Britain’s EdTech sector and artificial intelligence laboratories are being invited to pitch for a share of government funding to design a new generation of classroom-ready AI tutoring tools, in an initiative aimed squarely at closing the attainment gap between the country’s wealthiest and poorest pupils.
Up to eight companies will be selected to form a Pioneer Group, each receiving £300,000 to build and trial tools that could eventually reach as many as 450,000 disadvantaged pupils a year. The first cohort is expected to begin classroom testing under teacher supervision this summer, with a view to a national rollout from 2027.
The programme, unveiled this week, forms part of the delivery plan behind the government’s landmark schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, published earlier this year. That document sets an ambitious target of halving the outcomes gap between children from poorer households and their better-off peers.
For the UK’s fast-growing education technology sector, the tender represents one of the most significant public procurement opportunities in recent years. Ministers have made clear that bidders will be expected to demonstrate, in concrete terms, how their products will serve pupils from low-income backgrounds, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities. Accessibility and inclusivity are non-negotiable criteria.
The tools themselves will initially target Years 9 and 10 in four core subjects: English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages. Each is expected to adapt to the individual learner, stepping in when a pupil falters and identifying areas where additional practice is required to secure mastery of the curriculum.
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