Is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) safe for UK schools?

AI Prefect rates Graded Pro (Grade Direct) Green for staff use (Processor, no training on inputs, UK/EU storage or stated transfer safeguards, school DPA available) and Amber for pupil use (18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school). This is based on the supplier's published documents, last checked 2026-11-01. It is not legal advice; complete your own DPIA.

Does Graded Pro (Grade Direct) train on our data?

According to the supplier's published documents: no - "We do not use Pupil Data to train AI models"; OpenAI API terms: not retained for training (privacy policy).

Where is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) data stored?

DigitalOcean (US, with EU data centre options) for hosting; OpenAI (US) gets the student first name and the work; transfers under SCCs, UK IDTA/Addendum and DPF where certified (compliance statement).

What age is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) for?

18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school.

Is there a safer alternative to Graded Pro (Grade Direct)?

We have not yet found a better-rated tool with the same main use. Our tool page lists what to look for instead.

Graded Pro (Grade Direct)

EdSystems Ltd (UK, company 16551984), trading as Grade Direct · AI marking / feedback · Last checked 2026-11-01

For teachers

Graded Pro (Grade Direct) could save around 10–20 minutes when several pupils need a similar comment on a set of written answers. You still open the scripts that do not fit that pattern. A suggested comment is not a grade, and it is not evidence for a report.

Illustration, not a measured result. The minutes are a typical classroom estimate based on what this tool is for. They are not a guarantee, not data from a school, and not part of the red, amber or green rating.

One-page summary (print or PDF)DPIA starter Compare with other tools Add to our tools list Get rating-change alerts

Rating: a rules-based summary of the supplier’s published terms. Not legal advice and not a substitute for a DPIA. How it’s worked out

Staff: GREEN Lower risk: fine to use with normal checks

Why green:

Processor, no training on inputs, UK/EU storage or stated transfer safeguards, school DPA available

Pupils: AMBER Use with caution

Why amber:

18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school

How is this rated?

Key facts

Trains on what you type: No
Where data is stored: Mixed
Minimum age: 18+
Use case: AI essay and work marking
Sector: Schools
Research status: Sourced

Safer alternatives

Same main use (AI essay and work marking) and sector, rated better for the same audience. Alternatives are suggested from our published ratings; check they meet your needs. How alternatives are chosen

For pupil use

No better-rated alternative found yet: here’s what to look for.

It acts as a processor for your school (not a controller)
It doesn’t train its AI on what you type
Data stays in the UK/EU, or transfer safeguards (standard contractual clauses, the UK IDTA or adequacy) are stated
There is a data processing agreement (DPA) for schools
The minimum age fits your pupils, or pupils use it through a school account

We’ve logged this gap and will research tools for it in our weekly update.

New here? Each field has a short explanation underneath. Our getting started guide explains what to look for and what to do next.

About the tool

SupplierThe company that makes and runs the tool.: EdSystems Ltd (UK, company 16551984), trading as Grade Direct
WebsiteWhere we found the main information about the tool.: https://graded.pro/ (opens in a new tab)
CategoryWhat sort of tool it is, for example a chatbot or a lesson-planning helper.: AI marking / feedback
Pupil-facingWhether pupils use it directly, or only staff. Pupil use needs extra care.: yes - students can submit work through teacher or school set-up accounts (portal, app, Google Classroom)

Your data

Processor or controllerA processor only uses data on your school’s instructions. A controller makes its own decisions about the data, which means your school has less say.: processor for pupil data uploaded on behalf of a school (school is controller, under a DPA); controller for account data
Where data is storedWhich country the data is stored in. UK or EU storage is usually simpler for schools.: DigitalOcean (US, with EU data centre options) for hosting; OpenAI (US) gets the student first name and the work; transfers under SCCs, UK IDTA/Addendum and DPF where certified (compliance statement)
Trains AI models on inputsWhether what you type (or upload) may be used to improve the supplier’s AI. “No” is what you want for anything about pupils or staff.: no - "We do not use Pupil Data to train AI models"; OpenAI API terms: not retained for training (privacy policy)
How long inputs are keptHow long the supplier keeps what you type before deleting it.: kept as long as the school needs; deleted submissions removed from backups within 30 days; on termination deleted from active systems within 30 days and backups within 90 days

Agreements and contacts

Privacy noticeThe supplier’s privacy notice: their own explanation of what they do with personal data.: https://graded.pro/pages/privacy (opens in a new tab)
Data processing agreement (DPA)The data processing agreement: the contract that sets out how the supplier must look after your school’s data.: https://graded.pro/public/DPA.pdf (opens in a new tab)
Signs individual DPAs with schoolsWhether the supplier will sign a data agreement with your school specifically, rather than just standard online terms.: yes - downloadable Data Privacy Agreement for schools to sign
UK GDPR representative / DPOWhether the supplier names a data protection officer or UK representative you can contact about data questions.: DPO contact: richard@grade.direct (DPA)

Age and safety

Minimum ageThe youngest age the supplier allows to use the tool. Check this before any pupil uses it.: 18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school
Key safety noteAnything else worth knowing, such as admin controls or content filtering.: DPA template is short and generic (sub-processor list on request); recommends pseudonymised student data and no special category data
Research statusHow complete our research on this tool is.: sourced (privacy policy, terms and compliance statement effective 9 May 2026 plus DPA read 26 Oct 2026)

Sources

graded.prohttps://graded.pro/pages/privacy (opens in a new tab)
graded.prohttps://graded.pro/pages/gdpr (opens in a new tab)
graded.prohttps://graded.pro/pages/term (opens in a new tab)
graded.prohttps://graded.pro/public/DPA.pdf (opens in a new tab)
graded.prohttps://graded.pro/pages/solutions/compliance (opens in a new tab)

Change history

No changes recorded since this entry was first published.

See all recent changes

Quick answers

Is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) safe for UK schools?: AI Prefect rates Graded Pro (Grade Direct) Green for staff use (Processor, no training on inputs, UK/EU storage or stated transfer safeguards, school DPA available) and Amber for pupil use (18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school). This is based on the supplier's published documents, last checked 2026-11-01. It is not legal advice; complete your own DPIA.
Does Graded Pro (Grade Direct) train on our data?: According to the supplier's published documents: no - "We do not use Pupil Data to train AI models"; OpenAI API terms: not retained for training (privacy policy).
Where is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) data stored?: DigitalOcean (US, with EU data centre options) for hosting; OpenAI (US) gets the student first name and the work; transfers under SCCs, UK IDTA/Addendum and DPF where certified (compliance statement).
What age is Graded Pro (Grade Direct) for?: 18+ to create an own account; under-18 students submit only through accounts and assignments set up by their teacher or school.
Is there a safer alternative to Graded Pro (Grade Direct)?: We have not yet found a better-rated tool with the same main use. Our tool page lists what to look for instead.

Generated only from the recorded facts on this page, not from the “For teachers” illustration. “Not stated” means the supplier doesn’t publish it.

Tell me if this rating changes

Suppliers change their terms. Leave your email and we’ll let you know if the rating for Graded Pro (Grade Direct) changes. Nothing else.

Spotted something out of date? Suppliers change their terms. Tell us and we will re-check it. This page is not legal advice; complete your own DPIA.