Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the speech made by the Secretary of State for Education at the Education World Forum on 19 May regarding funding to test the effectiveness of EdTech products in schools, what consultations they have held with civil society and other relevant organisations representing the interests of children as part of this work.

The department has announced over £1 million in funding to test the effectiveness of education technology (EdTech) products in schools and colleges. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools to improve staff workload, pupil outcomes, and inclusivity. This work is based on findings from the department’s 2023 call for evidence on AI in education, which gathered views from educators, academics and civil society organisations on technology and AI in the classroom.

As part of this work, the department has launched an open expression of interest for schools, colleges and EdTech companies to participate in the EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot. The department is working with the Open Innovation Team to engage the education sector and gather insights on what works. This includes collaboration with educators and EdTech firms to ensure the tools tested are relevant and impactful.

The department is also currently undertaking deliberative engagement with pupils, parents and teachers to explore the use of pupil work to train AI. We are putting children, teachers and parents at the centre of work to explore responsible governance structures.