Common questions
Short answers for teachers, data protection officers, IT leads and school leaders. Each one links to the page with the detail.
Not legal advice. These answers describe how this site works. They are not a finished DPIA, and your school still makes its own decision.
What is AI Prefect?
AI Prefect is a free, independent database of AI tools used in UK schools, colleges and universities. It records what each supplier publishes about data protection and safety, then shows a rules-based rating for staff use and for pupil use. Listing a tool is not an endorsement, so use the tool directory to check a product before you rely on it.
Is this legal advice or a finished DPIA?
No, AI Prefect is not legal advice and it is not a finished data protection impact assessment (DPIA). It gathers what suppliers publish so your school can start its own DPIA. You still need to follow your school or trust process, as the getting started guide explains.
What do green, amber, red and grey mean?
Green means lower risk on the published terms, and fine to use with your normal checks. Amber means use with caution because something is missing or depends on settings, Red means not recommended for school data, and Grey means there is not enough published information to rate yet. Each rating also has an icon (a tick, an exclamation mark, a cross or a question mark) so it doesn’t rely on colour alone, and How we rate tools sets out the full rules.
Who is it for?
It is for classroom teachers and other staff who find a tool first, and for data protection officers and IT leads who advise on whether it can be used. School leaders and governors use it when they are asked to approve a tool, and you don’t need a technical background. The getting started guide is written for staff, and For leaders is a short note you can forward.
How do you get the facts?
Facts come only from the supplier’s own published documents, such as the privacy notice, terms, data processing agreement and help pages. If those documents do not say, the field stays “not stated”, and we don’t guess. We don’t use sales emails or private assurances, and the methodology explains the sources we will and will not use.
How often is it updated?
An automated check runs every day and flags wording changes in supplier documents for a person to re-read, but it does not change the facts on the site by itself. Entries are meant to be re-read in full at least monthly, and the methodology sets out how updates work. A page not checked for more than 30 days shows a warning, and Recently changed lists what has been updated.
Can I submit a missing tool?
Yes, if a tool is not in the directory, use Submit a tool and tell us its name and website. We check what the supplier publishes within 48 hours. Sending a tool doesn’t mean it is listed straight away, and it doesn’t change how any tool is rated.
How do I share this with senior leaders or governors?
Open For leaders. It is a short note you can print or paste into an email for a headteacher, senior leader or governor. It explains what AI Prefect is and shows a few tools of each type.
Do ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot appear?
Yes, when the directory has a page for that product. Search the directory for the name, for example ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. Some suppliers have more than one product, such as a personal account and a school or work account, so open the page that matches how your school would sign in.
Is the most opened list what schools subscribe to?
No, the list called Most opened tool pages counts tool pages opened on AI Prefect over the last 30 days, and the same browser counts at most once a day. It is not a list of what schools subscribe to, and it is not a measure of quality or safety. We don’t store who opened a page.