The government has outlined plans for artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, suggesting that pupils could benefit from increased face-to-face time with their teachers.
The Department for Education (DfE) has released guidance for schools and colleges in England, detailing how teachers can safely use generative AI. The suggestion is that AI could reduce administrative tasks, including generating letters, reports, and lesson planning, thereby freeing up teachers' time to work with pupils.
The guidance also emphasises the importance of teachers verifying the accuracy of AI-generated outputs and ensuring the protection of personal data.
School leaders’ unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education.
The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and “offering feedback on errors” – as well as generating “exam-style questions”.
Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added.
One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school.
It said: “Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence.
“This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.”
But educators should only use AI tools “approved” in their setting, it added.
AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff.
“AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children’s learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided.
“Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges.
“If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages.
“However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need.
“Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.”
The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We’re putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.”
She added: “By harnessing AI’s power to cut workloads, we’re revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.”
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