Education · 23 June 2026
AI in Education
For teachers, school leaders and MATs
At askKira, we provide GDPR-compliant, secure AI built specifically for UK schools. Developed with over 100 education experts and aligned with DfE, Ofsted and EEF guidance, askKira helps teachers, school leaders and MATs work smarter, reduce workload and make data-driven decisions with confidence.
This week's roundup brings you the latest AI developments that matter for UK education.
AI Literacy & Frameworks
OECD publishes landmark AI literacy framework ahead of PISA 2029
The OECD, in collaboration with the European Commission, has published a substantial AI literacy framework covering four domains and up to 22 competencies for learners. Developed through international consultation and grounded in research, it is designed to feed directly into PISA 2029 assessments. Commentators note the framework assumes a baseline of AI infrastructure and teacher confidence that most schools have not yet achieved.
Why it matters: UK schools face a dual challenge: this framework signals the direction of international assessment, yet without structured CPD and clear DfE curriculum guidance, most UK teachers are being asked to deliver AI literacy without the training or tools to do so.
Read the source on LinkedIn →AI in Classrooms
Government admits AI tutoring pilots rest on limited evidence base
The DfE has awarded contracts to eight technology companies, including Google, to pilot AI tutoring tools targeting disadvantaged pupils. Despite the investment, the government openly acknowledged there is currently "limited" evidence that these tools improve educational outcomes, raising questions about the pace of rollout relative to the strength of the research base.
Why it matters: UK school leaders and MAT procurement teams should treat this as a clear signal to demand independent evidence before committing budgets to AI tutoring products, particularly where vulnerable pupil groups are involved.
Read the source on TES →Student Safeguarding & Online Safety
Schools report surge in blackmail threats linked to pupil images online
Law firm Browne Jacobson has reported a significant spike in schools raising concerns about pupil photographs being scraped from school websites and used to generate AI deepfake abuse material. The DfE has quietly issued new training guidance advising leaders to limit the public visibility of student images as a protective measure.
Why it matters: UK DSLs and school website managers must urgently audit which pupil images are publicly accessible online, as AI-generated deepfakes are now an active and rapidly growing safeguarding threat requiring immediate policy action.
Read the source on TES →UK romantic chatbot ban leaves critical loopholes for young people
The UK government has confirmed plans to restrict under-18s from accessing AI romantic companion chatbots, but investigators warn the measures are narrowly drawn. Age-gating specific features does little to address addictive design, emotional dependency or the hundreds of smaller apps that fall outside the scope of the ban. Teachers report compulsive AI chatbot use is already disrupting pupils' sleep and schoolwork.
Why it matters: UK pastoral leads and safeguarding teams cannot rely on regulation alone; schools need updated acceptable use policies and age-appropriate digital literacy programmes that address AI dependency as a distinct welfare risk, not merely a screen time issue.
Read the source on The Bureau of Investigative Journalism →School Policy & Data Protection
DfE updates GDPR guidance to incorporate filtering and monitoring requirements
The Department for Education has revised its GDPR guidance for schools and colleges to explicitly include information about filtering and monitoring obligations. The update clarifies that filtering is a data protection matter as well as a safeguarding one, placing greater accountability on school leaders to demonstrate compliance across both frameworks simultaneously.
Why it matters: UK school leaders and IT managers must now treat their filtering and monitoring logs as part of their GDPR accountability documentation, meaning any gaps in monitoring provision could constitute both a safeguarding failure and a data protection breach.
Read the source on LinkedIn →