An international school’s AI policy should set out permitted AI use for students and staff, and rules for AI in coursework that match Cambridge and Pearson. It should also cover how AI use is acknowledged, how teachers authenticate work, data protection and age limits, and the consequences of misuse. Cambridge’s rules apply to all Cambridge International qualifications.
Do schools need an AI policy?
Yes. Exam boards place the responsibility on schools. Cambridge states that “the primary responsibility for identifying any inappropriate use of generative AI by students remains with centres and teachers who know the students best” (Cambridge). A school cannot meet that responsibility consistently without a written policy. Some regulators already expect one:
| Body | What it requires |
|---|---|
| Cambridge International | Schools identify AI misuse; teachers must not authenticate work they suspect was produced with inappropriate AI use |
| Pearson | Teacher and learner both sign a declaration; AI must be “clearly referenced” (Pearson AI guidance) |
| ADEK (Abu Dhabi) | Responsible-use policies must include standards on “academic honesty, plagiarism, and the responsible use of … digital tools (e.g., artificial intelligence)”, with full compliance by the 2025/26 academic year (ADEK Digital Policy) |
| KHDA (Dubai) | Staff must use AI “legally, ethically and transparently” and must not use it “to replace human judgment in student-related matters” (KHDA staff code of conduct) |
What do Cambridge and Pearson allow?
Both boards allow limited, acknowledged AI use in coursework and treat unacknowledged use as malpractice. Neither allows AI in supervised exams. Pearson describes its guidance as supplementary to that of JCQ, the UK exams body, and JCQ says students “must not be able to use” AI tools in supervised assessments.
| Cambridge International | Pearson | |
|---|---|---|
| Permitted uses | Initial research; brief quotation of AI text with critical discussion (Cambridge help) | Use that is clearly referenced, where it does not replace the learner’s own thinking |
| Acknowledgement | State the prompt(s), the AI tool’s name and version, and when it was accessed | Clearly referenced in the submission |
| Quotation limit | ”Two or three sentences or about 50 words” | Not specified |
| Credit | Mark schemes “will not award credit specifically for the use of generative AI” | No reward where AI replaces independent thought, “even where the AI tools have been referenced” |
| Teacher role | Must not authenticate suspected work; investigate | Examine work at intermediate stages; a verbal presentation “may be helpful” |
| AI marking | — | “AI should not be used as the sole method of marking the learner’s work” |
For the wider picture, from AI marking to regulator mandates, see AI in Cambridge & Edexcel Schools and our guide to KHDA and ADEK AI literacy requirements.
What should an international school’s AI policy include?
Use these ten sections as the template. Each maps to a board rule or a regulator expectation.
- Purpose and scope. Who the policy covers (students, teachers, support staff, contractors) and which qualifications: Cambridge Lower Secondary to AS & A Level, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and IAL.
- Principles. For example, “AI supports learning and teaching; it does not replace a student’s own work or a teacher’s professional judgement.”
- Approved tools. A list of AI tools the school has checked for data protection and age suitability, with a named owner who updates it.
- Student use by task. A table of homework, classwork, coursework and exams, each marked permitted, permitted with acknowledgement, or not permitted.
- Coursework rules. Cambridge’s two permitted uses and 50-word quotation limit; Pearson’s referencing and declaration; no AI in supervised exams.
- Acknowledgement format. Tool name and version, prompts used, date accessed, with a screenshot of the output kept by the student.
- Authentication. Drafts and plans kept under supervision, checks at intermediate stages, and a short viva where work looks inconsistent with the student’s usual standard.
- Staff use. What teachers may use AI for (planning, practice questions, feedback drafts) and the rule that AI never makes the final judgement on a student’s grade.
- Data protection and age. No personal student data entered into unapproved tools. UNESCO recommends an age limit of 13 for AI tools in the classroom (UNESCO).
- Misuse and review. How suspected misuse is investigated and reported to the board as malpractice, and an annual review date, because board guidance changes.
Sample AI policy wording for coursework
Students may use AI tools to carry out initial research and may quote briefly from AI-generated text if they discuss it critically. Every use must be acknowledged with the tool name and version, the prompts used and the date. Work that includes unacknowledged AI-generated content will not be authenticated and may be reported to the exam board as malpractice.
How should the policy handle regional rules?
Add one annex per regulator, not a separate policy. A Dubai school adds KHDA’s staff conduct rule, and an Abu Dhabi school adds ADEK’s Digital Policy requirements. A school in Europe will later need an annex for the EU AI Act. Keeping the core policy board-aligned and the annexes local lets a school group use one document across campuses.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
AI Buddy is a school-licensed platform, which makes it straightforward to list in section 3 of the policy. Student data is held in GDPR-compliant, encrypted hosting, and teachers see student activity through their dashboards. AI Buddy is for practice and feedback, not coursework. Its AI marking gives instant feedback on past-paper-style questions, while grades that count stay with teachers, consistent with Pearson’s rule that AI is never the sole marker.
Frequently asked questions
Do schools need an AI policy?
Yes. Cambridge makes schools responsible for identifying AI misuse, Pearson requires signed declarations, and ADEK requires responsible-use policies covering AI.
What should a school policy on AI use cover?
Permitted use by task, coursework rules aligned to the exam boards, an acknowledgement format, authentication checks, staff use, data protection and age limits, and how misuse is handled.
Is there a sample AI policy for schools aligned to Cambridge?
The ten-section template above follows Cambridge’s coursework rules, including its two permitted uses, the acknowledgement requirements and the 50-word quotation limit.
How is an international school AI policy different from a UK one?
It aligns to the boards directly rather than to UK regulators, and adds local annexes, such as KHDA or ADEK requirements in the UAE.
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Sources
- Cambridge International, The use of generative AI in coursework
- Cambridge International, How far can candidates make use of AI in their coursework? (updated 13 August 2025)
- Pearson, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidance
- JCQ, AI Use in Assessments (revision two, 30 April 2025)
- ADEK, Digital Policy
- KHDA, School Teacher Recruitment and Mobility Guide (September 2025)
- UNESCO, Guidance for generative AI in education and research (September 2023)