VIEWS


Academic success is only one part of the job market puzzle


LIZ FREE, Principal of Oxford International College Brighton, discusses what matters most when it comes to preparing young people for a whole new world of work.


The announcement at the start of the summer about new vocational pathways reflects a much wider conversation taking place across education. As school leaders, we are constantly asking ourselves how we prepare our young people for a world of work that is changing more quickly than ever before.


The answer is not to choose between academic and vocational education, young people need a strong academic grounding and the ability to


apply it in many different ways. Whatever pathway is right for them, they are likely to work in jobs and sectors that will evolve throughout their lives. Academic excellence will always matter and schools have a responsibility to ensure each young person leaves with a secure foundation of knowledge and understanding. Qualifications continue to open doors, but on their own they cannot prepare students for every challenge or opportunity they will encounter as they move through their lives.


Employers understand this well. They value qualifications but they also look for curiosity, good communication, and adaptability. These are not new ideas to educators, and good schools have always sought to develop them. What is new is the rate of change that young people will encounter in the world of work.


Artificial intelligence (AI) is the obvious example. It has already changed Addressing the risks of AI-generated image manipulation


ALEX DAVE, Safeguarding Lead at LGfL-The National Grid for Learning, shares how rapid advances in AI technologies are introducing new and evolving safeguarding challenges for schools.


Good safeguarding goes well beyond the school gate. As schools increasingly use websites and social media to celebrate achievements, showcase learning and connect with their communities, it is important to consider how published images may be used beyond their intended purpose. While sharing photographs brings clear benefits, advances in AI have significantly reshaped the risk landscape.


A growing concern is where photos of pupils or staff are taken from websites, social media channels and marketing materials. These images are then processed using AI tools to create non-consensual, synthetic sexual imagery.


Photographs shared on websites and social media can now be easily edited and repurposed into highly realistic but entirely fabricated content. The creation of synthetic intimate imagery carries severe real-world consequences.


Vulnerability to blackmail. Perpetrators can use manipulated images to blackmail individuals or the school itself, demanding money under the threat of public exposure.


Significant risk to already vulnerable children. The non-consensual sharing and modification of student photos directly compromises the safety of vulnerable children, such as Looked After Children or those on child protection plans, by exposing personal data or location routines. Profound emotional distress. The emotional toll on victims, whether they are pupils or staff members, and their families, is immense. Senior leadership teams are encouraged to review all publicly accessible images featuring pupils, staff, governors and school leaders, and consider whether further safeguards would help to reduce potential risks: • Review the necessity of published images. Reflect on whether


September 2026 identifiable, front-facing photographs are genuinely required.


• Utilise protective technology. Deploying blur or manipulation technology on student faces or background features makes imagery harder to misuse.


• Implement quality controls. Publish lower-resolution images online to hinder the effectiveness of AI manipulation tools, although this does not eradicate the risk.


• Assess social media channels. Closed groups are always preferable when posting photos, but any member, regardless of who they are, could still save, edit and share any images posted in the group.


• Remind staff about reporting. Staff should understand how to report concerns relating to synthetic imagery.


• Update policies and AUPs. Make sure this issue of image sharing is covered in your policies, e.g. Online Safety Policy and Acceptable Use Policies.


• Re-issue image consent forms. Ensure that parents and carers (and children over the age of 16 years) are aware of the risks, so they can make an informed decision about using their child’s photos. Opt in systems, rather than opt out, would seem more responsible in this new landscape.


As schools respond to emerging safeguarding risks, careful thought should also be given to how AI tools might be used to create, enhance or alter images.


For further guidance, schools can refer to edtech charity LGfL’s AI Policy Toolkit, which supports a safeguarding-first approach to the adoption and use of AI in education settings.


Manipulating student images via unapproved and unchecked AI can lead to privacy breaches and violate data protection legislation. Completing a Data Protection Impact Assessment on any AI tools used is paramount to ensure schools are compliant with legislation.


www.education-today.co.uk 19


how many of us work – just look at the impact on software engineering. Young people need to understand where they will add human value in the AI-enabled workplace. There will be many opportunities – this isn’t just about the loss of entry-level roles – but they need an appreciation of the skills that will be needed, whether that’s professional judgement, ethical decision-making or creative thinking.


These qualities are not developed through a single lesson; they grow and are nurtured through an education system that values so-called ‘soft-skills’ as much as academic excellence. It takes time and can include the expert support of a teacher, the opportunity to work with employers, or the chance to experience different perspectives and cultures. For example, at Oxford International College Brighton, our students work on projects that span community projects on our doorstep to medical support in Tanzania. It means schools’ provision of careers guidance is even more important in helping young people understand the world beyond education. The earlier we can broaden their horizons, the better equipped young people will be to make informed choices about their own futures.


School leaders can’t predict what the workplace will look like in 10 years’ time, and we shouldn’t pretend we can. But we can ensure young people leave us with depth of knowledge, good judgement and the curiosity to keep learning. Those qualities will serve them well – whatever careers emerge, and whatever challenges the future brings.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48