Government invites EdTech and AI firms to build safe AI tutors for Disadvantaged Learners
Britain’s EdTech sector and intelligence workshops are being invited to receive part of the government’s funding to design a new generation of AI teaching tools for classrooms, in a program that aims to close the access gap between the country’s richest and poorest students.
Up to eight companies will be selected to form a Pioneer Group, each receiving £300,000 to build and test tools that could eventually reach up to 450,000 disadvantaged students a year. The first group is expected to begin classroom testing under teacher supervision this summer, with the goal of national rollout from 2027.
The programme, which was launched this week, is part of a delivery plan following the government’s schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, published earlier this year. That document sets a target of reducing the achievement gap between children from poor homes and their better-off peers by half.
In the UK’s fast-growing education technology sector, the tender represents one of the most significant public procurement opportunities in recent years. Ministers have made it clear that tenderers are expected to demonstrate, in a tangible way, how their products will help low-income students, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities. Accessibility and inclusion are non-negotiable criteria.
The tools themselves will initially guide Years 9 and 10 in four core subjects: English, maths, science and modern foreign languages. Each is expected to practice with each student, step in when the student makes a mistake and point out areas where more practice is needed to participate in the curriculum.
Most importantly in the field of teaching, the government has emphasized that tools must be designed in collaboration with classroom workers rather than dictated by them. The stated desire is to provide additional support that frees up teacher time for students who need it most, instead of closing the teacher in front of the class.
The business case is straightforward. One-to-one private tutoring, which research suggests can accelerate a student’s learning by five months, often costs hundreds or thousands of pounds a year, putting it out of reach for many working families.
Digital Government Minister Ian Murray said the initiative was about democratizing the support of the wealthy. “The best educational support outside of school has often been the privilege of those who can afford it,” she said. “AI gives us a real opportunity to change that, to put personalized, one-on-one teaching in the hands of all students, regardless of their background, and to provide teachers with the best technology relevant to their work. That’s why I’m calling on EdTech companies and AI labs to help us design safe and evidence-based teaching tools that will deliver real educational improvements.”
Education Minister Olivia Bailey made similar comments, while stressing that the pace of the rollout will not be allowed to jeopardize safety. “Personalized, high-quality teaching tools have the potential to help us make great strides in leveling the playing field for thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds,” she said. “But getting this right is just as important as moving fast. All tools must be developed by teachers, rigorously tested, and maintained at the highest levels of safety before they reach the classrooms of the world. That’s why we invite EdTech and AI leaders to join us in this challenge, not just to build something new, but to build something that will give students more life chances, and maybe even more to change their lives.”
The response from the education sector has been broadly supportive. Nav Sanghara, chief executive of the Woodland Academy Trust, welcomed what he described as a “thoughtful and informed approach to AI in education” and argued that co-design tools with teachers are essential for them to be safe, relevant to the curriculum and truly successful. “At Woodland Academy Trust, we are clear that technology, including AI tools, should enhance rather than replace quality teaching, and should be based on strong teaching,” he said, adding that the program’s focus on disadvantaged students, including those with SEND, was “very important”.
Safety considerations will apply to the program from start to finish. All test equipment must meet strict UK safety standards and comply with the national curriculum. At the end of the trial phase, providers will be required to report on measurable impact, both on students and their teachers.
In parallel, new national benchmarks are being developed to ensure that AI tools are accurate, age-appropriate and safe, a framework officials hope will future-proof the industry by allowing newly released models to be tested as quickly as they come to market. Teachers are included in the benchmark design process to help create realistic classroom environments and clear criteria.
The government is also opening its AI content store, a repository of publicly available educational resources, to participating developers. The aim is to provide bidders with a rich seam of quality materials with which to test, test and refine their products.
The teaching program is supported by a wider package of EdTech investment, including an additional £325m committed to school connectivity until 2029/30, designed to reduce the digital divide, and up to £23m earmarked for testing AI and EdTech products in schools with the dual aim of improving outcomes and reducing teacher workload.
For EdTech founders and AI labs eager for the UK education market, the message from Whitehall is clear: the door is open, funding is on the table, and the commercial prize, with potential national rollout reaching hundreds of thousands of students, is huge. The price of admission, however, is a visible commitment to safety, equality and the use of a real classroom.
