Government invites tech firms to build safe AI tutors for disadvantaged pupils
Up to 450,000 pupils a year could benefit from personalised AI tutoring tools tested in schools from this summer.
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds could soon have access to personalised AI tutoring in school, as the government calls on edtech companies and AI labs to help design a new generation of classroom-ready tools.
Up to eight organisations will be selected to trial AI tutoring platforms in secondary schools from this summer, with the aim of making successful tools available nationwide from 2027. The focus is firmly on safety, teacher involvement and supporting pupils who might otherwise miss out on private tuition.
What are the new AI tutoring tools?
The proposed tools will support pupils in Years 9 and 10 across English, maths, science and modern foreign languages.
Designed to adapt to individual learning needs, the AI tutors will offer extra help when a pupil gets stuck and flag where more practice is needed. Teachers will also receive clear insights into how pupils are progressing, helping them tailor lessons and target support more effectively.
Importantly, the tools are intended to enhance teaching, not replace it. Selected companies will work directly with teachers to ensure the technology fits real classroom contexts and aligns with the national curriculum.
Successful bidders will each receive £300,000 to form a Pioneer Group, developing and testing their products in schools under teacher supervision.
Why the focus on disadvantaged pupils?
Private tutoring can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds a year, putting it out of reach for many families, despite evidence that it can accelerate learning by up to five months.
The government says these AI tools could help level the playing field, with the potential to support up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils every year. Companies applying to take part must demonstrate clearly how their product will benefit this group, and how it will be accessible and inclusive, including for pupils with SEND.
Minister for Digital Government Ian Murray said:
“The best educational support outside school has too often been the privilege of those who can afford it.
AI gives us a genuine opportunity to change that - to put the kind of personalised, one-to-one tutoring into the hands of all pupils, regardless of their background, and giving teachers the best technology to complement their work.
How will the tools be kept safe?
Child safety is central to the programme. All tools must meet rigorous UK safety standards, align with the national curriculum and comply with the Department for Education’s Generative AI Product Safety Standards.
No identifiable pupil data will be shared publicly, and pupils’ work will not be used to train AI systems without parental permission.
New national benchmarks are also being developed to ensure AI tools are accurate, age-appropriate and safe. These are being created by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Incubator for AI, working with hundreds of teachers to develop classroom interaction examples and scoring criteria.
The government is also opening access to its AI Content Store, a library of publicly available educational resources to support development and testing.
What do school leaders think?
Nav Sanghara, CEO of Woodland Academy Trust, welcomed the move and highlighted the importance of teacher involvement.
“This is a welcome step towards a more thoughtful and evidence-informed approach to AI in education. Co-designing tools with teachers is critical to ensuring they are safe, curriculum-aligned, and genuinely improve outcomes for pupils.
“At Woodland Academy Trust, we are clear that technology, including AI tools, must enhance rather than replace high quality teaching, and should be grounded in strong pedagogy. This approach rightly recognises the importance of professional expertise in shaping solutions that work in practice.
The emphasis on reaching disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, is particularly important and, if implemented well, this programme has the potential to support greater equity alongside improved outcomes.
When could schools see these tools?
Officials are proactively contacting selected companies to invite applications. Up to eight successful bids are expected, with awards anticipated in the summer.
Co-design with schools will begin in the summer term, with tools tested in classrooms this year. If successful, they could be rolled out nationally from 2027.
The programme forms part of a wider government investment in education technology, including additional funding for school connectivity through to 2029 to help narrow the digital divide.
For parents of children in secondary school, especially those approaching GCSE years, the move signals a growing role for AI in classrooms, with a clear message that safety, teacher oversight and fairness are at the heart of its development.
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Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.