Nine hours ago, Hazel Shearing, Education correspondent, reported that teachers in England are now guided by new government-issued training materials to use artificial intelligence (AI) for speeding up marking and writing letters home to parents. These materials, first obtained exclusively by the BBC, encourage teachers to use AI to "help automate routine tasks, " allowing them to focus more on "quality face-to-face time. " The Department for Education (DfE) emphasizes transparency in AI use and insists results must always be verified by teachers. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) acknowledged that AI could "free up time for face-to-face teaching" but noted significant unresolved issues. The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) called the guidance "an important step forward, " while highlighting the need for clear instructions on how teachers should inform parents when AI is used. Although teachers and pupils have already been experimenting with AI and the DfE has previously supported its use, this is the first time formal guidance and training have been issued detailing appropriate AI use in schools. The DfE advises AI be used only for "low-stakes" tasks such as quizzes or homework marking, with teachers required to verify the results.

Additionally, AI can be used to draft routine letters to parents, such as notifications about a head lice outbreak. Emma Darcy, a secondary school leader and AI consultant, argued that teachers have a "moral responsibility" to learn AI since students are already deeply engaging with it. She cautioned about risks including data breaches and errors, noting that AI can produce fabricated quotes or information and warning against fully outsourcing tasks to AI. The DfE guidance calls for clear school policies on AI usage for both teachers and pupils and recommends manual checks to detect student cheating. It advises using only approved AI tools and teaching pupils to recognize deepfakes and misinformation. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated the guidance aims to "cut workloads" by equipping teachers with "cutting-edge AI tools" to "free them from paperwork, " enabling them to provide "inspiring teaching and personalised support. " ASCL General Secretary Pepe Di'Iasio noted many schools and colleges already safely employ AI, which can alleviate staff workload pressures and improve recruitment and retention, but highlighted that tight budgets pose a challenge to fully realizing AI’s benefits. Research by BCS at the end of last year showed most teachers were not yet using AI and expressed concerns about reporting its use to schools. Julia Adamson, BCS Managing Director for Education, welcomed the new guidance as a positive step, emphasizing the need for clear protocols on informing parents when AI is used, to avoid extra pressure or administrative burdens. In other UK regions, the Scottish and Welsh governments have endorsed AI use for tasks like marking when applied responsibly, while Northern Ireland's Education Minister Paul Givan announced a study by Oxford Brookes University investigating AI’s potential to enhance educational outcomes for some pupils.