AI to support school teachers in major new DfSIT-DfE partnership

The Department for Education and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will use artificial intelligence to develop lesson plans and content. 

Worth £4million, the UK Government proposal will train machine learning in class planning, curriculum guidance, and pupil assessments. Once systems have enough knowledge, they will then begin generating materials for educators to use and offer assistance with a number of tasks, including marking. 

Last year, a Department for Education [DfE] report showed many teachers were already using artificial intelligence [AI] to reduce overtime and improve work-life balance. In a more recent study, the organisation also found that parents and pupils were initially sceptical towards AI, but this was largely due to a lack of understanding about the technology and after more in-depth consultations people could see big advantages in bringing this technology into school settings. 

A major aspect of central government’s approach to AI involves the ‘content store’, backed by £3million in public funding and a partnership with the Open University. The digital asset brings data from across departments and projects into one place, and allows AI to learn from the full bank. This was developed after DfE testing showed that giving programmes access to this level of data increased accuracy to around 92% – up from 67% without targeted data.

‘We know teachers work tirelessly to go above and beyond for their students. By making AI work for them, this project aims to ease admin burdens and help them deliver creative and inspiring lessons every day, while reducing time pressures they face,’ said Science Secretary, Peter Kyle.

‘This is the first of many projects that will transform how we see and use public sector data,’ he added. ‘We will put the information we hold to work, using it in a safe and responsible way to reduce waiting lists, cut backlogs and improve outcomes for citizens across the country.’

To encourage companies to use the datastore, shares of an additional £1million are now being offered to firms that propose the best ideas to put this data to use within schools and educational settings. Winners will build tools specifically for teachers to assist with feedback and marking by March 2025. Applications are open now. DfE has also announced that a new safety framework for AI use will be published later this year, setting out clear expectations to industry for ‘proper’ use of artificial intelligence. 

‘AI has been a hugely powerful tool for me and my colleagues at the Bourne Education Trust,’ said Chris Gooddall, a teacher and Head of Digital at the Bourne Education Trust. ‘It allows us to create engaging, personalised learning experiences for our students while also significantly reducing the time taken to create them.

‘Personally, I’ve used AI to quickly generate scaffolded activities, adapt materials for students with special educational needs, and create more engaging lessons that are accessible to all. The time saved allows school staff to focus on what matters most, interacting with students and providing individualised feedback and support,’ he continued. ‘The content store will take this to the next level by offering easy access to high quality evidence based and legally compliant education materials. Developed with input from educators it supports effective teaching practices and fosters collaboration and innovation.’

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Image: Kenny Eliason