Governors don't need to understand how large language models work. They need to ask the same three questions they'd ask about any new area of school practice: is there a policy, is it being followed, and is it being reviewed?
Questions to ask the headteacher
- Do we have an AI policy, and when was it last reviewed?
- How are staff being trained or supported to use AI appropriately?
- What's on our AI risk register, and who owns it?
- How are we communicating our approach to parents?
- Are any paid AI tools being procured, and have they been through data protection checks?
Where this fits in committee structure
Most schools fold AI oversight into an existing committee — often Standards, Resources, or a full governing board item — rather than creating a new one. What matters is that it appears on an agenda at least once a term, not that it becomes a standing obsession.
Your outside perspective is the point
As a governor, you're well placed to bring outside perspective and ask the questions a busy SLT might not have time to ask themselves. You don't need to be the most technically literate person in the room — you need to be the person willing to ask "and how do we know that's working?" until you get a specific answer, not a reassuring one.
Key takeaways
- Governors need scrutiny skills, not technical AI expertise.
- Fold AI oversight into an existing committee, on the agenda termly.
- Push for specific answers, not reassuring ones.