A new primary school study shows where AI can save teachers time

One of the most promising uses of AI in education may happen before a child opens a lesson. Teachers spend many hours preparing materials, choosing examples, and adapting tasks for their class.

The Education Endowment Foundation published results of a trial involving 416 teachers across 108 primary schools in England. Teachers offered Oak National Academy's Aila lesson assistant spent about 2.5 hours a week on lesson and resource preparation, compared with 3.3 hours in the comparison group—roughly 49 minutes less. Independently assessed resources from the AI group were no worse in quality.

The important detail is how teachers used the tool. Many adapted its output before using it. The trial examined preparation time and resource quality; it did not establish that pupils learned more because of the tool. The researchers also found that teachers used Aila for only a small share of lessons.

For families, the lesson is practical: AI can help adults prepare better learning moments, but children still need an attentive human and activities that fit their stage. At KiddooAI, AI-drafted lessons wait for human review before reaching a learner. Useful tools should give educators and parents more room to focus on the child.