you are a leader, you may want to watch all the modules, including the leadership ones, before considering any staff training on AI. The one exception to this would be making the AI unit around safeguarding compulsory for ALL staff as part of the September INSET.
🌍 Wider AI updates
⚡️ Pope Leo XIV AI intervention > What it is: Pope Leo XIV has used the first major teaching document of his papacy to warn that artificial intelligence needs to be “disarmed”. The document, Magnifica Humanitas, is not mainly about schools. It is about the wider ethical risks of AI, including:
AI in warfare
misinformation and manipulated media
concentration of power in large technology companies
exploitation of workers involved in AI production
“new digital slaveries”
the risk of reducing human beings to data
Why it matters: Schools often discuss AI through the lens of plagiarism, workload and lesson planning. Those things matter, but this is a useful reminder that AI is not just a classroom tool. It is part of a much wider social, political and ethical shift.
Do this next: If you are involved in the teaching of ethics, religion or philosophy, then interrogating the essay (which can be found here) and using it as a potential resource for a lesson around the subject matter of ethics and philosophy.
Do this next: If you are reviewing AI use in your school, avoid by jumping into discussion around tools, but start with questions like:
What kind of thinking do we still want pupils to do for themselves?
Where might AI genuinely reduce teacher workload?
Where might it weaken professional judgement?
What pupil data is being shared, stored or processed?
Does this tool improve learning, or simply produce more polished outputs?
What human relationship, decision or responsibility must remain non-negotiable?
🚨Siri 2.0 > What it is: Apple is one of the largest tech companies in the world but they are often ridiculed for how behind they are on AI front. Apple Intelligence has been a bit a bit of a flop, but that is set to change come their annual developer conference next Monday. With over a billion devices used world-wide, come September, Apple could be one of the largest providers of GenAI features out there.
Why it matters: While many people will use Apple devices to access LLMs from other companies, having a first-party alternative baked into an operating system means that Apple could potentially become the largest provider of AI services overnight when its new operating system launches in September 2026. That means pupils with Apple devices will automatically gain access to generative AI feature sets without having to use ChatGPT or Claude. This means that they could bypass current networking restrictions around the use of LLMs at school or staff who use personal devices may inadvertently break current AI policy restrictions.
Do this next: Be prepared to update your AI policy around first-party GenAI use around the use of brining your own devices to work.
🎯Prompt/Tip: Hex Colour Codes
One simple way to make AI outputs more usable is to ask for specific words to appear in a specific colour.
This is especially useful if you are creating:
model answers
worked examples
vocabulary sheets
sentence stems
knowledge organisers
explanations with key terms highlighted
The trick is to use HEX colour codes. These are the six-character colour codes used in design and web tools. For example:
#DA7842= orange#65A542= green#1F4E79= dark blue#C00000= red
I am creating a short classroom explanation for pupils in Year [year group]. The explanation is about [topic].
Act as an expert primary teacher who writes clear, accurate explanations for pupils.
Write a short explanation of [topic]. Include and highlight the following key vocabulary using the colour #65A542:
[Insert the key vocabulary]
Use simple sentences. Keep the tone clear, calm and pupil-friendly. Avoid unnecessary detail.
Keep the explanation under [number] words. Highlight each key vocabulary word in orange using the HEX colour code #DA7842. Only highlight the listed vocabulary words. Do not highlight whole sentences.
After the explanation, provide a short list of the highlighted words. For each word, provide a suitable child-friendly definition‘Till next week.
Mr A 🦾
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Safety & Privacy Notice
The tools and workflows mentioned are intended for professional productivity and educational enhancement. Users must ensure that any AI implementation remains compliant with their local data protection regulations and institutional safeguarding policies. |
Data Privacy: Do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive student records, or confidential institutional data into public AI models.
Verification Required: AI-generated content can be inaccurate, biased, or out of date. Always maintain a "human-in-the-loop" approach by reviewing and fact-checking all outputs before use.
Professional Judgement: These suggestions do not substitute for formal legal, clinical, or safeguarding advice. Final responsibility for accuracy and appropriateness remains with the professional user.
