From the editor

Dr Cat Scutt MBE, Deputy Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching, UK In Spring 2019, the Chartered College of Teaching published a special issue of Impact focused on EdTech, funded by the Department for Education (DfE). In the six years since then, EdTech use in schools has changed almost beyond recognition: firstly, due to the […]
Using GenAI: What do teachers really need to know?

HANNAH OWEN, CLASS TEACHER, RIVERSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL; PHD RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK My first experience of using artificial intelligence (AI) almost crept up on me. I was aware of some of the AI tools available, particularly ChatGPT, but had yet to try them out. Yet one morning, as I was preparing a spelling activity for […]
Teachers’ use of ChatGPT in lesson preparation can save time

HELEN POET, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, NFER, UK KATHERINE ASTON, RESEARCH MANAGER, NFER, UK Introduction Since the release of various generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models for public use, there has been great interest in its potential use in education. By August last year, 57 per cent of teachers reported using at least one form of AI tool to help […]
Utilising AI and emerging technologies to support learners with autism

CRAIG LOMAS, SENIOR LECTURER IN EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF GREATER MANCHESTER, UK PROFESSOR GEOFF BAKER, CEO, TRUE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP AND EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF GREATER MANCHESTER, UK Introduction There has been an exponential increase in the number of pupils diagnosed with autism spectrum condition (ASC) in schools in England since 2020, with 70 per cent of […]
AI tutoring: Bridging the educational disadvantage gap

MARK LESWELL, RESEARCH LEAD, SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST, UK This article examines how AI tutoring could address the educational attainment gap for socio-economically disadvantaged students. Recent studies suggest that AI tutoring can deliver significant learning gains, while overcoming the scaling limitations of traditional one-to-one tutoring. While implementation challenges exist, the technology shows promise as a cost-effective tool […]
Generative AI in the classroom: Challenging the digital native assumptions of student proficiency with artificial intelligence tools

SAM LOVATT, SENIOR LECTURER IN PRIMARY EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, UK Children and young people are surrounded by technology, with many of them (nine out of 10) owning a smartphone by the time they attend secondary school (Woodhouse and Lalic, 2024). A recent report from Ofcom (2024) found that 96 per cent of children between the […]
Inclusive education in the age of AI: Adaptive teaching strategies using ChatGPT

ANNA CHATWIN, DEPUTY HEAD OF TEACHING, LEARNING & INNOVATION AND TEACHER OF HISTORY & POLITICS, BERKHAMSTED SCHOOL, UK The rapid advancement of generative AI presents educators with a pressing question: how can artificial intelligence (AI) be harnessed to foster inclusive and adaptive teaching practices? Research by Mollick and Mollick (2023) provides a tangible framework for upskilling […]
Student engagement in effective AI use: Prompt engineering and individualised learning

MICHAEL SPIERS, SENIOR HOUSEMASTER, RIPON GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK Rationale and preliminary research I first became aware of the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in aiding the incorporation of creativity in teaching in late 2022, after the release of the large language model (LLM) ChatGPT. I was familiar with generative AI from conversations with colleagues involved in […]
Early research themes for teaching about AI

JANE WAITE, RASPBERRY PI FOUNDATION, CAMBRIDGE AND RASPBERRY PI COMPUTING EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK Introduction Resources related to AI and education are emerging, from international and country-specific policy guidance (e.g. Miao and Holmes, 2023; DfE, 2025), to suggested competency frameworks (e.g. Miao and Shiohira, 2024). When considering how AI technology may manifest in […]
Barton Peveril Sixth Form College’s journey with artificial intelligence and development of AI agents

CHRIS LOVEDAY, VICE PRINCIPAL, BARTON PEVERIL SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK Introduction In January 2024, Barton Peveril Sixth Form College (BPSFC) began exploring the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Initially, the focus was on leveraging AI to support business functions and improve operational efficiency, before being expanded to include student engagement and marking. This case study examines […]
How AI can be a panacea for the growing SEND, workload and retention crisis

