- New report reveals already advancing advantage gap in AI
education, with private schools 2.5 times more likely to teach
pupils how to use AI.
- ‘Generation Ready: Building the Foundations for AI-Proficient
Education in England's Schools' calls for applied AI to be put on
the English national curriculum to prevent widening disadvantage
gap.
- International competitivity also under threat, with top PISA
scorers already embedding AI in classroom while UK trails.
- Proposals include beginning AI education from Key Stage 2 and
requiring all pupils to complete a Certificate in Applied
Computing before leaving school.
Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy should be embedded in the
national curriculum to prevent a burgeoning disadvantage gap,
says the Institute (TBI).
As pupils across England return to school, TBI's new paper
‘Generation Ready' argues that applying AI has become an
essential skill for life, yet disadvantaged pupils are already
being left behind.
The government is currently taking steps to integrate AI into the
classroom, bringing in tools and support to streamline lesson
planning, cut workloads and speed up marking. While this approach
drives important efficiencies for teachers, it does not build
pupils' understanding of and ability to use AI.
While some schools are forging ahead on this, others are not.
Today's report reveals an advancing advantage gap in AI
education, with disadvantaged pupils significantly less likely
than their peers in private and other state schools to receive
structured teaching on how AI works or how it applies across
subjects.
TBI-commissioned research found that private schools are almost 3
times more likely to teach pupils what AI is, and 2.5 times more
likely than state schools to teach pupils how to use AI.
Meanwhile, AI is already transforming the labour market. Up to
three million existing UK jobs could be displaced, while job
postings requiring AI skills have grown 3.6 times faster than all
UK jobs over the past decade.
The authors argue that, while foundational knowledge remains
vital, preparing pupils to thrive requires more. Universal AI
literacy is becoming essential, including how to apply it
correctly, human-centred skills such as critical thinking, and,
for specialist pathways, the technical expertise to design AI
systems.
With this summer's A Level results having once again exposed
significant attainment divides, including a record difference in
achievement between the Northeast and London, the authors argue
that AI could close or widen this gap, depending on the choices
we make now.
James Scales, Senior Policy Advisor for Education at the
Institute, said:
“In addition to the existing divide in educational outcomes, a
new fault line will open if all pupils are not prepared for an
AI-enhanced world. The disadvantage gap will increasingly hinge
not only on today's core competencies; it will also depend on
pupils' ability to use AI well.
“Without a clear strategy to democratise access to the new
frontier of learning, those who already benefit most from the
trappings of the current age will benefit most from the hand of
the AI era.
“But with the right focus and direction, all pupils could have
the chance to build the skills needed to flourish in an age of
AI.”
The report also notes that UK students' international
competitivity is under threat. While PISA leaders such as
Estonia, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea are embedding AI
into their learning, the UK is maintaining older models of
teaching.
The paper features a foreword from Kristina Kallas, Minister of
Education for Estonia, who currently lead Europe's PISA rankings
and are implementing AI into their own curriculums.
In her foreword, Minister Kallas
says:
“In an AI-driven world, success will be defined not by what
one knows, but by the depth of one's thought, creativity and
mastery of collaboration. Learning is becoming more dynamic and
personalised, with AI tools serving as adaptive tutors that cater
to each student's unique needs and pace.
“We must recognise that AI is no longer a distant prospect;
it is already shaping the way our students learn. The question,
therefore, is not whether AI will impact education, but how
effectively we will harness its potential to empower learners and
drive change.”
Without reform, the authors argue, today's pupils will leave
school unprepared for a new world.
The Institute calls for urgent changes to the national curriculum
to place AI at its heart, including embedding foundational AI
literacy from Key Stage 2, and requiring all pupils to complete a
Certificate in Applied Computing before leaving school.
These proposals, the paper stresses, must be universal, reaching
every child in every community, not just those in privileged
schools.
The report concludes that Britain faces a clear generational
choice: embrace AI in schools and equip all young people to
thrive, or restrict it – entrenching inequality and holding the
country back.
