Up to 450,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds could benefit from safe AI powered tutoring tools providing personalised, one-to-one learning support – levelling the playing field for those who cannot afford private tutors.
The government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity so every child, regardless of background, can achieve and thrive. Currently, too many disadvantaged children are lagging behind their peers with just one in four achieving a pass in English and maths at GCSE at grade 5 or above, compared to over half of their peers.
Evidence shows that one to one tutoring can accelerate a pupil’s learning by around five months, but access to tutoring is deeply unequal, with children from wealthier families far more likely to benefit. The government is running a tender for industry to co-create AI tutoring tools with teachers, with the goal of bringing these tools to a similar level of quality, so that we can offer, at scale, the kind of personalised one to one support often only available to a privileged few.
By adapting to individual pupils’ needs, the tools could provide extra help when they get stuck and identify where they need more practice to master their lessons, with the potential to help them catch up with their peers.
From Summer term this year, there will be teacher-led co-creation of AI tutoring tools with industry. The tools will then be available to schools by the end of 2027. From years 9 – 11 alone this means the tools could support up to 450,000 children a year on free school meals to access one to one tutoring.
Under the plans the government will work alongside teachers, AI labs and leading tech companies to robustly test AI tutoring tools, so they are safe and work for pupils, including the most disadvantaged, and school staff. This includes ensuring they work in tandem with the National Curriculum to build on children’s learning in class.
The tools will help drive up standards by complementing high-quality face-to-face teaching – not replacing it – offering targeted support to students who need it most while also pushing the most able pupils to go further, so every child can achieve and thrive.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said
Our mission is to break the link between background and destiny, and we’re working hand-in-hand with teachers to make that a reality. AI tutoring tools have the potential to transform access to tailored support for young people, taking tutoring from a privilege of the lucky few, to every child who needs it – so all children can achieve and thrive.
But AI tools are only helpful in education if they are safe and support learning – and that is a non-negotiable. We will ensure tutoring tools are designed with teachers and rigorously tested, so they enhance pupils’ learning and keep our children safe online, never replacing the human connection that only great teachers can provide.
Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, said
Every child should have an equal shot at success, no matter their background – but in reality, too many disadvantaged children are falling behind their peers in school.
We’re determined to close that gap. That’s why we are going to work with teachers and tech experts to make safe, smart AI tutoring tools available to schools by the end of 2027 – providing extra help for kids who couldn’t otherwise afford it.
Alongside the high quality, face-to-face teaching of our brilliant educators, this will help level the playing field for hundreds of thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to make the most of their education by removing the barriers that get in the way.
Trials of the AI tutoring tools will begin later this year with children in secondary schools across the country, drawing on first-hand experience from teachers. Their expertise and feedback will ensure the tools are at their most effective, with evidence gathered from trials then informing their wider use.
Robust benchmarks will also be developed so parents and teachers can be confident that AI tools for use by pupils are high quality, reliable and most importantly safe.
Teachers and school staff will be supported with clear, practical training developed with the education sector, so they have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to use AI safely and effectively.
The announcement today builds on the measures announced last week to ensure opportunities to harness the benefits of AI and technology in education can be maximised and protect young people from online harms including
- Launching a consultation on children’s social media use and banning phones in schools to protect young people’s wellbeing and ensure safer online experiences.
- Developing the first-ever guidance on screen use for under-fives to offer parents practical support on balancing screens with play, speaking and reading.
- A £23 million investment to expand the government’s EdTech Testbeds pilot programme – enabling more than 1,000 schools and colleges to test AI tools and assistive technology, supporting teachers from primary school onwards by saving them time and reducing workloads.
- Updated safety standards that will ensure tech companies meet the high bar the government expects when developing tools for use in education, with a focus on tackling emerging risks like AI affecting learning, emotional and social development.
