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Preparing girls for an AI-powered future: How GDST is leading the way
As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes our world, how do we prepare young women to adapt and thrive amid this technological revolution? At the Girls’ Day School Trust, we’re tackling this challenge head-on with a thoughtful, values-led approach that puts girls at the heart of the conversation.
Rachel Evans, Director of Digital Transformation, articulates how the GDST has taken a “learn fast, act slowly” approach to AI – inspired by the work of renowned education technology expert Professor Rose Luckin.
“For the last two years, our AI working group has been developing a shared understanding of how artificial intelligence can enhance education while staying true to our mission and values,” explains Rachel. “Rather than adopting every new tech trend that emerges, we’re making informed, ethical decisions that put our pupils’ wellbeing and educational outcomes first. Our approach empowers both teachers and pupils to harness AI’s benefits while maintaining critical thinking and human creativity.”
Empowering teachers through the safe use of AI
Before introducing AI to students, GDST recognised the importance of supporting our teaching staff. Teachers across the GDST school network now have access to secure AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini within our enterprise systems, ensuring high standards of data protection while enabling innovation in teaching and administrative tasks.
“By using these safe platforms, we can be confident that the data is secure and isn’t being used to train an AI model,” Rachel notes. “This careful approach means teachers can experiment with AI confidentially and safely.
But technology training is only part of the story. While Microsoft and Google provide technical instruction on how to use their AI tools, GDST focuses on the more fundamental question: should you use them? Our educational technology leaders work with teachers to develop that philosophical, values-based approach to AI adoption.
Creating safe spaces in which girls can explore AI
For GDST pupils, particularly those aged 11-18, AI education goes far beyond learning to use new tools. Every girl in our schools engages with AI concepts through multiple channels: from PSHE lessons focusing on online safety to discussions in English and civil discourse classes that examine AI’s societal impact.
We’ve also introduced carefully selected platforms like Figma and Canva, which include AI components but with appropriate guardrails for safe pupil use. “These are platforms for learning and collaboration which are designed to enhance collaborative and creative work in the classroom,” says Rachel.
This controlled environment allows girls over 13 to gain some hands-on experience with generative AI, building their confidence with their teachers’ guidance.
Three examples of using AI in GDST schools:
- Custom chatbots with subject- and course-specific resources for GCSE revision in Computer Science
- Learning pro skills in Photoshop using AI tools
- Teachers using AI to create teaching materials alongside expert human input
Addressing the gender gap within AI for women
AI has been regarded as a masculine field, and the statistics are stark: only 22% of AI professionals are women. As technology increasingly dominates our economic landscape, this gender gap threatens to leave talented young women behind.
However, GDST is determined to change that narrative. Rachel believes that the current low representation of women in AI is more deeply connected to confidence and risk-taking behaviours than technical skills: “Research shows that women are less likely to adopt AI in the workplace, often due to concerns about ‘cheating’ and a perceived need for extensive training before trying new tools. Meanwhile, male employees tend to ‘dive in and give things a try’.”
This pattern reflects broader trends in girls’ experiences in education. GDST’s Girls’ Futures Report revealed that confidence in risk-taking significantly decreases among girls during their teenage years – from 67% in lower secondary school, falling back to just 48% by sixth form.
At GDST, we’re actively working to counter this trend. Our approach encourages girls to be curious, experimental, and resilient – exactly the qualities needed to thrive in an AI-powered world.
The current AI landscape may be “intensely masculine and aggressive”, as Rachel argues, so preparing young women to enter this space with confidence, creativity, and strong ethical foundations is vital.
GDST maintains an unwavering commitment to keeping humans at the centre of technological advancement. We don’t see AI as a replacement for human creativity or emotional intelligence. Instead, it can amplify these distinctly human capabilities.
Rachel emphasises that GDST girls and staff are encouraged to be critical consumers of technology, to question its implications, and to make deliberate choices about what to embrace and what to reject.
Preparing girls for future careers within AI
The AI landscape is evolving so rapidly that predicting career paths feels almost impossible. What we can do is prepare our students with the foundational skills they’ll need to adapt and thrive regardless of how technology develops.
“We can ensure that girls leaving our schools are equipped with the skills to be adaptable, critical thinkers, and creative problem solvers who can work in interdisciplinary ways with emotional intelligence,” continues Rachel. “This means fostering curiosity and empathy alongside technical literacy because those skills will always be essential for professional success, no matter how sophisticated AI becomes.”
The national picture
January has brought a series of announcements from the Department for Education (DfE) which indicate something of a sea change in the approach to AI. New, more specific and robust standards for AI-powered educational products for children are particularly welcome at the GDST, where we have always encouraged our teachers to scrutinise the pedagogical value of edtech. The requirement that products should not only be safe but also support children’s cognitive development and social behaviours marks a significant and very welcome shift. The onus is now on tech companies to get this right and put children’s needs first. This direction aligns well with the new recommendations to schools on mobile phone use and guidance for parents on screen time – both areas where GDST schools are taking action and supporting families.
Rachel shares that the move to develop safe and effective AI tutoring platforms gets a slightly more cautious welcome at the GDST. It’s heartening to see that the DfE proposal recognises teacher expertise as key to developing such products and that the project is about ‘complementing high-quality face-to-face teaching – not replacing it.’ Some GDST students use this type of learning platform successfully, and it could certainly play a part in improving outcomes for some disadvantaged students nationally. However, as Rachel points out, the relationship between teacher and students, and students and their peers, can be key to effective learning, and we must guard against this getting undermined by a reliance on an impersonal tech solution.
Empowering families to understand and feel comfortable with AI
At GDST, we recognise that many parents may feel ‘bamboozled’ by the pace of technological change. That’s why we provide resources and guidance to help families navigate the AI revolution, including recommended trusted sources like Common Sense Media.
The key message for families is one of balanced engagement: “We all have choices about what we use and what we don’t, and that choice is a powerful thing,” concludes Rachel. “We can choose to embrace and participate on technological platforms that enhance our lives and add value.”
As we look toward the future, GDST remains committed to a values-led approach to AI in education. This means continuing to prioritise ethics and sustainability in our technology policies.
Above all, it means ensuring our approach to AI remains human-centred, cautious yet optimistic, and always focused on what’s best for GDST girls.
At GDST, our ambition is to adapt to an AI-powered future while preparing our pupils to lead it.
Resources for families
UK Safer Internet Centre
A wealth of guidance about online safety, including how to manage your home internet connection.
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers
Common Sense Media
This US-based site is well known for age-rated media guidance, and they also partner with NSPCC for guidance on AI and edtech.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
BBC Bitesize – Digital Literacy
Search ‘digital literacy’ to find age-appropriate material to support conversations with your children.
