Last updated: March 2026

5

Dimension 5 of 9

Ethical Framework

The ethical framework dimension addresses how a school approaches the genuinely novel moral questions raised by AI in education. This encompasses addressing AI bias and fairness, establishing transparency requirements for AI-generated content, conducting ethical impact assessments for AI tools, and safeguarding student rights in relation to AI.

Why this matters

AI introduces ethical challenges that existing school frameworks were not designed to address. Algorithmic bias can systematically disadvantage certain student groups in invisible ways. Consent to AI data processing is qualitatively different from traditional data collection. The transparency of AI-assisted decisions raises questions with no precedent in pre-AI schooling. Schools need a principled approach that goes beyond compliance to genuine ethical reasoning.

The 5 maturity levels

Schools progress through five maturity levels, from initial exploration to sector leadership. Each level builds on the previous one.

1

Level 1: Exploring

Initial discussions

No ethical considerations for AI use. The school has not formally considered the ethical implications of AI in education.

Key indicators

  • No ethics mention in AI documentation
  • No bias awareness training or guidance
  • No AI impact assessment processes
  • No consideration of student data rights for AI
2

Level 2: Developing

Documented guidelines

Awareness of ethical issues but no formal framework. Staff recognise that AI raises ethical questions but have not developed a structured approach.

Key indicators

  • Ethics mentioned in discussions but not documented
  • Some awareness of AI bias but no practical guidelines
  • No impact assessment process for AI tools
  • Ethical considerations are ad-hoc and inconsistent
3

Level 3: Established

Impact assessments

Ethical guidelines documented covering bias, fairness, and transparency. The school has developed and documented ethical principles for AI use.

Key indicators

  • Documented ethical guidelines for AI use
  • Bias awareness addressed in staff training
  • Transparency requirements for AI-generated content
  • Students taught about AI ethics
4

Level 4: Advanced

Student rights framework

Ethical framework actively applied with impact assessments. The school's ethical framework is not just documented but actively used in decision-making.

Key indicators

  • AI impact assessments conducted for new tools
  • Students have clear rights regarding AI
  • Regular ethical reflection built into practice
  • Ethical framework informs procurement
5

Level 5: Leading

Published framework

School contributes to ethical AI discourse with published research. The school is an active contributor to the broader ethical AI conversation.

Key indicators

  • Published ethical framework for external use
  • Contributing to sector ethical discourse
  • Student-led ethical initiatives
  • Research partnerships on AI ethics in education

What we look for

When auditing this dimension, we examine your school’s documents for evidence across these key areas:

Addressing AI bias and fairness in teaching and tool selection

Transparency requirements for AI-generated content

Ethical impact assessments for AI tools

Student rights in relation to AI (consent, explanation, appeal)

Framework alignment

This dimension is benchmarked against leading international frameworks to ensure your audit reflects global best practice.

UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI

Global normative instrument providing an ethical framework for AI development and deployment across all sectors.

IEEE Ethically Aligned Design

Technical standards body guidance on designing AI systems that prioritise human well-being and ethical considerations.

OECD AI Principles

International principles promoting trustworthy AI that respects human rights, fairness, and transparency.

EU AI Act Article 4

European requirement for AI literacy and awareness among all stakeholders deploying or using AI systems.

Common gaps

These are the most frequent gaps we see when auditing schools in this dimension:

Treating ethics as a compliance exercise rather than a genuine commitment

Assuming existing values frameworks automatically extend to AI-specific challenges

Focusing on high-profile ethical issues while missing practical ones like algorithmic bias in everyday tools

Ignoring cultural dimensions of AI ethics in multicultural school communities

Ethics guidelines that are too abstract to be actionable

Not including student perspectives in ethical discussions

How this connects to other dimensions

No dimension exists in isolation. Understanding these connections helps schools prioritise their improvement journey.

Depends on Institutional Readiness — leadership commitment and resources for ethical work

Enables Policy & Governance — ethical framework provides the principled foundation for policy

Enables Assessment Integrity — ethical reasoning shapes assessment practice

Informs Student AI Literacy — ethics is an essential component of student AI literacy

Find out your school’s ethical framework score

Upload your school’s policy documents and receive a detailed assessment across all 9 dimensions, with evidence-based scores and actionable improvement plans.

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