Pearson School Report 2025: UK Educators Voice Concerns Over AI Readiness

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Dec 04, 2025, 04:00 ET

LONDON, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's lifelong learning company, reveals growing concern among educators about how well young people across the UK are being prepared for an AI-driven future.

The data from the Pearson School Report 2025, which brings together more than 14,000 voices from across the UK's education landscape, shows that 44% of secondary teachers and 31% of primary teachers believe students are not adequately equipped for the impact of artificial intelligence.

While educators recognise AI's potential benefits in the classroom, many feel underprepared to guide students in its effective and responsible use. Almost a quarter (23%) of teachers say they are not confident using AI, and only 9% feel confident teaching it. In response, 42% say AI should be included in teacher training; a clear call for ensuring teachers have the training and support they need today.

Demand for more training to prepare for an AI-driven world

As the use of AI accelerates rapidly, many schoolteachers and students are already embracing the technology and recognise the role it will play in the future of education:

57% of teachers believe that AI will play a bigger role in education in the future.
39% of teachers have used AI tools in the last fortnight.
44% of teachers say AI helps save time, particularly in planning lessons and admin.

However, there is demand from both college tutors and schoolteachers for more training on AI:

59% of college tutors believe that teachers/tutors need more AI training.
42% of schoolteachers specify that AI should be included in teacher training.
43% of teachers identify AI training for staff in their schools as essential to improving students' digital skills.

These findings echo the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report, which highlights that recent advancements in AI and generative AI have made digital literacy even more critical. Young people must understand how AI works, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it effectively and responsibly.

Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director of Pearson Qualifications, said: "Teachers will always be at the heart of students' learning, development, and success. AI's power lies in its ability to support and amplify their role. We need to accelerate investment in the tools, training, and resources that help them harness its potential, while ensuring students gain the skills needed for an AI-enabled future. By acting now and working together across the sector, we can ensure AI is used thoughtfully and responsibly to empower teachers and prepare young people to thrive in a rapidly changing economy."

Educator voices calling for change

Educators are echoing this need for enhanced AI training across the sector. Janeen Hayat, Director of Collective Action at The Fair Education Alliance, warns: "School staff also need more support in impactful use of technology, and AI specifically [...] If we don't invest in the skills and infrastructure the education system needs now, we'll leave more and more young people behind."

Teachers on the frontline are experiencing this skills gap firsthand. One primary classroom teacher explained: "I'm fairly confident using IT and AI but I feel many staff are not. This causes a gap in what children experience as they move through their primary years. [As] teachers we have not been equipped or taught well enough to ensure our children are digitally savvy/competent. This needs fixing urgently!"

The path to more training on AI

Pearson has introduced certifications and training to help build AI literacy:

Pearson's Generative AI Foundations Certification has reached thousands of learners since launching in October 2024.
'AI Essentials' is a short course, powered by ActiveHub, designed in partnership with Basingstoke College of Technology that provides a foundational understanding of AI, including the responsible use of AI and how to think critically about digital content.
Extended Project Qualification pathway in Gen AI literacy - 'EPQ:AI' is available to Students in the UK and internationally.
The BTEC Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals course gives learners an understanding of the fundamental functions and operations involved in AI and machine learning.

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