REBECCA STOTT, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, TWINKL; NPQH; MA-ED, SEND & DIGITAL LEARNING, UK GEORGINA DURRANT, SEND AUTHOR, BLOOMSBURY; NATIONAL THOUGHT LEADER FOR INCLUSION, TWINKL, UK JONATHAN PARK, AI LEAD, TWINKL, UK Lost amid the noise of the election, the Department for Education updated its risk report in July to warn that the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) […]
AI for schools: Unlocking potential in curriculum processes

Charlie Cutler, Director of Curriculum, United Learning, UK Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has the potential to fundamentally change education and substantially support teachers in teaching, and its use in education is growing. The proportion of teachers reporting using GenAI ‘to help with school work’ has grown from 35 per cent in August 2023 to 42 […]
Harnessing artificial intelligence to transform CPD and reduce educator workload in sixth-form colleges

DAVID J WALL, HEAD OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS/TLA DEVELOPER, ST JOHN RIGBY COLLEGE, UK In the fast-paced and demanding environment of an Ofsted-outstanding sixth-form college, educators face increasing pressure to balance high-quality teaching with administrative duties. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a promising solution to alleviate these burdens, enabling educators to focus on […]
AI in assessment: Managing risks and seizing opportunities

DALE BASSETT, DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENT, UNITED LEARNING, UK Assessment is integral to education, helping us to understand how students are progressing. Whether formal annual tests, exit-ticket quizzes or informal learning checks in the classroom, ‘traditional’ assessment isn’t going away – but it is hugely impacted by AI, both positively and negatively. United Learning’s ongoing development of […]
AI in teacher professional development: The unnecessary and absolutely necessary cognitive load of developing as a teacher

ROBERT CAUDWELL AND PAUL MALLABAND, CO-FOUNDERS, PENROSE EDUCATION, UK Introduction As is true in most professions, teachers are increasingly outsourcing elements of their work to AI (artificial intelligence) tooling. As AI capabilities continue to improve, it will become possible to increasingly rely on machines to do parts of our jobs for us. This has the potential […]
Whose values and beliefs are shaping the conversation?

DR FIONA AUBREY-SMITH, FOUNDING DIRECTOR, ONE LIFE LEARNING, UK Educational organisations are increasingly deciding who will take responsibility for leadership around AI (artificial intelligence) in their context – with new roles and remits being evolved to lead this changing landscape. Yet each of those sharing their expertise or leadership is doing so through a particular […]
The human in the machine: Exploring the potential, ethics and morality of harnessing AI for workload and assessment

Introduction With the advancement of large language learning models (LLMs – AI tools such as ChatGPT), there are senses of optimism, potential and scepticism within the education world in equal amounts: optimism regarding its potential impact on reducing workload, a key factor in the recruitment and retention crisis (NFER, 2024); potential in its ability to […]
Do pupils dream of electric teachers? Secondary school pupil perspectives on AI and the implications for teacher professionalism

JAMES LEIGH, HOUSEMASTER, CANFORD SCHOOL, UK Introduction The educational landscape is rapidly evolving, with so-called artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a potential game-changer. Easy-to-access large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, are particularly intriguing, holding the promise of personalised learning paths, efficient research assistance and potentially even automated assessment. However, the potential impact […]
The ‘unreliable magic genie’: Helping students to develop criticality in the world of AI in post-16 education

TIM HALLAS, HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE, UK; ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction AI has become a significant topic of conversation in post-16 colleges, after ChatGPT reached public consciousness at the end of 2022. This was met with a variety of reactions from individuals and organisations, which included intrigue, fear and disinterest, depending on the perspective […]
AI spy: Tracking the tools that teachers use

KAREN WESPIESER, TEACHER TAPP, UK Since 2020, Teacher Tapp has been checking how teachers are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In November 2024, we asked teachers: What AI-powered tools or technologies (if any) have you used or experimented with in your teaching practice? The data featured in this Teacher Tapp research has been gathered from our […]