Education · 28 July 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 in Classrooms
Is AI Killing Critical Thinking or Unlocking New Possibilities?
A Financial Times analysis by Andrew Jack examines both the genuine benefits and widely-publicised concerns about AI in education, offering a balanced counterpoint to the dominant narrative that AI is eroding students' capacity for independent thought. Real-world examples illustrate positive classroom applications sitting alongside legitimate risks.
Why it matters: UK teachers navigating competing pressures around AI use will find this a useful framing tool for staff discussions and parental conversations about classroom practice.
Read the source on LinkedIn →Education Falling Behind in Creative AI Use, New Survey Finds
An Adobe workplace survey reveals that only 13% of education organisations consider themselves leaders in creative AI adoption, with 40% acknowledging they feel behind. While 90% of workers want to use creative AI tools, just 9% are actually doing so in meaningful ways, with most usage confined to email drafting and document summarising.
Why it matters: UK school leaders risk embedding a narrow, automation-only culture around AI; without modelling genuinely creative uses, CPD will produce staff who generate lesson plans faster but think no differently.
Read the source on LinkedIn →AI Governance & Policy
Three Quarters of Teachers Use AI While Half Their Schools Have No Policy
New data cited this week highlights that 76% of teachers are already using AI tools, yet approximately half of their schools have no formal policy in place to govern that use. The pattern holds across the UK, South Africa, New York and Europe, suggesting this is a systemic leadership failure rather than a technology problem.
Why it matters: UK headteachers and MAT leaders face real accountability and safeguarding exposure if staff are using ungoverned AI tools with pupil data and no policy framework exists to demonstrate compliance with UK GDPR or KCSIE obligations.
Read the source on LinkedIn →UN Launches Permanent Global AI Governance Forum in Geneva
The United Nations opened its first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on 6 July, a permanent forum mandated by the General Assembly giving every member state an equal voice in shaping how AI is regulated worldwide. An Independent International Scientific Panel co-chaired by AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio has warned bluntly that current safeguards cannot keep pace with AI's rate of capability growth.
Why it matters: UK schools operating under the EU AI Act's reach and evolving domestic regulation should note that international governance frameworks will increasingly shape what compliant AI use in education looks like over the next three to five years.
Read the source on LinkedIn →School Leadership & Governance
New Book Gives Governors and Trustees a Practical AI Assurance Framework
Al Kingsley MBE, chair of a multi-academy trust and EdTech group CEO, has published a new governance-focused guide to AI in schools. It offers a six-stage framework covering purpose, people, policy, process, practice and proof, alongside a seven-area assurance model. Ready-to-use templates including DPIAs, board reports and AI registers are included in a full appendix.
Why it matters: With governors and trustees increasingly expected to demonstrate oversight of AI use under KCSIE and UK GDPR, this gives UK boards a structured, non-technical starting point for asking the right questions and evidencing assurance.
Read the source on LinkedIn →