COMPUTING & IT RESOURCES
prevent pupils from accessing illegal, inappropriate or harmful material, and filtering continues to play an important role in doing that. The advent of AI coding means that filtering alone cannot do the whole job. Clones or near-identical copies of harmful sites and chatbots can be created almost instantly. The volume and speed of harmful content now being created and shared means some risks will inevitably slip through the net, particularly when content is generated, adapted or personalised in real time.
A pupil might access a legitimate website but use it in a concerning way. A search might appear harmless in isolation but become more significant when viewed alongside other activity. An AI tool might be appropriate for one learning task but present very different risks when used to create harmful, misleading or inappropriate content. This is where monitoring becomes increasingly important. It helps schools understand when a pattern of concerning behaviour is emerging, rather than treating each incident or search in isolation, so appropriate action can be taken.
Young people also need the digital skills to recognise when content may be harmful, misleading or manipulative, and the confidence to report it appropriately. Technology can help schools identify risks, but education still has a central role in helping pupils understand what they are seeing and how to respond.
The scale, severity and rapid evolution of online threats mean cybersecurity and safeguarding can no longer be treated as separate areas of responsibility.
Cybersecurity has traditionally focused on protecting systems, networks and data, while safeguarding has focused on protecting children from harm. Increasingly, those responsibilities meet in the same place: the digital activity taking place every day on school devices and networks.
The Department for Education’s digital standards now place cybersecurity alongside filtering and monitoring as core areas for schools, while its guidance on generative AI tells schools to consider online safety as part of their safeguarding approach. It also recognises that AI could increase the sophistication and credibility of cyberattacks. For schools, this means IT teams, safeguarding leads, senior leaders and governors need a shared understanding of the risks. Technology decisions cannot sit solely with IT, just as online safety cannot sit solely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Schools need enough visibility of digital activity to identify emerging concerns, understand what is happening and decide whether intervention is necessary. That means filtering and monitoring systems need to become more responsive as the technology and behaviour they are designed to oversee change.
Filtering should not rely solely on static lists when content can be generated or altered in real time. Monitoring should not rely solely on individual keywords when patterns of behaviour can provide a much clearer picture. And schools need to be able to review and adapt their approach as new platforms, technologies and risks emerge. This is particularly important as AI becomes a normal part of children’s digital lives. Schools do not have the time or resources to predict every new risk that will appear, and technology cannot make safeguarding decisions on their behalf. But a combination of knowledgeable staff, sound judgement and systems that proactively flag emerging threats can help educators respond promptly when something changes. The risks are serious, but schools are not powerless. With the right combination of informed staff, clear governance and responsive filtering and monitoring, they can better understand what is happening across their digital environments and intervene earlier when pupils may be at risk.
October 2026
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