Pearson School Report 2025: UK educators warn students aren't ready for AI
UK teachers are sounding the alarm: many students aren't prepared for an AI-driven future. According to the Pearson School Report 2025, 44% of secondary teachers and 31% of primary teachers say students are not adequately equipped for the impact of AI.
Teachers see the upside, but confidence is low. Almost a quarter (23%) aren't confident using AI, and only 9% feel confident teaching it. The message is clear: schools need practical training and support now.
Where schools stand on AI today
- 57% of teachers believe AI will play a bigger role in education in the future.
- 39% have used AI tools in the last two weeks.
- 44% say AI saves time, especially for lesson planning and admin.
But there's a skills gap that affects students' experience and outcomes. Many teachers want structured, relevant training to make AI safe, useful, and consistent across classrooms.
What educators are asking for
- 59% of college tutors say teachers/tutors need more AI training.
- 42% of schoolteachers want AI included in teacher training.
- 43% say staff AI training is essential to improve students' digital skills.
These points echo the Curriculum and Assessment Review's call for stronger digital literacy, especially as generative AI becomes common. Students need to know how AI works, where it helps, where it fails, and how to use it responsibly. For context, see the UK's DfE guidance on generative AI in education.
Voices from the sector
Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director of Pearson Qualifications, emphasizes that teachers are central to learning and that AI can support and amplify their work. She calls for faster investment in tools, training, and resources so students build the skills needed for an AI-enabled future, with thoughtful and responsible use across the sector.
Janeen Hayat, Director of Collective Action at The Fair Education Alliance, warns: "School staff also need more support in impactful use of technology, and AI specifically […] If we don't invest in the skills and infrastructure the education system needs now, we'll leave more and more young people behind."
A primary classroom teacher adds: "I'm fairly confident using IT and AI but I feel many staff are not. This causes a gap in what children experience as they move through their primary years. [As] teachers we have not been equipped or taught well enough to ensure our children are digitally savvy/competent. This needs fixing urgently!"
What this means for your school
The takeaway: AI is already in classrooms, but teacher confidence and consistent practice are lagging. If you lead CPD, digital strategy, or curriculum, focus on two fronts-staff capability and student literacy.
- Embed AI literacy across subjects: evaluation of digital content, prompt strategy, bias, and privacy.
- Set clear classroom guidelines: where AI is allowed, where it's not, and how students should cite its use.
- Prioritise time-saving use cases for staff: planning, resource generation, differentiation, and admin.
- Create a small internal working group: test tools, document what works, and share quick wins.
- Align with safeguarding, data protection, and assessment policies from day one.
Training that's already available
Pearson has launched several options to build AI literacy across schools and colleges:
- Generative AI Foundations Certification, reaching thousands since October 2024.
- AI Essentials (powered by ActiveHub), created with Basingstoke College of Technology-covers responsible use and critical evaluation of digital content.
- EPQ:AI, an Extended Project Qualification pathway in generative AI literacy (UK and international).
- BTEC Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals, covering core AI and machine learning functions and operations.
Action plan for heads and CPD leads
- Audit current staff confidence and usage. Identify quick adoption areas (planning, feedback, admin).
- Run short, practical workshops. Focus on prompts, evaluation, academic integrity, and safe data use.
- Adopt one or two vetted AI tools school-wide. Reduce fragmentation and set usage norms.
- Integrate AI literacy into KS2-KS5 progression. Build from basics to critical application.
- Track impact: time saved, quality of feedback, student outcomes. Iterate every half-term.
Why this matters now
Students will enter workplaces where AI fluency is assumed. Teachers don't need to be data scientists-they need clear guidance, time to practise, and trusted resources that remove friction. Schools that act now will reduce workload, improve consistency, and raise digital standards for every learner.
If you're building a staff CPD pathway, you can explore AI courses for educators to compare options and plan a staged rollout.
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