UK approves AI for teachers to mark quizzes and write letters

The UK government has released new guidance allowing teachers in England to use artificial intelligence for routine tasks like marking quizzes and writing letters to parents. The Department for Education’s training materials, distributed to schools, aim to reduce teacher workloads by automating administrative duties so educators can focus on direct instruction and student support.

What you should know: The guidance establishes clear boundaries for AI use in educational settings while emphasizing transparency and human oversight.

• Teachers can use AI for “low-stakes” marking such as quizzes or homework, but must always verify the results before relying on them.
• AI is approved for writing “routine” letters to parents, with examples including communications about issues like head lice outbreaks.
• Schools must develop clear policies outlining when teachers and pupils can use AI tools, with manual checks recommended to detect potential cheating.

Why this matters: The guidance represents the first official framework for AI use in English schools, addressing both the technology’s potential benefits and inherent risks.

• Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the initiative aims to put “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.”
• The move could help address teacher recruitment and retention challenges by reducing heavy administrative workloads that contribute to burnout.

Key implementation requirements: The guidance emphasizes safety measures and professional responsibility in AI adoption.

• Only approved AI tools should be used in school settings, with schools required to establish clear usage policies.
• Teachers must maintain transparency about their AI use and cannot fully outsource tasks to artificial intelligence.
• Students should be taught to recognize deepfakes and other forms of AI-generated misinformation as part of digital literacy education.

What experts are saying: Education professionals see both promise and challenges in the government’s AI guidance.

• Emma Darcy, a secondary school leader and AI consultant, argued teachers have “almost a moral responsibility” to learn AI tools since students are already using them extensively.
• “If we’re not using these tools ourselves as educators, we’re not going to be able to confidently support our young people with using them,” Darcy explained.
• However, she warned about risks including “potential data breaches” and marking errors, noting that “AI can come up with made-up quotes, facts [and] information.”

The big picture: While many schools are already experimenting with AI, financial constraints may limit widespread adoption.

• Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, noted that “budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.”
• Research from BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, found most teachers weren’t using AI tools, with many worried about informing their schools about such usage.
• Julia Adamson from BCS called the guidance “an important step forward” but noted teachers need “clarity on exactly how they should be telling those parents where they’ve used AI.”

Beyond England: Other UK nations are developing similar approaches to AI in education.

• The Scottish and Welsh governments have indicated AI can support tasks like marking when used professionally and responsibly.
• In Northern Ireland, Education Minister Paul Givan announced a study by Oxford Brookes University to evaluate how AI could improve educational outcomes for students.