DfE Press release: AI revolution to give teachers more time with pupils
Government driving forward AI tools to deliver excellence everywhere for every child, as part of Plan for Change
The Department for Education has today (June 10th) launched a package of measures to transform how schools use AI – including the first ever AI guidance for schools and colleges setting out how schools can safely and effectively use AI to transform the classroom experience for students.
A recent survey showed 43% of teachers rate their AI confidence at just 3/10, with over 60% asking for help applying AI to planning and support tasks. Nearly all teachers wanted safety guidance and additional training.
But what does that mean for the mental health and wellbeing of students and teachers? The promise of providing teachers with more time is an attractive one, more time should empower educators and enable them to focus more on issues effecting the classroom such as pupil behaviour and learning and development outcomes.
We know that the current administrative load on teachers is significant, so the acknowledgement of this burden and the desire to try and create solutions is a step in the right direction. Administrative pressure can lead to burnout, stress, and reduced capacity for meaningful interactions with students – all of which negatively impact the mental health of both teachers and pupils. This new guidance for schools and colleges highlights and emphasises the safe and effective use of AI while maintaining teacher-led learning and should help boost confidence and ensure the responsible integration of AI tools into the education system.
The plans propose the automation of routine tasks, such as generating generic letters should directly translate into teaching staff getting ‘hours back’ to focus more on communication, teaching and wellbeing in the classroom. The £1 million in Contracts for Innovation funding for AI tools in marking and feedback generation also holds promise for enabling teachers to give timely feedback, reducing academic stress and anxiety in students and pupils.
The invitation for schools and colleges to become test beds for EdTech products should provide much needed evidence-based evaluations to ensure that AI tools truly free up teachers for more qualitative interactions and that they don’t inadvertently create new forms of digital stress or isolation.
This initiative, coupled with the broader “TechFirst programme” for digital and AI training, suggests a long-term commitment to equipping both educators and students with the skills for a technologically advanced future, while ideally alleviating some of the pressures that contribute to mental health challenges in schools.
The true power of this ‘AI revolution’ lies in it’s potential to create a more supportive, less stressful, and ultimately more human-centred learning environment. By strategically leveraging AI to handle the mundane, we can empower teachers to do what they do best: inspire, connect, and nurture the holistic development and well-being of every child.
GOV.UK. “AI revolution to give teachers more time with pupils”. Department for Education 10th June 2025. READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE
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