Everything You Need to Know: The DfE's Guidance on AI in Education
For teachers and tutors, understanding how to use AI effectively has become an essential new skill for 2026.
A recent study by the National Education Union showed that three-quarters of teachers in England are now using AI tools for day-to-day work, up from 53% in 2025. However, half of schools (49%) have no policy whatsoever for the use of AI by either staff or students.
That’s where the UK government’s advice for generative AI in education comes in. Published by the Department for Education (DfE), it outlines the challenges and benefits of AI in education, and provides sound advice for educators in all settings on how to integrate AI.
Here we break down the key points you need to know to use AI in your setting with confidence.
How can AI be used in education?
There are plenty of interesting opportunities for using AI in education, from reducing teacher or tutor admin and improving the quality of lesson resources, to better tracking student progress. It’s all about enhancing the work teachers do, not replacing them.
We know that many teachers are already using AI to plan their lessons and create materials, with some teachers saving as much as 3-4 hours per week on planning. New tools are also becoming available to mark work, give feedback and help teachers to understand student progress.
AI is great at handling repetitive tasks and analyzing data, freeing up educators to focus on delivering great, personalized learning in lessons.
What does the DfE guidance recommend?
You can read the full guidance here, but here’s a breakdown of the top takeaways:
- The DfE sees ‘more immediate benefits and fewer risks from teacher-facing use of generative AI’. Evidence is still emerging on the benefits of AI for pupils; however, it’s clear that AI is already positioned as a great tool to reduce administrative workload.
- Safety and safeguarding are the top priority. Any AI use needs to be carefully considered with appropriate safeguards in place. Schools must continue to comply with age restrictions and Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.
- AI output needs to be assessed for inaccuracies, hallucinations and inappropriate or biased content that’s presented as fact. Professional judgement and human responsibility remain key.
- Data protection and intellectual property must be respected. Personal data should not be used in AI tools and students’ original work should not be used to train generative AI models without permission.
- Assessment integrity and regulation are evolving. It’s the responsibility of schools to prevent AI malpractice, with Ofsted and Ofqual responsible for judging the impact of AI rather than the tool itself.
What are the key concerns?
The DfE outlines privacy, especially protecting personal information, and intellectual property as key concerns for the use of AI in education.
Further to this, the Internet Matters report “Me, Myself and AI” outlines further concerns that educators need to be aware of. Over a third (35%) of children who use chatbots say “it’s like talking to a friend”, and 1 in 8 (12%) use them because they have no one else to speak to. This rises to nearly 1 in 4 (23%) for vulnerable children.
Vulnerable children in particular are at greater risk of encountering misleading or harmful content in a way that is presented to them as a fact from a friend. The DfE’s advice, along with the OECD, encourages educators to ‘place human judgement, feedback and oversight at the centre of AI use.’ Making sure all content is appropriate for your students, accurate, and teaching proper AI use is vital.
Where can I learn more about safe use of AI in education?
The DfE has released support materials for educators outlining key considerations for implementing AI in schools and educational settings. They aim to help ‘balance the need for staff and student safety with the opportunities AI creates.’
You can work through the materials yourself here.
We know that AI adoption is happening fast. With so many teachers already adopting AI into their work, everyone must understand the benefits and potential risks of using these tools to enhance teaching and learning.
The UK government’s advice is a great place to start, along with implementing a sound AI policy in your educational setting. While there are great opportunities to save time on admin and improve your lessons, it’s always important to be aware of the risks of using AI technology without proper thought.
To find out more about how Bobbin integrates AI into its lesson platform, get in touch with our team today.
Recommended reading:
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education: Policy Paper, Department for Education, 2025.
AI in Schools and Colleges: What You Need to Know, Department for Education, 2025
‘Me, Myself and AI’, Internet Matters, 2025
Using AI in Education Settings: Support Materials, Department for Education, 2025
