Safer Internet Day 2026: Exploring AI and Digital Responsibility
Today, we celebrated Safer Internet Day across the school, with a focus on understanding artificial intelligence (AI) and how to use it safely, responsibly and thoughtfully.
Mrs Fletcher lead a whole-school assembly, where she asked the children to listen carefully to a piece of music and identify how many instruments they could hear. The surprise? There were no instruments at all - the music had been created entirely using AI. This sparked lots of discussion and curiosity about how convincing AI-generated content can be.
Pupils also took part in a fun but thought-provoking game of “Real or AI?”, where they tried to decide whether photographs were real or generated using artificial intelligence. This activity highlighted just how difficult it can be to tell the difference, reinforcing the importance of questioning what we see online.
In Computing lessons, children discussed the role of AI in school and everyday life. They shared their views on whether it is appropriate for teachers to use AI for lesson planning and explored the ethical implications of using AI to edit or adapt photographs of friends or whether it is a good idea to ask AI to help when you’re feeling sad. These conversations encouraged pupils to think carefully about consent, honesty and respect when using digital tools. It also reinforced the ever-important message of discussing any worries or concerns that they have online with an adult who they trust. These lessons will continue throughout the week in the children's Computing lessons.
Throughout the day, a key message was the importance of critical thinking. Pupils were encouraged to fact-check information, ask questions and avoid blindly trusting AI recommendations or search results. By developing these skills, children are better equipped to navigate an increasingly digital world safely and confidently.
