Discover how the UK government plans to use safe AI-powered tutoring tools, co-created with teachers, to support up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils and help close the attainment gap
The UK government has announced plans to bring safe, personalised AI tutoring tools to schools by the end of 2027, supporting up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils — particularly those from lower-income backgrounds who lack access to private tutoring.
These AI tools, co-created with teachers and tested for safety and effectiveness, will provide tailored one-to-one support to enhance classroom teaching and help close the attainment gap in subjects like English and maths. Trials are scheduled to start later this year. Teacher training and robust benchmarks will be established before nationwide implementation to ensure the technology is effective, safe, and aligned with the curriculum.
Closing the attainment gap: The need for AI tutoring
Currently, many disadvantaged children are lagging behind their peers, with just one in four achieving a GCSE grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared to half of their peers.
Evidence shows that one-to-one tutoring can accelerate a pupil’s learning by around five months. Yet access to tutoring is unequal, with children from wealthier families far more likely to benefit. To combat this, the government is running a tender for industry to co-create AI tutoring tools of a similar quality, so one-to-one support can be offered at scale to all children, regardless of background.
The tools could be adaptable to individual pupils’ needs by providing extra help and identifying where they need more practice to master their lessons.
How AI tutoring will be rolled out in schools
From summer 2026, teachers will lead the co-creation of AI tutoring tools with the 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 plan, the government will work with teachers, AI labs, and leading tech companies to test AI tutoring tools to ensure they are safe and work in tandem with the National Curriculum to build on children’s learning in class.
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 helpful in education only if they are safe and truly support learning. That is a non-negotiable. We will make sure tutoring tools are designed with teachers and rigorously tested. Our aim is to enhance pupils’ learning and keep 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 are determined to close that gap. That’s why we will work with teachers and tech experts to make safe, smart AI tutoring tools available to schools by the end of 2027. This will provide 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.”
