Why ‘We’re Working on It’ Is No Longer an AI Strategy
"We're working on it" was an acceptable answer about AI in 2024. It's not anymore.
“We’re working on it” was an acceptable answer about AI in 2024. It’s not anymore.
The landscape has shifted. DfE guidance is firming up. ISI are starting to ask questions. Parents want to know what you’re doing. Governors need something to report.
“Working on it” sounds like progress. It’s actually a holding pattern — and everyone knows it.
What “working on it” really means
When schools say they’re “working on” AI strategy, they usually mean:
- We know it’s important but haven’t prioritised it
- We’re not sure where to start
- We’re waiting to see what other schools do
- We hope it sorts itself out
None of these are strategies. They’re the absence of strategy.
Why waiting is getting riskier
Every term you wait:
- Staff develop habits with unapproved tools that are harder to change
- Students form expectations about AI use that may not match your eventual policy
- Governors become more anxious about the gap
- The schools that moved first establish themselves as leaders
You’re not avoiding a decision by waiting. You’re making a decision to fall behind.
What moving forward actually looks like
You don’t need to solve everything at once. You need to:
- Document a position (even if it evolves)
- Train staff on the basics (what’s safe, what’s not)
- Create evidence you can show (completion rates, policy sign-off)
That’s not a three-year project. It’s a term’s work — if you start now.
The question isn’t whether AI will become a governance issue for your school. It’s whether you’ll be ready when it does.
The Pedagogue Standard takes schools from “working on it” to “here’s our evidence” in weeks, not years. See how it works.
